These Maple Blondies have such a great flavor! I wanted to call them Maple Bars, since the texture is almost the exact same as pumpkin bars... but the donut industry already staked claim, so here we are! They are lightly spiced with a chai flavor and so tender and melt in your mouth. The texture is that of a true blondie. A lot of blondies have a more cookie-like texture, but a true blondie should be a similar texture to a brownie. They should be all soft and tender with a paper thin crispy top. These definitely have that! The reason these have such a soft and tender texture is because there isn't any baking soda or baking powder. They aren't dense either- the eggs act as a leavening agent and they are still light and wonderful. For another fall bar try our Paula Deen Pumpkin Bars.
I'll be honest, I'm not always a huge maple fan. It has to be done the right way (and these are the right way!!!) I'm allergic to walnuts and pecans, and I think maple syrup is for pancakes and waffles. But the flavor of these is wonderful. They are lightly spiced. The light spice flavor mixed with the maple is heaven in your mouth and is reminiscent of fall. These are good year round and also make a great fall treat. These would be perfect to serve after some cajun shrimp pasta or tuscan white bean soup.
These come together quickly and are very easy. Definitely beginner level baking. Possibly intro to pre-basic level 😉 They are similar to a typical cookie recipe. Just a few minutes to combine and mix ingredients, bake, mix a few more ingredients and frost!
How to Make Maple Blondies
Preheat the oven to 350*F. Grease an 8x8 baking pan. Using a stand mixer or bowl and electric beater, combine the softened butter and the brown sugar. Dark brown or light brown works great, but I have a preference of using half of each. Add the eggs and flavoring and beat until batter begins to lighten and gets a little fluffier, about 2-3 minutes. For the next step, you have 2 options. You can either combine the dry ingredients into a small separate bowl, or what I like to do is pour the flour on top of the wet ingredients, then the rest of the dry ingredients on top of the flour. After that, I like to use my fingers and mix the dry ingredients lightly. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, just until well incorporated.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 25-35 minutes. Just like with a brownie, be careful not to over bake! They are done as soon as the top is matte and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Combine powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and cardamom in a small bowl and mix until lumps are gone.
Smooth over cooled blondies and enjoy!
Other Fun Fall Treats
Maple Blondies
Ingredients
For the Blondies:
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons maple extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the icing:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F.
- Grease an 8x8 baking pan.
- Using a stand mixer or bowl and electric beater, combine the softened butter and the brown sugar.
- Add the eggs and extracts and beat until batter begins to lighten and gets a little fluffier, about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine the dry ingredients with a whisk or fork in a small bowl.
- Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, just until well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the greased 8x8 pan and bake for 25-35 minutes. Just like with a brownie, be careful not to over bake! They are done as soon as the top is matte and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Combine powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and cardamom in a small bowl and mix until lumps are gone.
- Smooth over cooled blondies and enjoy!
Jacob
These are so soft. Texture is just like a brownie, but not greasy at all. The flavor is so so good. Will make again and again. Definitely taking these to a party!
Jed
My family ate these up! I loved how moist they were
Makenna Myler
Did I just find my next go to party gift? Yes. Yes I did. I love a good brownie and these are basically maple flavored brownies. I like it with a very thin layer of frosting or even without the frosting, but my husband looooves the frosting. Big fan.