Say it with me.

“An apple a day keeps the doc-“

Ha. Not this doctor. (To be. You are not a doctor yet, missy. Doctor. To. Be. Speaking of which, the test was fine. I definitely know I made a few stupid mistakes but it would be impossible not to on any three hour long test. Rather than obsess about the ones I may have gotten wrong, however, I’ve decided to take the glass half full approach. And think about the myriad of times I could have put down the wrong answer. But didn’t. That’s what I plan to do in the OR. Congratulate myself every time I don’t mistakenly cut out someone’s liver. And just selectively forget about the times I do.)

Sounds cliche, really. But I do in fact eat an apple a day. Approximately.

Of course, there are some days when I don’t eat any. Note – these days are commonly referred to as bad days.

But then again, there are also some days when I eat two. Even three apples. (Best. Days. Ever.)

Yes, I let my happiness and mental well-being hinge upon the availability of a piece of fruit. But apples happen to be the second most popular fruit in the US (oranges are first). So just fess up. You do it too.
To recap.

We have bad days. And best days ever.

And there are also the days when, not only do I get to eat my apple raw. Straight up. As is.

But I also get to have them in dessert form. Apple pie. Apple crisp. Apple streusel. Apple crumb cake. Caramel apples. Apple blondies with brown sugar frosting.

These days? Transcend words. No superlative exists yet in the English language to accurately describe them.

Have no fear though. I have a conference call later today with Webster and Oxford. We’re working on it.
I made these apple blondies for my friend Ari’s birthday. He is as much of an apple fiend as I am. Possibly more so. You can’t even mention the word apple around him without his eyes glazing over. And then more often than not he’ll begin to wax poetic about all of the different varieties of apples out there and how there is really no such thing as a bad apple. Apparently, they are all unique. And delicious. In their own way.

I, on the other hand, beg to differ. I’m not such a fan of McIntoshes. Or Cortlands.

I like my apples super crisp.

Golden delicious. Fuji. Granny Smith. And Ambrosia. Those are where it’s at.

My intense love of apples aside, these blondies were really delicious. Even if you’re not an apple fanatic. (Sophie had three. In one day. A fact that she happily bragged to me as we were brushing our teeth the night that I made them.)

And the brown sugar frosting? Perfect. Really and truly perfect.

Apple Blondies with Brown Sugar Frosting
Makes 24, adapted from Cooking the Books

Blondies:
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt
1 cup peeled chopped apples

Brown Sugar Frosting:
4 oz butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup milk
2 cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
Blondies:
Lina a 13 x 9 inch baking tin with baking parchment. Set oven to 350 degree.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture on low speed, mixing until blended. Stir in apples, mixing well. Spread evenly in the prepared tin and bake until set and golden, 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack.
Brown Sugar Frosting:
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring mixture just to a boil then remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm. Sift in the confectioner’s sugar, mixing until smooth. Spread evenly over bar. Let stand until frosting is firm enough to cut. Cut into bars or squares.

Now for the announcement.

As many of you know, I have been an avid participant in an event called Regional Recipes, formerly hosted over at Blazing Hot Wok. The premise is that we pick a different country or geographical region every month and cook a recipe indigent to that area. A round-up is then posted of all the entries and a new country is picked for the next month. Ever and anon.

The beauty of this – we get to take a culinary tour of the world. All from the comfort of our own homes. Talk about saving money on airfare!

However, all good things must come to an end. Or, if they don’t end, at least change. Darlene feels as if she doesn’t have enough time to host the event anymore. And so she has passed on the torch. To yours truly.

That is right! From here on out, Eats Well With Others will be the home to Regional Recipes!! Our first stop is going to be the Middle East, so if you want to participate, please send your entries to [email protected] along with a picture, your name, blog URL, and the URL of the post by February 28th.

I will eventually create my own page for the event but until I do, please check here for all the rules and regulations. Or email me if you have any questions. I can’t wait to see all of your entries!

You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.
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66 Responses to Apple Blondies with Brown Sugar Frosting…and an Announcement!

  1. SE says:

    wow…these are looking so yummy…fuji apples are my favorite too !!!

  2. Congrats! That sounds fun and exciting! Also, the brownie’s look great…I love the topping 🙂

  3. This looks really good…cold weather makes me crave apples! Hope your test turns out well.

  4. Elra says:

    Well done future doc/Doc, glad you did well on your 3 hours exam. Is good to go home and bake after exam, isn’t it? Especially if the result is delicious too.

  5. Jen says:

    you are killing me with this one! I wanna bake, I miss it. think I might make your rugelach

  6. I am a huge fan of both blondies and apples! I like the sweeter varieties like red delicious. I bet these are just divine – especially with that wonderful-sounding brown sugar frosting.

  7. Mo Diva says:

    what an awesome opportunity and the blodies looks gorgie!

  8. Kris says:

    Oh my gah in heaven! amazing!

    ps Stop by my blog and pick up your reward!!!

  9. SnoWhite says:

    those look great to me!

    have you ever tried honey crisp?! you’d love them.

  10. Bridgett says:

    These look stunning and would be incredibly delicious. I bet they smelled heavenly while baking. I adore fujis as well but am hopelessly addicted to honey crisp. I love your blog and am enjoying each post.

  11. when pink ladies go on sale, i get more excited than a bunch of people in a shopping outlet buying coach purses. fo sure. fo sure. i miss galas tho.

  12. So when I told my husband at lunch about your new recipe I wanted to try he just said “You just want another reason to buy honeycrisp apples.” So thanks for another reason to buy them.

  13. That sounds pretty cool Joaane,before i rain down the questions on u yeah lemme hop to the rules and reg page k…
    U r one cool gal to be able to pull this off,and during exams i love to forget it all but FOOD and yeah now blogging…hehehehehehe….
    Oh i prefer to believe that if the doc(to be,yeah to be:-))) )is handsome ,yeah keep those apples away….

    And i love those granny smiths too and make ’em super crisp …

    And these blondies …yeah they are super …i would loved to add a few choco chips(trust me to hover around choco chippys all day)to this…
    U’ll see me on this one soonnnnn

    how soon i dont know…..

  14. Ben says:

    I would’ve guessed bananas were the most popular fruit in the US… but it’s good to always learn something new, right? I love apples and this is a great way to eat them, maybe not the healthiest, but who cares? hehe. Hmm Middle East cuisine… I need to learn more about it, but I really want to participate!

  15. Bob says:

    Heh, you crack me up. Love the blondies, I’ve never seen them with frosting before.

  16. I love all baked goods containing apples!
    And congratulations on your new hosting career!

  17. Pam says:

    Oranges are more popular than apples??? Who says?

    The blondies looks amazing, and I’m going to have to try to paricipate more often in Regional Recipes.

  18. Debinhawaii says:

    Anything apple works for me–they look scrumptious. Congrats on the hosting–maybe I will actually get my act together for this event and join in. 😉

  19. Nicole, RD says:

    Great idea! I’m looking forward to some new, exciting recipes from around the world!

  20. Kathleen says:

    These blondies sound great but the frosting sounds out of this world!

  21. Mercy me, apples AND brown sugar?! Bliss! 🙂

  22. Rachel says:

    Great announcement. I love learning about culture and cooking of other countries, so I will try to join in the fun with the Middle East.

  23. imac says:

    Hi Joanna, I came from Marthas blog.
    Looks very tasty, makes me feel very hungry too.
    I see you like melted cheese – me too, I have a small recipe on my blog about melted cheese.

  24. chrystad72 says:

    hey girly!! I am such an apple fiend too!!! I love when fall rolls around and those gorgeous apples come into season. Im with you, i like the really super crisp ones.. Honeycrisp, fujis and galas are my fav. Love them. I eat one everyday too, usually for breakfast. So good. So quite naturally since I am such a fan of apples I was really excited when I saw your recipe for apple blondies!!! Awesome recipe and gorgeous photos to go with it. Looks fabulous.

    Congrats on hosting the Regional Recipes. Thats sssoo awesome sweetie. I so look forward to reading it. Im sure they will be a plethora of fabulous foods.

    I hoe you are having a wonderful day!

  25. Debbie says:

    I love apples too! My fav are McIntosh and Yellow Delicious up second. The blondies are mouth watering and I will be making them….I don’t know where you find the time to do all that you do!!!!

  26. Chef Aimee says:

    I want to reach into my computer, grab a blondie, and sip with some hot cider. Mmmm! Nice job, Joanne! My favorite apple is Golden Delicious. 🙂

  27. Kim says:

    I am crazy about the fragrance of apple desserts, especially when they are baking in the oven. Love that brown sugar frosting and I have to admit that I, like your friend, would have ate at least 3 of them!
    Glad to hear that you’ll be hosting Regional Recipes. I’m really looking forward to those roundups! I’ll have to start researching middle eastern dishes. Sounds fun!

  28. teresa says:

    this looks so good, and a perfect way to get in those apples! congrats on regional recipes, you will do a wonderful job!

  29. PJ says:

    You are so lucky to be an apple fan.. its the one fruit (second to banana may be) that is the easiest to find and least drain on the budget! I get some of the best apples from the lake tahoe region at this time of the year at my farmer’s market.. so as I am typing this I am also enjoying a most fresh, sweet and crunchy apple from there! Coming back, the apple blondies look delicious! Love your middle eastern stop.. would love to participate!

  30. Faith says:

    I literally eat (at least) an apple a day too! You have truly taken apples to a submlime level! Congrats on hosting Regional Recipes, it sounds like so much fun and I hope to participate!

  31. Karine says:

    I also eat at least one apple a day but I also stay away from McIntoshes. They are way too mushy.

    And apples in baking goods are so great! Great blondies.

    Congrats on Regional Recipes!

  32. Julie says:

    stop this. stop this now. those blondies are ridiculous in a totally awesome and ridiculously good looking way.

    drooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool.

    i love apples. i could eat my way through eastern new york apple farms if i had the chance

  33. So please tell me that you are going to bring a batch of these to the meetup! They look so good!!!

  34. Amy says:

    You must, if you haven’t already, visit an apple orchard!! YOU will be in your element. Paul and I got married in one, and as you know, took the kids to one last Fall. Both times awesome, for different reasons.

    I love apples IN everything. Any kind of dessert, of course, but also in a salad, or sauteed over pork or salmon, etc., etc. But I am not a fan of them in their pure form. Don’t hate.

    And now hosting Regional Recipes – Joanne, when do you sleep?

  35. EVERY DAY?! seriuosly!? even with my post titles that were like DOMS and ABsolutely sore? did i mention songs in there?! yikes. SORRY!!!

    i realy don’t want to be on speaking terms with kafka. can anyone say metamorphosis SUCKS ASS?! austen is so much better. i could talk HOURS about austen. only one i don’t like by her was like mansfield park, or the abbey one.

    bought a ton of apples today. THANK GOD.

  36. Mari says:

    Wow congrats love! I am so proud of you…I can’t wait to see what you create =)

    if you have any apple blondies left, please bring me one on Saturday lol

  37. Marisa says:

    YES to apples! I’m also an apple-a-day kinda gal, and you know what, it really DOES keep the doctor away! Not that I’d want to stay away if I had such a cool doctor (to-be) as yourself.. 🙂

    Looking forward to participating in Regional Recipes – I know you’ll be a marvelous host. Thanks for extending the deadline – now I can pack more Middle-Eastern goodies in! NOM

  38. Graziana says:

    Regional recipes find a new home! I’ve already send you my Middle Eastern recipe

  39. Whoo-hoo on the delicious recipe and take over on Regional Recipes! Middle East foods are one of my favorites! I will definitely be playing along for February! And yes Doctor Joanne, I believe in the apple a day theory, now please leave my liver in place 😉

  40. Susan says:

    I would have thought apples #1, too. I know they are with my husband. These look luscious, Joanne.

    Hope to participate in your event. Love Middle Eastern food.

  41. Joanne
    I can’t believe I haven’t made apple cake yet this season!
    Your blondies look so perfect for a Sunday afternoon with a cup of steaming good Illy coffee and a book! Can’t wait!

  42. Shirley says:

    These look great! Can we substitute the all purpose flour? Been trying to avoid it.

  43. Jeff says:

    I have a lot of respect for your chosen profession because I have a death phobia of needles, sharp objects, and blood (I think it goes back to the fact I never listened to mom about running with scissors).

    Apples are also my favorite snack too especially honeycrisp. Nicely done!

  44. These sound so good – especially topped with that incredible frosting!

    Looks like an interesting project you’ve taking on – I’ll have to go and read all about it!

  45. lisa says:

    Apples in blondies sounds fantastic, and that brown sugar frosting is calling my name!

  46. Nostalgia says:

    An apple a day indeed if its in the form of blondies.. You have got that cake to look fantastic and I am sure your b’day pal was happy too…

  47. Julie says:

    Wish my doctor would tell me to eat one (or 2) of these blondies every day! Most likely, she would not.

  48. Barbara says:

    I am loving your photos! And that brown sugar frosting? Oh my, oh my. Your blondies look divine, moist and loaded with good stuff, apples included. I wish I had some right this minute. I’d probably lick the frosting off first. I am such a pig.

  49. Paul Wynn says:

    Whoa, that looks yummy and moist. Great pictures Joanne. Imagine the ice to top it off while its still hot.. ugh

  50. Karen says:

    That brown sugar frosting looks wonderful. Congrats on taking up the Regional Recipes… sounds like a fun thing to do. Off to read up on it…

  51. theUngourmet says:

    I love these! The brown sugar frosting sounds so very scrumptious!! I can imagine it tasted perfect with the apple. Congrats on the new bloggy gig! 🙂

  52. Sharon says:

    Love your blog! These bars look simply amazing. I just finished eating an apple but wish I had eaten one of these instead….!

  53. Katy ~ says:

    Oh do these ever look like perfection! Bookmarked!!

  54. sophia says:

    Congrats on becoming the host of Regional Recipes! I have a question: does the recipe have to be authentic?

    Oh, and I eat an apple almost everyday, too, but for some reason these days the apple are freaking tasteless. Have you experience that too? Maybe it’s just the Fuji brands?

  55. ruchikacooks says:

    Oh goody! I have been wanting to bake apples for quite some time, after seeing your’s I am just gonna drool . They look so yum, read about the event as well. Would be double fun to take part. My sis lives in the middle east 🙂

  56. when i was growing up in my home country, apples were very expensive… and we would have apples only during the holidays *sigh* but today you apples are no longer that expensive i guess… i love apples and im glad im in the US where i could say it with you…”an apple a day keeps the doc” haha!

  57. Apple blondies looks awesome and perfect…seems really delicious…and pics are very lovely joanne..

  58. Angie says:

    These look great, I know I would love them, because I love apple bread and all other apple desserts too. I hope to go apple picking soon in North Carolina, I have a friend that does that every year.

  59. Andreas says:

    I could imagine trying the blondies sometime. Not so sure about the frosting.

    Recently I made a pistachio ice cream from a book by Claudia Roden which unfortunately didn’t turn out great. Let’s see if I can find something else to make.

  60. Cristie says:

    Blondies are great, I’ve never seen one with frosting. These look delicious. I’m thinking about the regional group, it would get me out of my box. . .

  61. Kerstin says:

    Yay – glad your test went well! I really love the frosting on these, they look awesome!

  62. Ann says:

    Apples.n.Cake. So good it probably will become illegal.
    Hooray on hosting the World event, i just got a hold of Blazing Hot Wok when she announced she wasn’t going to do the round-ups anymore. I’m definitely going to try and submit for it, I LOVE Middle Eastern Food!

  63. Yasmeen says:

    Lovely apple blondies! We 4 in the family finish at least a bag of apples every week 😀
    I just made a post of Middle eastern dish.If it fits them let me know 😀

  64. Memória says:

    Oh man! These blondies look and sound AMAZING! I must try this!

    Congrats on the new endeavor!

  65. Pam says:

    Joanne Honey…I thought I would have time to make something for the Regional Recipes this month….but since there is only one day left to this month…lol!….it ain’t going to happen…lol!!

    Maybe next month and so soon….he he!

    xoxo

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