CARAMEL APPLE BUTTER BLONDIES

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup caramel chips

8 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes

1 1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1/2 cup apple butter

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 8"x8" inch square baking pan with baking spray.

Place caramel chips and butter in a medium microwaveable bowl. Microwave at 20 second intervals at 50% power. Stir. Continue microwaving and stirring until caramel chips are melted. Set aside. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugars until they are the texture of coarse sand. Add butter and a caramel mixture. Beat to incorporate. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until just until egg is completely incorporated but without adding too much volume.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix until the flour is mostly blended. Add 1/2 of the apple butter. Mix to blend in apple butter, scraping sides of bowl as needed. It does not need to be fully incorporated. Repeat with adding and blending of 1/3 of the flour mixture and the rest of the apple butter.

End with adding the remaining flour. Mix again until mostly blended. Add chopped walnuts. Mix until all of the flour is incorporated. Do not over mix. Batter will be thick.

Spread batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with visible moisture but no wet clumps. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares.

Makes 9 squares (2 1/2-inch each).

Recipe Notes:

- For fudgy blondies, do not over mix blondie batter.
- Cover the outer rim of baking pan with strips of aluminum foil at around the 40 minute mark if the blondie edges brown too quickly during baking.