Apple Pie Blondies with "Brown Sugar" Frosting

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You know, one great thing about the holidays is that sweets are around more than usual.  Not so different to me, since dessert can always be found around my kitchen, but it's definitely out of the ordinary for most.

Dessert is usually an occasional treat, not an everyday thing...  weird.  I know.  People "treat" themselves with dessert because dessert is usually indulgent, sinful and guilt-ridden...  but when we make these treats go healthy, they can become an everyday thing.  Like these blondies, for example.

Wait, what?  These Apple Pie Blondies are nutritious?

Haaaaallelujah!  Hallelujah.  HALLELUJAH.  Halleluujahhhh.

Okay, I'm done.  These are just so delicious that they deserve four hallelujahs.

Just like any typical dessert, these blondies are indulgent, but they definitely aren't sinful and won't cause you to be guilt-ridden whatsoever.

Super dense and moist, but not hard like a hockey puck or mushy like a sponge.

The chunks of apple, the thick frosting, the sweet caramel...  so.  good.

It's like an old and boring apple pie married a young and sexy blondie...

Apple Pie Blondies with "Brown Sugar" Frosting:  [low fat/sugar, GF, vegan]
(makes 9 blondies)

   Blondies:
       369g (1+1/2 cups) Unsweetened Applesauce

       72g (1/2 cup) Pure Maple Sugar (or dry sweetener of choice)

       28g (2 tbs) Hazelnut Oil (or any other neutral oil)
       1-1.5 tsp Apple Pie Spice (to taste)
       160g (1 cup) Brown Rice Flour
       120g (1 cup) Oat Flour (GF)
       1+1/4 tsp Baking Powder
       1/2 tsp Salt
       1+1/2 cups Diced Apple (I used one Gala apple, pictured below)
       2 tbs Lemon Juice

   Frosting and Caramel:
       48g (1/4 cup) Sucanat
       30g (2 tbs) Unsweetened Applesauce
       120g (1 cup) Powdered Erythritol
       2-3 tbs Healthy Caramel Sauce (I used this)

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line an 8" brownie pan with parchment paper both ways.
2.  In a large bowl, stir together the applesauce, maple sugar, oil and apple pie spice.
3.  In a small bowl, whisk together the rice flour, oat flour, baking powder and salt.
4.  Slice the apple and spread lemon juice on it to prevent it from browning.  Dice the apple then sprinkle on the remaining lemon juice.

5.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together (batter should be somewhat thick, sticky and doughy).  Fold in the apple.
6.  Scoop into the prepared pan and spread to the edges, bake for ~55 minutes, or until edges have browned and center is firm.  Let cool in pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
7.  For the frosting- In a large microwave-safe bowl, stir together the sucanat and applesauce.  Microwave at 20-second intervals, stirring between each one, until sucanat has completely melted and mixture is thin and runny.  Whisk in the erythritol, scoop by scoop, until frosting is thick.  Spread onto the cooled blondies.

Top with the caramel right before serving.

I topped each blondie with chopped hazelnuts for some crunch and texture.

This needs to be in your kitchen.  Right now.

I think it goes without saying that these blondies went fast.  So fast, it's kinda scary...

*licks sticky fingers*