Applebee’s Maple Nut Blondie with Cream Sauce
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Thick and chewy pecan blondies served warm and topped with ice cream and rich cream sauce. Inspired by the famous Applebee’s restaurant dessert.
Sooooo Applebee’s. Love it, hate it, never been? Personally, I really like Applebee’s restaurant, they make a portobello chicken to die for and I’ve been known to order their massive appetizer sampler all for myself. I mean, it’s my entire meal, not a precursor to a regular entree, I’m not that nuts. But my husband, meh, doesn’t really love Applebee’s. He thinks the service is sub-par.
As with any restaurant (or anything for that matter) you’re gonna have lovers and haters, but I’ve never met anyone who didn’t enjoy Applebee’s blondie dessert.
Unless you don’t like super-rich and totally delicious desserts. In that case we might need to re-think our friendship.
Just joshin’! You know I heart you.
I think Applebee’s has changed the name a couple of times but the dessert is pretty much the same idea here, a thick and chewy warm blondie (has to be warm) topped with cold ice cream (cause warm ice cream, ewe) and then drizzled (or drowning) with rich rich rich maple cream sauce. That sauce. It’s addicting. But did I mention it is rich?
It’s the cream cheese + maple syrup. Real maple syrup. Not the fake stuff you buy to pour on your pancakes – and don’t get me wrong, I’m a big-time lover of fake maple syrup on my pancakes – but the real honest to goodness maple syrup. Sometimes it even says “real maple syrup” on the bottle. Just to make it really clear you know. Wouldn’t want to have any fake-real mixups.
Whether or not you’ve tried Applebee’s blondie dessert is not really an issue here. What is really important is that you make my maple nut blondie. The one you see in this picture. That thick, chewy, topped with ice cream and maple cream sauce blondie. Oh and the white chocolate chips are optional. Except, they’re totally not. You want those chocolate chips in there. And if you’re allergic to nuts (awww mannnn, I’m sorry) then skip them! You can still enjoy this dessert without the nuts.
But if you’re not allergic, do not skip the nuts. Okay? Okay.
What people are saying about this Applebee’s Maple Nut Blondie with Cream Sauce
“This recipe was really good. I just made this last night with a couple minor adjustments… The topping came out so smooth and creamy. This blondie came out so good it just might be our new favorite dessert in this house!” – Kayla
Applebee’s Maple Nut Blondie with Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
- ice cream (butter pecan or vanilla)
Maple Cream Sauce
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped walnuts , or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 8×8 inch baking dish. In a large bowl cream together melted butter and brown sugar. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well.
- In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Spread into prepared dish and bake for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean.
- While the blondies are baking, prepare the sauce. Combine butter, sugar, cream cheese, maple syrup, and brown sugar in a medium sauce pan and stir over medium heat until cream cheese and sugars are melted. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until ready to serve. (If needed, thin out with a bit of milk or heavy cream)
- Serve blondies warm and top with ice cream and cream sauce. Optional: sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sauce from Food.com.
Delicious. Super sweet. I agree with the other commenters, though. Way too much batter in too small a pan for too short a cooking time. Came out uncooked in the centre.
These were wonderful and pretty simple to make. Unfortunately my maple sauce broke.
This was good but far too sweet. It was much more DENse than the Applebee’s version. It was MORE like a thick brownie. The sauce topping was spot on. I used an 9×13 pan and baked for 20 minutes. It was perfect, just way too sweet and thick.
Its not Getting Done in the middle. Ive changed pans and used different temp degrees aNd lengths of time. Anyone else cant get it to finish
Cooking time and pan size appear to be incorrect. Try using the 9×13 for 30 minutes
Hello is this the same sauce they used on the pretzel bites as well? They no longer serve this either and was my favorite dessert of all time. This looks amazing also. Thank you.
These were fantastic! so rich, chewy and crunchy. i will definitely make these again for parties or birthday. its been 10 years since i’ve had an applebees blondie so i don’t remember exactly how they taste but this recipe was how i remember the flavors. i didn’t have white chocolate chips or walnuts on hand but they were DELICIOUS anyway. surprised by how thick the batter was, almost like a cookie dough but it turned out wonderful!
Thanks So Much – I see that applebees completely removed it from their menu – the only reason i ever ate there was for that dessert. good memories of having one with my mom through the years, one of our last snacks together before she passed of stroke/alzheimers. Thanks for posting the recipe. Going to give it a try soon. very much appreciated more than you’ll ever know.
This comment has made my day! I hope that you enjoy this recipe, for more than just one reason 🙂
I was the same. Was so mad when i went there one day and they’re just like sorry we don’t make that anymore.
What kind of flour?
Just your traditional all purpose flour 🙂
I made this tonight. I used a 9×13 pan. It baked for 30 minutes. I mixed all The sauce INGREDIENTS with a hand mixer before warming on the stove. It was amazing. Better thAn Applebees.
Happy to hear you enjoyed this copycat recipe so much!
I’ve tried making this twice now, following the recipe to the letter. The cooking time and/or the pan size are not correct. Using an 8×8 pan takes at least 30-40 minutes, and even then the center isn’t fully cooked but the outside is burnt. Please correct! The flavor is perfect!