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These maple vegan blondies are a fully plant-based dessert baked with applesauce and coconut oil, then drizzled with pure maple cream.
This vegan blondies recipe is a treat that works for eaters of all kinds: you don’t have to eat plant-based to enjoy this one! These vegan blondies are our very first truly crowd-sourced recipe! After offering 4 recipe choices in a poll over on Instagram, maple vegan blondies was the winner.
What’s in these vegan blondies?
In our recipe testing, we found brown sugar is essential to the blondie flavor and texture. So instead of using maple syrup in the blondie base, we’ve used it in the topping. We’ve replaced the traditional egg in blondies with applesauce, and butter with coconut oil. Chopped macadamia nuts give the interior some texture. And to bring in that maple flair, the blondies are topped with a drizzle of maple cream.
What is maple cream?
What is maple cream? Maple cream is pure maple syrup that’s boiled until it reduces into a creamy spread. You can use maple cream on anything, from drizzling on oatmeal to spreading on toast or dipping fruit. The maple cream we used is purchased, but you can also make maple cream yourself.
How to make vegan blondies
If you’ve made boxed brownies successfully in the past, you’ll be able to master these maple vegan blondies in no time. Instead of dumping a mix from a box, you measure out a handful of wet ingredients, then stir in some flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and chopped macadamia nuts.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Once the vegan blondies are out of the oven, drizzle melted maple cream over top and dig in!
Looking for vegan desserts?
Outside of this vegan blondies recipe, here are some of our favorite vegan desserts:
- Decadent Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Bliss Bites (Healthy No-Bake Cookies)
- Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Pecan Butter Millionaire Bars
- Granola Instant Pot Apple Crisp
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse
- Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich
- Maple Vegan Blondies
- Chocolate Tahini Vegan No Bake Cookies
- Chocolate Cherry Dessert Bites
- Blackberry Vegan Cheesecake Bites
- Fudgy Vegan Brownie Recipe
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (use vegan variation)
- Bananas Foster with a Perfect Flambé (use vegan variation)
This vegan blondies recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Maple Vegan Blondies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 1x
Description
These maple vegan blondies are a fully plant-based dessert baked with applesauce and coconut oil, then drizzled with pure maple cream.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter (or any nut butter or sunflower butter)
- 1 cup organic light brown brown sugar
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
- 2 to 3 tablespoons maple cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Melt the coconut oil. In a large bowl, mix the warm coconut oil and peanut butter, then stir in the sugar until it melts. Add the applesauce, vanilla and salt (if the coconut oil seizes up and becomes chunky, you can place the bowl in the oven for a moment to remelt it if it is oven safe, or microwave for a few seconds until it is smooth again). Brush a 9 x 9 pan with the remaining coconut oil.
- Add the baking powder and flour and mix it all together until a sticky dough forms. Stir in the macadamia nuts.
- Place the dough in the pan and spread evenly with a spatula (the dough will be very dense). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
- For the topping: In a glass measuring cup, gently heat maple cream in the microwave for about 10 seconds or so until melted, then drizzle it onto the top of the blondies. Refrigerate for a few minutes until hardened, then cut into pieces and serve.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Made exactly as written. This was absolutely delicious!!!
Love your blondies. I added dark chocolate one time and shredded coconut another time. That maple butter is a fantastic frosting. Your site is awesome !
So glad found this website. Looking forward to bake desserts for our VMI soccer players. But one thing I like to ask is what my alternative if my daughter have peanut allergy?
Thank you so much.
You can use any nut butter, or sunflower butter for nut allergies. You can also use tahini. Let us know how it goes!
Can you use pumpkin instead of applesauce?
Great question! We haven’t tried it but I think it would be very similar. You’re welcome to try and let us know if it works!
Does it matter if Dark & Strong or Golden & Delicate maple cream is used? I’m guessing the 1st since it will be baked. Thanks, I’m going to order some of this & make these ASAP!
Great question! The cream is just drizzled on the top, so it actually doesn’t matter which one. We used the dark and strong, but you could use the delicate if you’d like too! It will have a milder flavor!
These sound delicious and absolutely perfect for the season! And so glad you are looking at your Past Self saying everything turned out ok…I have many of those moments myself!
I love maple and have no doubt these would be super delicious– always on the lookout for new vegan desserts to try. I am thrilled for you two and for Larson that you are together, despite the heartbreak and waiting. I hope your first Christmas together is terrific!
the bars look great. I had never heard of maple cream before so thanks for making me aware of it.