Description
A rich, chewy dessert bar that combines the buttery sweetness of blondies with a gooey cinnamon swirl and tangy cream cheese icing—everything you love about a cinnamon roll in an easy-to-make bar.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, melted
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
For the cinnamon swirl:
½ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
¼ cup butter, melted
For the cream cheese icing:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1–2 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix melted butter with brown sugar, then stir in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Fold in the flour and salt until just combined. Do not overmix.
- In a separate bowl, mix the cinnamon swirl ingredients: brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter, until they form a sandy texture.
- Spread the blondie batter evenly in the prepared baking dish. Drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl mixture on top and gently swirl it through the batter with a knife.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Allow the blondies to cool completely in the pan.
- For the icing, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until a drizzling consistency is reached.
- Drizzle the icing over the cooled blondies, slice into bars, and serve.
Notes
Add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts for crunch.
Use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour for a gluten-free version.
Enhance the spice with a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom.
Substitute maple extract in the icing for a fall-inspired twist.
Skip the icing for a less sweet version or serve warm with ice cream.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Freeze up to 2 months.
Reheat in microwave for 15–20 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 5–7 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
