These heavenly cinnamon roll blondies are a chewy cookie bar recipe with a thick brownie texture and a crackly top. They’re swirled with gooey cinnamon sugar, with all the flavors of a classic cinnamon roll!
Chewy Cinnamon Roll Blondies
We love cinnamon rolls around here, and these cinnamon roll blondies are such an easy way to satisfy a craving! These are a variation of my classic blondie recipe, a brown sugar-based cookie bar with the texture of a brownie and a flaked, crackly top. This time, I’ve swirled the blondie base with cinnamon sugar to recreate all the flavors I love in a gooey, buttery homemade cinnamon roll. You’ve never had a cookie bar like this before!
We Go Crazy for These Blondies
My family (and my son’s preschool) REALLY enjoyed my adventures recipe testing these. Here is why you’ll love them to:
- One bowl. You can make your blondie batter in one bowl with just a few easy baking ingredients. Lining the pan also makes removing the bars super easy, and cleaning up after is quick.
- Soft and chewy texture. These blondies have the richness and chew of a cookie bar packed with caramelized brown sugar and a touch of spice. They even have the crinkly tops that I love in classic brownie recipes.
- Buttery cinnamon roll flavors. My family goes crazy for cinnamon rolls, and these chewy blondies take all those nostalgic flavors and tuck them into a neat little square! Every bite is swirled with gooey cinnamon sugar, just like the filling in a cinnamon roll.
Ingredient Notes
We’re taking a traditional blondie recipe and giving it a rich, buttery swirl of cinnamon roll filling. Below are some notes on the important ingredients. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for a complete list with amounts.
- Brown Sugar – The main difference between a brownie and a blondie is that blondies get their flavor from a combination of vanilla extract and brown sugar, rather than cocoa powder and granulated sugar. I use light brown sugar in this recipe, but regular or dark brown sugar works, too.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch is the secret to blondies that aren’t greasy! It absorbs some of the oil and makes the texture of the bars more chewy.
- Baking Powder – While many brownie and blondie recipes don’t call for leavening, I find that a little baking powder in these cinnamon roll blondies and my fudgy brownies goes a long way to give the bars extra lift. Make sure you’re using baking powder and not only baking soda, as they aren’t the same thing.
- Cinnamon – I combine ground cinnamon with additional brown sugar, butter, and flour to make the cinnamon roll-inspired swirl. In the fall, I’ll sometimes make a pumpkin spice version with pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon!
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Blondies
These easy cookie bars come together in minutes. Follow the steps below and scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Make the blondie dough. Start by creaming the butter and sugar together, then add eggs and vanilla. Next, mix in the dry ingredients. The texture will be more like cookie dough rather than brownie batter.
- Make the cinnamon swirl. In another bowl, whisk the ingredients together for the cinnamon sugar swirl.
- Assemble. Now, press half of the blondie dough into a baking pan and swirl over about ⅔ of the cinnamon mixture. Press the rest of the dough evenly over top, followed by another cinnamon swirl.
- Bake. Pop your cinnamon roll blondies into a 350ºF oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool, slice, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- How to tell when blondies are done: Most blondies are done baking when they’re firm at the edges but still soft to the touch. I like to bake these blondies until they pass the toothpick test: a skewer stuck into the center of the brownies comes out clean.
- Add-ins. Like my brown butter blondies, I like to fold ¾ cup of white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or cinnamon chips into the dough. The chocolate melts and gets extra gooey.
- Toppings. Drizzle your cooled blondie bars with a simple vanilla icing or make a half batch of cream cheese frosting to spread over top.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your preference! I like my blondies to have more of a chewy, cookie-bar texture. If you prefer a gooier blondie, consider leaving the bars slightly underbaked. They should still set up as they cool.
If your cinnamon roll blondies turn out cakey instead of chewy, there’s a chance that they’re overbaked. If you’re unsure, it’s better to leave them a little underbaked and let them set up in the fridge. Another reason for cakey blondies is overmeasuring. I recommend using a kitchen scale or measuring the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup (never scoop straight from the bag!).
Overmixing once the eggs are added can lead to more air in the batter, leading the finished blondies to sink in the middle. The next reason for sinking is underbaking. If the center hasn’t baked through when the blondies come out of the oven, it’ll fall as the bars cool. Leave your blondies in for a bit longer next time!
Storing and Freezing
- Storing. Once the cinnamon roll blondies have cooled to room temperature, store them airtight. They’ll last on the counter for up to 5 days.
- Freezing. You can freeze these blondies either individually wrapped or stacked with parchment paper between layers. Store them airtight and defrost the bars at room temperature.
More Brownies and Bars
Print
Cinnamon Roll Blondies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Total Time: 47 minutes
- Yield: 12-15 bars
- Category: Bars
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These cinnamon roll blondies are a buttery, chewy blondie recipe swirled with cinnamon sugar. They’re easy to make with all the flavors of a fluffy cinnamon roll!
Ingredients
For the cookie bars
- 10 tablespoons (141g) Unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ¾ cups (384g) Light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon (10ml) Pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup (180g) All-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (9.5g) Corn starch
- 1 teaspoon (5g) Ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
For the cinnamon swirl
- 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (28g) Light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12g) Granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (5g) All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5g) Ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch pan with cooking spray and then line with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine the butter with the sugar; beat together until well combined. Next add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and beat just until combined and a dough forms.
- Prepare the cinnamon by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing to combine.
- Press ½ the dough in the prepared pan and spread evenly. Drizzle 2/3 of the cinnamon swirl up and down the pan and gently swirl with a knife. Top with the remaining blondie dough and drizzle the remaining cinnamon mix on top, gently swirl. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely prior to cutting.
Notes
- Optional ad-ins: ¾ cup white or cinnamon chips
- Optional topping: Drizzle with a simple vanilla icing or make a half batch of cream cheese frosting
Storing:
- Storing. Wait until they’ve cooled completely and then transfer them to an airtight container. They’ll keep at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezing. Freeze-cooled blondies in an airtight container and thaw them to room temperature before eating. If you’re not freezing them individually wrapped, I recommend stacking them with parchment paper between layers to keep the bars from sticking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 308
- Sugar: 31 g
- Sodium: 120.1 mg
- Fat: 13.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.8 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
- Cholesterol: 64.1 mg
Can dark brown sugar be used or light?
Either but I prefer light brown sugar
Okay. These sound AMAZING. Hayley strikes again!