All the flavors of a cinnamon roll baked into these chewy cinnamon roll blondies. Soft and fudgy blondies swirled with cinnamon roll filling and topped with maple cream cheese drizzle.
I love a good cinnamon roll. My guilty pleasure is a Cinnabon (sorry if you’re a Cinnabon hater). The best parts are the cream cheese frosting and of course the center of the cinnamon roll!
Buuuuttt, if I’m being honest, I don’t make them or eat them very often. They can be a little time consuming with the yeast and the waiting for it to rise and. . . well you know!
So instead, I decided to combine my love of cinnamon rolls with a dessert bar! And BOOM! The best of both worlds, but way easier.
Not gonna lie, I make this cinnamon roll blondies recipe multiple times throughout the year. They aren’t too sweet (in my opinion) and have a nice settle cinnamon roll flavor. It’s mine and my husband’s favorite late night dessert and sometimes breakfast!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One Bowl Recipe. Minus the cream cheese drizzle and cinnamon swirl filling. The blondie batter can all be done in one bowl, which always makes my heart and future cleaning self happy.
- Chewy & Fudgy. The main reason for my obsession with these blondies! They are almost underbaked, which gives us that soft and chewy texture.
- Easy Recipe. No yeast, no proofing! All the things we love about a cinnamon roll, but less work.
Key Ingredients for Cinnamon Roll Blondies
Be sure to review the recipe card for full measurements and ingredients.
Brown & White Sugar – You’ll need a mix of both sugars. Brown sugar adds a soft, chewy texture and gives blondies their distinct flavor. Go for dark brown sugar, but you can use light brown sugar if needed.
Cinnamon – The main ingredient, needed in the blondie base and cinnamon sugar swirl.
Butter – Use melted unsalted butter to be able to control the salt. Butter will be needed for each component of this recipe.
Egg Yolks – Adding in an extra egg yolk just adds to the chewy texture!
Cream Cheese – It wouldn’t be a cinnamon roll without a cream cheese frosting! Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature to achieve a smooth drizzle.
Maple Syrup – You don’t want to skip it! Adding maple syrup to our cream cheese topping takes it up an extra notch and pairs so well with the cinnamon roll flavors!
Tools You May Need
Baking Dish or Square Cake Pan
Mixing Bowls
Parchment Paper
Measuring out your ingredients will give you the most accurate and best results! This is my favorite kitchen scale at the moment.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Blondies
Step 1: For the cinnamon-sugar mixture – in a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and salt until well combined.
Step 3: Make a well in the center of the bowl. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar to the well and whisk until combined.
Step 4: Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, into the center of the bowl into the wet mixture.
Step 5: Gently fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and combine until just incorporated. Do not overmix!
Step 6: Spread the blondie batter into a prepared square cake pan in an even layer.
Step 7: Pour the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the batter and using the tip of a butter knife, swirl the mixture into the blondie batter.
Step 8: Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until the top is darker in color, set on the edges and soft in the center. Be careful not to overbake, the blondies will continue to cook as they cool down. You can stick a toothpick in the center and if it comes out moist, with no wet batter, then remove it from the oven.
Step 9: While the blondies cool, in a microwave-safe, medium bowl, melt the butter and cream cheese in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the powdered sugar, maple syrup and syrup. If the frosting is too thick add a little heavy cream or milk.
Step 10: Drizzle the maple cream cheese on top of the cooled cinnamon roll blondies. Slice and serve them up!
Tips to Make the Best Cinnamon Roll Blondies
Don’t Overbake! You’ll want to pull these blondies out a little early. The blondies will be golden brown and set on the edges, but still a little soft and jiggly in the center. They will continue to cook and set as they cool down. Depending on your oven, the time to bake may vary, so check on the blondies at the midway point.
Measure the flour properly. I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out all ingredients for accuracy. Specifically, too much or too little flour can really alter a recipe. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you first want to loosen the flour by giving it a little stir. Then you can spoon the flour into the measuring cup until overfilled. Lastly, level off with the back of a knife.
Line the cake pan. For easy removal, line the cake pan with parchment paper.
Don’t Overmix! Be careful not to overmix the batter. The goal is to have soft, chewy blondies. Overmixing can result in a dense, gummy blondie. When adding in the dry ingredients you want to mix until it is just incorporated, once you can’t see it anymore, stop mixing!
Use room temperature ingredients. Always, always use room temperature ingredients when baking. This ensures a lump-free and smooth batter.
Storage Instructions
Store your cinnamon roll blondie bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Warm them up in the microwave when you’re ready to enjoy!
If you leave out the cream cheese drizzle, you can store them at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to a month in a freezer-safe bag/container (in a single layer).
Looking for more Fall Recipes? Check these out!
Fried Apple Cider Donuts – Soft, cakey, and full of fall flavors, these fried apple cider donuts are the perfect seasonal treat!
7-Layer Caramel Cake – A delicious fall cake, layered with buttery and tender yellow cake and homemade caramel icing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a blondie and a brownie?
While they have their similarities, they are different. Brownies use cocoa powder and chocolate, while blondies use brown sugar and vanilla for their flavor.
Are blondies supposed to be gooey?
Yes! The best part about a blondie is that they are very soft and chewy! These gooey cinnamon roll blondies are no different! These particular blondies come out more fudgy, than gooey, with a nice and not too sweet, cinnamon roll flavor.
I hope you enjoy these Cinnamon Roll Blondies and satisfy those cinnamon roll cravings! If you give these dessert bars a try, let me know over on Instagram!
xoxo, ave
Cinnamon Roll Blondies with Maple Cream Cheese
Soft and fudgey blondies, swirled with cinnamon roll filling and topped with maple cream cheese drizzle.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Blondies
- 240g (2 cups) all purpose flour
- 150g (¾ cup) packed brown sugar
- 100g (½ cup) white sugar
- 170g (1½ stick) butter, melted
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Cinnamon Sugar
- 4 tbs butter, melted
- 2 tbs cinnamon
- 70g brown sugar
Maple Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbs maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- For the cinnamon-sugar mixture: in a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and salt until well combined.
- Make a well in the center of the bowl, using a hand mixer or whisk, mix the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until combined.
- Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, into the center of the bowl with the wet mixture.
- Gently fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and combine until just incorporated. Do not overmix!
- Spread the blondie batter into a prepared square cake pan in an even layer.
- Pour the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the batter and using the tip of a butter knife, swirl the mixture into the blondie batter.
- Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is soft. Be careful not to overbake, the blondies will continue to bake in the pan as they cool down.
- While the blondies cool, in a microwave-safe, melt the butter and cream cheese in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the powdered sugar, maple syrup and syrup. If the frosting is too thick add a little heavy cream or milk.
- Drizzle the maple cream cheese on top of the cooled cinnamon roll blondies. Slice and serve them up!
Notes
Don’t Overbake! You’ll want to pull these blondies out a little early. The blondies will be golden brown and set on the edges, but still a little soft and jiggly in the center. They will continue to cook and set as they cool down. The finished product will be soft and fudgey.
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