Cinnamon Roll Blondies

These chewy Cinnamon Roll Blondies are thick and gooey with a layer of cinnamon roll filling in the center. Rich, buttery, and full of cinnamon fllavor, these blondies are sure to be a fall staple. Plus, you can top with cream cheese frosting if you’re feeling extra. 

It’s finally starting to feel like fall around here, and I’m finding myself getting into the spirit in record time. 

While a lot of people are in the seasonal spirit back in August, I’m really not ready to embrace the end of summer until the weather cooperates, which is often not until October. And sometimes, not even until November. 

However, it’s been cool and overcast, and I’ve gone from I-don’t-want-summer-ever-end to make-everything-in-my-life-fall practically overnight. 

Obviously, fall is ’tis the season to pumpkin and apple everything, but I feel a little bit like cinnamon is the unsung hero of the fall season. It’s amazing on it’s own, and it’s the one spice used almost exclusively in every pumpkin and apple recipe. 

So let’s give it a little love with these ultra gooey Cinnamon Roll Blondies. 

Why These Are The Best Cinnamon Roll Blondies:

• Gooey: First things first, blondies are supposed to be gooey and feel like they’re slightly underdone in the centers (but not actually underdone if you know what I mean).
• Easy: Honestly, this is a very easy recipe made with simple ingredients, but the flavors are oustanding. It’s all about the amount of each ingredient and how they are used to complement the other ingredients. 
• The Filling: The cinnamon roll filling is to die for. It’s gooey and full of brown sugar and cinnamon. It’s the best part of a cinnamon roll baked right inside of a blondie. 
• Cream Cheese: The cream cheese frosting is totally optional, but the rich frosting pairs well with the flavors of the blondie. It’s like a cream cheese cinnamon roll and a sugar cookie bar had a baby: a cinnamon roll blondie bar. 

Ingredients:

• Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter lets you control the salt content in your baked goods.
• Granulated Sugar
• Brown Sugar: You use this for both the blondies and the cinnamon roll filling inside.
• Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Almond Extract: This ingredient is key to the overall flavor of these cinnamon blondies. It adds a touch of richness without being overwhelmingly almond in flavor.
• All Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Ground Cinnamon: This is used in both the cinnamon blondie bars and the cinnamon filling.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Unsalted Butter
• Cream Cheese
• Vanilla Extract
• Powdered Sugar
• Heavy Cream

How To Make These Cream Cheese Cinnamon Blondies:

• Cream the Batter: Using a standing mixer or a hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
• Dry Ingredients: Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until combined. Dough will be thick. 
• Cinnamon Filling: Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Chill the filling for about 5 minutes in the fridge. 
• Assembly: Divide the blondie dough in half. Press half of the dough into the bottom of the pan. Spoon filling over the top. Press the remaining dough on top of the blondie batter.
• Tip: Flatten pieces of the dough in your hand, then place them on top of the cinnamon filling. This will make covering the cinnamon filling easier. 
• Bake: Bake until golden brown. 
• Cool: Let the blondies cool.
• Frosting: Cream butter and cream cheese together with a mixer. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Spread over cooled blondies.

Storage Tips:

Room Temperature: If these bars are unfrosted, you can leave them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Fridge: You can also store them in the fridge (they taste great straight from the fridge!), and if they are frosted with cream cheese, then they need to be stored in the fridge. 

Freezer: I’ve never attempted to freeze this recipe, baked or unbaked, so I’m unfamiliar how these would fair in the freezer. 

Make Ahead Tips:

You can make these dessert bars the day before you plan to serve them. The dough is very simple to make, and it doesn’t require any chilling (the cinnamon filling needs to chill for a few minutes) so these cinnamon blondies come together quickly. 

• -If making the day before, you can frost them and store them in the fridge until ready to serve. Because of the cream cheese frosting, they need to be stored until you serve them. But, they can sit at room temperature for a couple of hours (if you’re baking these for a party). 
• -You can also make the bars the day before and store them at room temperature. Then, before serving, top with frosting. 

FAQs

Do I Have To Use Almond Extract?

• If you don’t like almond extract, you can use extra vanilla extract in its place. 
• However, I do highly recommend using almond extract. It doesn’t actually make these blondies taste like almond, but it does really enhance the overall flavors of butter, vanilla, brown sugar, and cinnamon. 

Can I Double The Recipe?

• Yes! This is an easy recipe to double, especially if you want to use a 9×13 baking pan. 

Other Toppings:

If you aren’t interested in making a cream cheese frosting (it’s totally optional, by the way), you can leave them plain, or you can add another frosting or glaze.

• Maple Glaze
• Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
• Whipped Cream
• Serve plain and top with ice cream, caramel sauce, and pecans!

Other Blondie and Dessert Bar Recipes To Try Next:

• Maple Glazed Apple Blondies: Gooey apple blondies with a rich maple glaze on top. The perfect fall recipe!
• Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies: Fudgy and gooey, these homemade brownies beat the boxed kind. Plus, they whip up quickly!
• Lemon Blondies: A gooey blondie baked with bright lemon zest and lemon juice, and topped with a whipped cream cheese frosting.
• Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars: These chocolate chip cookie bars are dressed up with rich butterscotch chips. Perfect for the fall season!

Quick and Easy Tips:

• Sticky Dough: The dough is very sticky, and you will most likely need to use your hands or a rubber spatula to spread the dough in the bottom of the pan. This is normal and the way the dough is supposed to feel (it bakes into nice gooey and chewy blondies!).
• Flatten The Top Dough: When you’re putting the top layer of blondie dough on, flatten the dough in your hand and place it on top of the filling. This will make it a little easier to cover the filling with dough. 
• Chill The Filling: Make the cinnamon roll filling first and chill it for a couple of minutes so that it can thicken a bit. It’s okay if it’s still a little liquid-y when you put it on the filling (see photos above).
• Tent With Foil: If the tops of the bars look like they’re browning too quickly (but the bars should be a nice golden on top) tent with a piece of foil and continue cooking until the center of the bars feels set. 
• Frosting: The frosting is optional! These blondies are amazing on their own, and extra decadent with the cream cheese frosting on top. 

Homina, homina, homina. All the fall feelings right here. 

5 from 2 votes

Print

Cinnamon Roll Blondies

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

55 mins

 

These Cinnamon Roll Blondies are thick and gooey with a layer of cinnamon roll filling in the center. Rich, buttery, and full of cinnamon fllavor, these blondies are sure to be a fall staple. Plus, you can top with cream cheese frosting if you’re feeling extra. 

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cinnamon roll blondies

Servings: 9 Large Bars

Author: Michelle

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Filling

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Blondies

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs, large
• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 - 1 tsp almond extract (use 3/4 tsp for less almond flavoring; 1 tsp for more flavoring)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper or non-stick foil, or coat with baking spray. Set aside.

Filling

1. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Chill the filling for 5 minutes to thicken. Set aside.

Blondies

1. With a standing mixer or a hand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

2. Add in granulated sugar and brown sugar, and cream the batter until light and fluffy. 

3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. Next, add in vanilla extract and almond extract. 

5. Finally, add in flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until well combined. (The dough will be thick.)

6. Divide the dough in half, and press half into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. 

7. Spoon the cinnamon filling over the top of the dough, spreading in an even layer. 

8. Press the remaining dough on top of the cinnamon filling, spreading it in an even layer. (Tip: Flatten pieces of the dough in your hand, then place on top of the filling. This will make it easier to spread the dough evenly over the filling.)

9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops of the bars are golden brown, and the center is set. (If the bars look like they’re browning too quickly, tent a piece of foil on top.)

10. Allow the bars to cool. 

Frosting (optional):

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese together with a mixer, until light and fluffy.

2. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy whipping cream. 

3. Spread the frosting over the tops of the bars. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired. 

4. Cut and serve.