Buttery Cinnamon Roll Blondies Recipe

Cinnamon rolls are a star in the breakfast baked goods scene, and their flavor profile offers excellent inspiration for other delicacies. If you're looking for something a little less ooey-gooey but still oh-so delicious, Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins has just the thing. Her buttery cinnamon roll blondies are a game changer and the perfect way to cram all those yummy flavors into an easily sliceable treat. "I forget how tasty blondies can be!" Watkins shares. "They are so often overshadowed by their brownie counterparts." 

Well, you won't forget after you try these delicious cinnamon roll blondies. Watkins highlights the tender, chewy consistency — among many other elements: "I like the fun textural pops from the walnuts; I like the warming sweetness from the buttery cinnamon center; I like the tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting." Really, it's hard to find something not to love about these layered blondies. Follow Watkins' advice and prep a batch for breakfast or brunch, or serve them as dessert. Alternatively, she suggests, "that cinnamon, buttery, creamy, sweet combo would fit right in at tea time."

For the blondie batter, you'll need unsalted butter (melted), light brown sugar, vanilla extract, whole eggs plus an extra egg yolk, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Next, for the cinnamon sugar layer, get dark brown sugar, unsalted butter (again, melted), ground cinnamon, and chopped walnuts. Finally, for the cream cheese frosting, get cream cheese and soften it, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line a 9x9-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

To make the blondie batter, place the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl, whisking to combine.

Add the whole eggs and egg yolk one at a time to the bowl, whisking after each addition until blended.

In a separate bowl, place flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and baking soda, whisking to combine the dry ingredients.

Gradually add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir to combine (the batter will be pretty thick).

Place half of the batter in the prepared baking dish, spreading out in an even layer. Set aside.

To make the cinnamon sugar layer, place the brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.

Spread the cinnamon sugar layer over the blondie batter.

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar layer with the chopped walnuts.

Spoon the remaining blondie batter over the walnuts and gently spread to conceal.

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until cooked through (use a toothpick to test for doneness). Once baked, remove from oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack.

While the blondies are cooling, place the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment.

Whisk until the frosting is smooth.

Once the blondies have cooled, remove from the baking dish and top with cream cheese frosting, spreading it to the edges.

Cut into squares and serve.

The final step in this cinnamon roll blondies recipe is the cream cheese frosting, and by then perhaps you're just eager to dig in and not patient enough to follow through to the end. If that's the case and your priority is devouring a slice, Watkins says using store-bought cream cheese frosting is a viable alternative. If you choose this path, she comments, "I wouldn't use another type of store-bought frosting, like buttercream, etc." and explains, "as those would throw the balance off, making your blondies too sweet."

While you'll definitely save a bit of time with the store-bought option, it's not all that much, and there are reasons why you might want to make the frosting from scratch. "I like the enhanced tartness by making homemade," Watkins says and notes that the packaged version is often much sweeter. Of course, if you have an extra active sweet tooth then that might be the perfect choice to top your blondies.

Watkins' buttery cinnamon roll blondies feature a layer of walnuts in the middle, adding a nutty flavor and crunchy texture. However, they aren't mandatory to include. "You can certainly make this recipe sans nuts or with another type of nut," she confirms. For example, she shares, "I am a big fan of pecans on my cinnamon rolls, those would be my number 1 nut swap." Other tasty ideas include pistachios, almonds, and hazelnuts. Just make sure to chop them so that they form a cohesive layer.

Watkins recommends leaving the composition of the blondie batter as is, or else you might have some issues with the consistency of your bake. That said, she suggests playing around with the spices, by using a blend in the cinnamon sugar layer. "Pumpkin pie spice, chai masala, adding a little nutmeg or ginger to the mix — all good," she says.