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Cinnamon Roll Blondies are everything you love about a warm cinnamon roll baked into a chewy, buttery blondie bar with a swirl of cream cheese icing. I whip these up when I want cinnamon roll flavor without the yeast and the wait, and the girls always sneak the corner pieces. They come together in one bowl. If you love cinnamon treats, try our cinnamon sugar cream cheese cookies too.
A chewy brown sugar blondie, a cinnamon sugar swirl, and a tangy cream cheese icing turn into the easiest cinnamon roll inspired bars.
Cinnamon Roll Blondies Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 50 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 15 bars
- ⚡ Calories: 370kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Chewy brown sugar blondie with cinnamon swirl and cream cheese icing
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, about as simple as our cookie bars
Quick Answer
Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. In another bowl, mix melted butter and brown sugar, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and press the batter into a lined 9×13 pan. Pour cinnamon sugar in two lines over the batter and swirl it with a knife, then bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely, then top with a whipped cream cheese icing and cut into bars.
Jump to:
- Cinnamon Roll Blondies Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Cinnamon Roll Blondies
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Cinnamon Roll Blondies FAQs
- Other Recommended Bar and Cookie Recipes
- Cinnamon Roll Blondies
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Cinnamon roll flavor, no yeast. You get all the cozy cinnamon roll taste without proofing dough or waiting for it to rise.
- One bowl batter. The blondie base comes together in a single bowl with melted butter, no mixer needed.
- Brown sugar base. Brown sugar gives the blondies a deep, chewy, caramel like flavor and texture.
- The cinnamon swirl. Swirling cinnamon sugar through the batter creates that classic cinnamon roll ribbon in every bite.
- Cream cheese icing. A tangy, whipped cream cheese icing on top is exactly what a cinnamon roll calls for.
- Made for a crowd. One pan cuts into 15 bars, perfect for brunch, potlucks, or a sweet snack.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They taste like a cinnamon roll but come together in a fraction of the time.
- The chewy brown sugar blondie base is rich, buttery, and irresistible.
- The cream cheese icing makes them feel extra special, like our chocolate chip cookie bars.
- They are made in one bowl and one pan for easy cleanup.
Key Ingredients
Here is everything you need to make a pan of cinnamon roll blondies.
- All purpose flour: The structure of the chewy blondie base.
- Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and that deep, chewy, caramel flavor.
- Butter and eggs: Melted butter keeps the bars rich and moist, and eggs hold them together.
- Cinnamon and granulated sugar: Swirled through the batter for that signature cinnamon roll ribbon.
- Cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar: Whipped into the tangy, fluffy icing on top.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These blondies are easy to make your own. Here are a few ideas.
- Add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for crunch.
- Drizzle with a simple vanilla glaze instead of cream cheese icing.
- Stir mini cinnamon chips or white chocolate chips into the batter.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom for a warmer, spiced flavor.
- Spread the icing in a full layer instead of a zig zag for extra tang.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Blondies
- In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and brown sugar until combined.
- Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
- Press the thick batter into a parchment lined 9×13 baking dish using wet fingers.
- Pour the cinnamon sugar in two lines over the batter, swirl it through with a knife, and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Once cooled, whip the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla into a fluffy icing, then ice the bars and cut.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use wet fingers to press the thick batter into the pan so it does not stick.
- Do not overbake, pull them when a toothpick comes out clean for chewy, soft bars.
- Cool completely before icing, or the cream cheese icing will melt and slide off.
- Line the pan with parchment so you can lift the whole slab out and cut clean bars.
- Swirl gently so the cinnamon sugar ribbons through without fully mixing in.
- Soften the cream cheese and butter so the icing whips up smooth and fluffy.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve cinnamon roll blondies at room temperature with the cream cheese icing zig zagged or spread on top. They are perfect with a hot cup of coffee, making them a wonderful brunch treat or afternoon snack.
They are a great addition to a dessert or cookie spread. Set them out next to other bars like our cranberry bliss bars or a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies for a cozy, bakery style table.
Because they cut into neat squares, they are easy to package for bake sales, gifts, or lunchboxes. Stack a few alongside our chocolate chip cookie bars for a variety box everyone will love.
Cinnamon Roll Blondies FAQs
Because of the cream cheese icing, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving so they soften back up. Uniced blondies can be stored at room temperature.
Yes. Bake the blondies up to 2 days ahead and store them covered. You can also make the cream cheese icing ahead and keep it chilled. Ice the bars the day you plan to serve for the freshest look and texture.
Yes. Freeze the uniced blondies, well wrapped, for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then make and add the cream cheese icing before serving. You can also freeze iced bars, though the icing texture is best fresh.
Cakey blondies usually come from too much flour or overbaking. Spoon and level your flour, do not overmix once it goes in, and pull the bars as soon as a toothpick comes out clean for that dense, chewy texture.
The icing gives them that classic cinnamon roll finish, but they are delicious on their own or with a simple vanilla glaze. If you want a less sweet bar, a light glaze drizzle is a great option.
This recipe already makes a 9×13 pan, which serves 15. To make more, bake two separate pans rather than doubling into one larger pan, so the bars bake evenly and set up properly in the center.
Love cinnamon treats? Bake our cinnamon sugar cream cheese cookies next.
Cinnamon Roll Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the icing:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 ounces unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper or spray with baking spray.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- In a large bowl stir together the brown sugar with the melted butter until combined.1 ½ cups light brown sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine.
- Press this mixture into the prepared baking dish, I find using wet fingers for this helps.
- Stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Pour this mixture in two lines down the length of the blondie batter.
- Using a butter knife, make swirls through the cinnamon sugar and dough.
- Bake for 25-30 until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- While the blondies cool, make the icing by creaming together the cream cheese and butter in a medium-sized bowl until smooth with an electric hand mixer.8 ounces cream cheese, 4 ounces unsalted butter
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until incorporated.2 cups powdered sugar
- Stir in the vanilla. Whip on high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cut the blondies into bars and zig-zag the icing on top, I like to use a pastry bag for this. Alternatively, you can spread the icing on top of the bars in a layer, then cut to serve.
Notes
- This cinnamon roll blondies recipe can be halved in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish.
- You can use store-bought cream cheese frosting.
- If you do not like the topping you can omit it.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above.
- Don’t forget your rubber spatula. It works wonders on wet ingredients.
- Instead of doing the zig-zag pattern on top of the bars, you can just spread the cream cheese topping over the top.
Nutrition
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Having breakfast now and I am sure that these cinnamon roll blondies would be a perfect mix with hot coffee. Will try this recipe when I return from my travel.
Yum! That looks so good.
My family would love these! I am pinning them to try soon!
Oh, my husband LOVES cinnamon rolls, but I rarely get them made. I’m going to have to try these blondies- they look easy and I’m sure he’ll love them!
These look amazing! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Annnnnnd, I need these in my life. Thanks so much for sharing! Pinning:-)
Perfect! Cinnamon in everything 🙂
These look SO GOOD! Oh my gosh! It’s been too long since I had any kind of cinnamon roll. Plus, I think the combination of cinnamon roll and blondie is genius!! I’d love to have these as a dessert!