I was brainstorming easy holiday dessert recipes, and when my list reached a length that would have us surviving on cookies and Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls every day from now until next Christmas, I sent the list over to my dessert recipe-picker numero uno, my younger sister Elaine. Thirty seconds later, she texted me with an all-caps “CINNAMON BLONDIES,” followed by every positive emoji, including my personal favorite, the jazz hands. Side note: the emoji dictionary (yes, this exists) refers to this particular icon as “hugging face,” not “jazz hands.” Since I have absolutely no idea what “hugging face” could possibly mean, I’m going to stick with my personal interpretation of jazz hands, though you could probably hug a cinnamon blondie if you felt so inclined. Be warned—you will end up with buttery cinnamon-sugar topping allllll over your shirt. It will be worth it.
About These Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Blondies
The cinnamon factor in these blondies is so rich and warm that they remind me of a super-charged snickerdoodle or even gingerbread. The middle is soft and buttery, the edges are lightly crispy, and every bite is laced with spices. While the base of the cinnamon blondies is a keeper unto itself—the batter is utterly delicious and takes just one bowl and a few minutes to prep—I’m going to urge you to dirty one additional bowl. Stir together a 30-second cinnamon-sugar mixture and sprinkle it over the top. The cinnamon sugar (with the aid of melted butter—you caught me!) forms a delightful, crackly “lid” that is incredibly satisfying to shatter with your fork. The cinnamon-sugar lid is equally satisfying at 8:15 a.m. when you’re standing over your kitchen sink with “just one” cinnamon blondie, while your oatmeal grows cold at the table. Not that I would know anything about that…
The Healthy Swaps in Cinnamon Blondies
Although these cinnamon blondies are on the indulgent side, I employed my usual healthy swaps. My key ingredient for this recipe: whole wheat pastry flour. It gives the cinnamon blondies a little extra boost of fiber without changing their taste or texture one bit. Because whole wheat pastry flour is so finely ground, the taste is exceptionally mild, and it makes the blondies even more tender.
More Crowd-Pleasing Bar Recipes
Pecan Pie BarsBanana BarsStrawberry Jam BarsStrawberry Oatmeal BarsBest Lemon BarsMaple Pecan Blondies
If you are a cinnamon lover, a blondie lover, or just love desserts that provide max reward for minimal effort, these cinnamon blondies will be your new BFF. Cue the jazz hands!
