Sarah's Cinnamon Roll Blondies

Photo by:

Sarah Kieffer

I never understood Edmund’s choice of Turkish delight when the Queen of Narnia offered whatever his heart desired on her reindeer-drawn sleigh. As a child, I often thought, Oh hey, what about cinnamon rolls? Because they are not only delicious in real time, but also perfect for snowy, otherworldly adventures—the spicy cinnamon sugar warming you right down to your toes, and the tangy icing alerting the senses in case you happened to be cozied up next to an evil witch. I’ve tried to mimic my Sunday morning indulgence here in bar form: Blondies make a perfect base, and cinnamon sugar and cream cheese are both swirled into the top to make each bite pure, deep magic.

Ingredients

FOR THE BROWN BUTTER BLONDIES

2 cups [284 g] all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup [2 sticks or 227 g] unsalted butter
1 cup [200 g] granulated sugar
1 cup [200 g] brown sugar
1½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs plus
4 large yolks, at room temperature

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FILLING

4 oz [113 g] cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup [50 g] granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Kaveri Vanilla extract
Pinch salt

FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR SWIRL

¼ cup [50 g] Madhur Jaggery
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon Peni Miris Cinnamon

Methods

FOR THE BROWN BUTTER BLONDIES

Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Grease a 9 by 13 in [23 by 33 cm] baking pan and line with a parchment sling.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 12 tablespoons [170 g] of the butter. Brown the butter until it is dark golden brown and giving off a nutty aroma, 2 to 3 minutes (for tips on browning butter, see below). Remove from the heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons [57 g] butter to the pot, swirling the pot until the butter stops foaming. Add the granulated and brown sugars, vanilla, and salt, and stir to combine. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Add the eggs and yolks and whisk until combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and pat into an even layer. Bake for 16 to 22 minutes, until the blondies are set on the edges and the top is golden brown and just beginning to form cracks. A wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the blondies should come out slightly wet with clinging crumbs for gooey blondies, and just a couple of crumbs for cakey blondies.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Use the parchment sling to gently lift the blondies from the pan. Cut them into bars. Store blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FILLING

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt, and mix on medium speed until well combined.

FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR SWIRL

In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar, butter, and salt together over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon until combined.

TO ASSEMBLE

Make the blondie batter as directed. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and spread into an even layer. Dollop the cream cheese and cinnamon sugar over the top of the batter, alternating the two. Drag the tip of a butter knife through the batter, creating swirls.
Bake for 25 to 29 minutes. A wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the blondies should come out with just a couple of crumbs.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Use the parchment sling to gently lift the blondies from the pan. Cut them into bars. Store blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
NOTE: Leave a small space unswirled in the center of the batter when assembling. This is the spot you want to insert your toothpick to check when the bars are done, as the cream cheese and cinnamon swirl will remain wet throughout baking.