Cinnamon Roll Blondies

Chewy blondies, the caramel-flavored cousin to brownies, often get overlooked for their chocolaty counterparts. And while there’s so much to love about the classic, this version — inspired by the beloved Sunday morning brunch treat, cinnamon rolls — is bound to be your new fave. Here, cinnamon rolls move firmly into dessert territory, thanks to this ultimate dessert-meets-breakfast mash-up. Blondie batter is swirled with cinnamon sugar, just like cinnamon rolls, before getting baked in the oven. The result toes the line of fudgy blondies and cakey cinnamon rolls to capture the best of both worlds. Finish the bars off with a simple glaze for the perfect sweet treat. 

• It’s the mash-up treat of your dreams. Thanks to a mixture of cinnamon-sugar swirled throughout the batter and a sweet glaze, these bars take on all the best parts of cinnamon rolls. 
• It comes together quickly. These bars are surprisingly easy to put together. It’s a nearly one-bowl recipe that bakes in under 30 minutes. 

• Dark brown sugar. Gives these blondies their signature rich, caramel flavor. 
• Egg. While there’s a touch of baking powder in this recipe, the majority of the leavening is coming from the egg. 
• Ground cinnamon. It’s stirred with dark brown sugar and swirled throughout the blondie batter to mimic the inside of a cinnamon roll. 

1. Make the batter. The blondie batter comes together in one bowl with a handful of pantry staples like butter, dark brown sugar, flour, and vanilla. Spread the batter in a greased 8×8-inch baking dish. 
2. Add the cinnamon-sugar. Combine ground cinnamon and dark brown sugar in a bowl, then add spoonfuls of it to the top of the batter. Use a knife to swirl the cinnamon-sugar throughout the batter. 
3. Bake the blondies. Bake the blondies until just set. Let them cool completely. 
4. Finish with a glaze. Add powdered sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract to a bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle the blondies with the glaze before slicing and serving.