Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Blondies

Jun 25

5 min read

192

If cinnamon rolls and cookie bars had a baby, it would be these blondies. They’re buttery and golden with a warm cinnamon swirl laced into each bite. Soft in the center, crisp at the edges, and perfectly sweet without being over the top. Top with an easy cream cheese glaze to give them that classic cinnamon roll finish! I can't stop eating these, and I know you won't either!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

These blondies are a perfect for a beginner or seasoned baker- with easy ingredients found in your pantry you can have these made in under an hour. Everything can be mixed in bowls with a whisk and spatula, and you can choose if you want to bake same-day or ferment overnight in the refrigerator. Packed with tips to make sure you get that perfectly baked center, this is a fool-proof recipe you'll be coming back to again and again!

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Tools You’ll Need:

9x9-inch baking pan- I love this pan from USA Bakeware linked here.
Parchment paper- to line pan to avoid burning and for a clean release.
Measuring cups and spoons- for measuring ingredients.
Mixing bowls- to batter, filling, and icing.
Whisk + spatula- to mix ingredients for blondie and frosting. Needed spread icing and batter evenly.
Hand mixer (optional)- for mixing batter and icing with ease.

Kitchen scale (optional)- for precise measurements.
Butter knife or toothpick- for swirling blondie.

Gather your Ingredients:

Unsalted butter – Adds richness and soft crumb texture to the blondie. Helps the cinnamon sugar mixture caramelize.
Egg – Provides structure and helps bind the blondie.
Sourdough discard– Adds tangy flavor and moisture and is the magic that ferments your dough. Can be used fed, past peak, or straight from the fridge.
White Granulated Sugar- Sweetens blondie and filling. Helps give blondie that crackly top and crisp edge.
Brown sugar – Adds sweetness and caramel notes to blondie and filling.
Vanilla extract – Adds depth of flavor.

Cornstarch – helps tighten the crumb and prevent sinking in the center of the blondie.

All-purpose flour – Provides structure and lift to the batter and filling. You can substitute bread flour but I like the softness all-purpose gives the blondie. .
Baking powder – Helps with lift and rise with too much doming in the center.
Sea salt – Enhances overall flavor.
Ground cinnamon – adds warmth and spice to the batter and filling giving the blondies the signature taste of a classic cinnamon roll.
Cream cheese– Creates a creamy, tangy icing we know and love to top the blondies.
Heavy Cream- thins icing to make it easy to drizzle. Can substitute with milk but may make for a thinner icing.
Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the glaze. Do not use granulated sugar in the glaze or it will be grainy.

Now let's bake blondies!

Sourdough Cinnamon Swirl Blondies

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
1/2 cup light brown sugar (100g)
1/2 cup granulated white sugar (100g)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup sourdough discard (75g) 100% hydration

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g)
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Cinnamon Swirl Paste:

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (42g)
1/4 cup brown sugar (50g)
2 tbsp white sugar (25g)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp flour (15g)

Cream Cheese Glaze:

1 oz cream cheese, softened (28g)
1/2 cup powdered sugar (60g)
1 tbsp cream, more if needed
1/4 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

Prep Your Pan:

Line a metal 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides. Lightly grease the parchment. A metal pan is crucial for even baking. Look at my list of tools above for the one I use.

Cream the Butter & Sugars:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with a whisk or hand mixer for 2–3 minutes, until light, smooth, and fluffy.

Add Wet Ingredients:

Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until just combined, be careful to not overbeat or your blondie will be gummy. Stir in the sourdough discard and whisk again briefly until smooth.

Mix Dry Ingredients:

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Fold this mixture into the wet batter using a rubber spatula until just incorporated and no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick and scoopable. I want to remind you again not to overmix at this stage- if you do, you won't like how your blondie comes out. We want to just incorporate not over mix.

Blondie batter should be thick and smooth

Make the Cinnamon Swirl Paste:

In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and flour until a thick, spreadable paste forms. Set this aside.

Prepare cinnamon sugar paste — Make the cinnamon sugar paste

Assemble the Blondies:

Spread the blondie batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Drop 1 teaspoon spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl paste all over the top of the blondie, spacing them out. Use a butter knife or skewer to gently swirl it through the top layer. Try not to overdo it or you’ll lose the ripple. You want to see a nice cinnamon sugar ribbon throughout the blondie when done correctly. See below for visuals on how to do this.

How to make cinnamon sugar ribbon in blondie — How to create cinnamon sugar ribbon through blondies

Chill the Blondies:

Cover blondie with plastic and transfer the entire assembled pan to the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes. This step prevents the edges from puffing too high and keeps the swirl defined. DON'T SKIP THIS STEP.

Overnight Ferment Option: Allow blondies to rest overnight in refrigerator and bake in the morning if you desire to let them ferment overnight.

Bake Blondies:

Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Remove blondies from refrigerator and uncover. Bake the blondies for 30-40 minutes. The edges should be golden, and the center should look set but slightly soft. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not raw batter.

Cool Blondies & Glaze:

Let blondies cool fully in the pan on a wire rack — at least 1 hour. You can also refrigerate to help them set up.

While blondies cool, whisk together the glaze.

Transfer cream cheese, powdered sugar, and cream to a small mixing bowl. Whisk together or beat with hand mixers until icing is smooth and has a drizzle like consistency.

Drizzle icing over cooled blondies and allow icing to set about 20 minutes. Once icing has set, cut blondies into 9 even squares. Enjoy your Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Blondies!

Yields 9 blondies

How to Store:

Room temperature- Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Refrigeration- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in refrigerator.

Freezing- For longer storage, freeze slices before icing individually wrapped in plastic for up to 2 months. Remove from freezer and allow to come to room temperature before icing.