Cinnamon blondies are buttery, chewy, soft and studded with cinnamon candies.  They have flavors of a cinnamon roll swirl while being quick and easy to make.  The red hot candies add sweetness and a touch of spiciness that makes them irresistible!

This post was originally published in January of 2021 and has been updated with helpful information and new photos. The recipe remains the same.  Although I did make the process easier!

Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Blondies with cinnamon, like my snickerdoodle cookie bars, are full of cinnamon flavor.  As a busy mom and lifetime baker with over 25 years of experience in the kitchen, I always love desserts that are quick and easy to make; like lemon blondies, raspberry blondies or peanut butter blondies.  This simple recipe takes a cinnamon blondie to a new level with the addition of cinnamon candies! 

This recipe is different from many cinnamon blondie recipes as you don’t have to swirl anything in.  And no frosting or cinnamon sugar is needed. Just mix the batter, add red hot candies, press in the pan, bake and enjoy! Whether you want to add them to your fall baking or include them for Valentine’s Day or Christmas, this blondies recipe is sure to become a favorite.

🛒 ingredient notes

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

Cinnamon candies ~ Red Hots or Cinnamon Imperial Hearts are small with a fiery cinnamon flavor. 

Sugars ~ we are using a combination of both white and brown sugar in this cinnamon blondie recipe.  The brown sugar brings more chewy texture and adds an extra rich flavor.

Eggs ~ one large egg is used plus one large egg yolk.  The extra yolk adds chewiness and richness. The extra egg white can be used to make a vanilla snack cake or candy cane cake.

Cornstarch ~ this secret {or not so secret!} baking ingredient brings softness and chewiness to the blondie bars.

♥️ do I need Red Hots for this recipe?

Red Hots are what work best in the recipe. I used Brach's Cinnamon Imperial Hearts in my testing, which I have always called red hots.  Ferrara makes “The Original Red Hots”, which would also work well.

Hot Tamales were also tested in this recipe. My testers preferred the Red Hots because they have a little crunch to them after being baked. The Hot Tamales taste delish and are a great substitute, but they give a little more chew to the cookie bars.

Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.

🥣 how to make cinnamon cookie bars

Start by preheating the oven and lining an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. 

Next use a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer and cream the butter and kosher salt for about a minute before adding the granulated and brown sugars. 

After the sugars are nicely creamed together; add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

Now add half the flour, the cinnamon, baking powder and cornstarch. Mix on low until mostly combined, then add the remaining flour and mix on low until a few streaks of flour remain.

Once the flour is barely incorporated, fold in the cinnamon candies with a spatula until the mixture is fully combined. The dough is thick and a little sticky.

🤔 how to get sticky dough into a baking pan

You have a few options for spreading the dough into the prepared pan. First, a spatula can do the job. Or lightly damp fingers also do the trick. I find an off-set spatula is the easiest {and neatest way} for me to accomplish this task.

Drop the dough into the pan in 4-6 spoonfuls and spread with your desired method until the dough is in an even layer.

Then bake until the edges are slightly browned and pulling away from the pan and a tester comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.

Once the cinnamon blondie cookie bars are cool, use the parchment to pull them out of the pan and cut them into bars. Dust them with a little confectioner's sugar, if desired.

👩🏻‍🍳 tips for working with cinnamon candies

• If using Red Hots ~ place the red hots in a zip top bag and crush them with a rolling pin or a meat mallet. Red Hots stay more dispersed in the cookies after baking.
• If using Hot Tamales ~ use a sharp knife to cut each candy into 5-6 pieces. Since the candies are chewy, the smaller the piece the better. If the candies are sticking to the knife, you can lightly grease the knife. Hot Tamales tend to sink during the baking process. You could toss them with about 2 tablespoons of the flour before incorporating them to help them from totally sinking.

Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these soft and chewy Cinnamon Blondies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

📖 recipe

Yield: 16 bar cookies

Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Blondies

Print

Cinnamon blondies are buttery, chewy, soft and studded with cinnamon candies.  They have flavors of a cinnamon roll swirl while being quick and easy to make.  The red hot candies add sweetness and a touch of spiciness that makes them irresistible!

I highly recommend using weight {metric} measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Bake Time 27 minutes

Total Time 42 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup dark brown sugar (100g)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67g)
• 1 large egg plus one large yolk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup cinnamon candies, crushed or chopped* (60g) (Red Hots work best, but Hot Tamales are an acceptable substitute)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Next use a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer and cream the butter (½ cup/113g) and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) on medium for about a minute. Now add the granulated (⅓ cup/67g) and brown sugars (½ cup/100g) and beat on medium another 1-2 minutes.
3. After the sugars are nicely creamed together; add the egg (1 large), egg yolk (from 1 large egg) and vanilla (2 teaspoons) and beat until combined.
4. Now add half the flour (½ cup/63g), the cinnamon (1 teaspoon), baking powder (½ teaspoon) and cornstarch (1 teaspoon). Mix on low until mostly combined, then add the remaining flour (½ cup/63g) and mix on low until a few streaks of flour remain.
5. Once the flour is barely incorporated, fold in the cinnamon candies with a spatula until the mixture is fully combined. The dough is thick and a little sticky.
6. Drop the batter (it’s thick) into the prepared baking pan in 4-6 scoops. Use the spatula, an off-set spatula or lightly wet fingers to evenly spread the dough into the pan.
7. Bake for 22-27 minutes or until the edges have lightly browned and a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
8. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack. Then use the parchment to pull the bars out of the pan and cut into desired sizes. Dust with some confectioner’s sugar, if desired.

Notes

*If using Red Hots, place candies in a zip top bag and crush with a rolling pin or meat mallet. If using Hot Tamales, use a sharp knife and cut each tamale into 5-6 pieces. If they are too sticky, lightly grease the knife.

Cinnamon blondies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. They also freeze well for up to three months.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 141Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 90mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 1g

The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.

Did you make this recipe?

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Caramel cookie bars are buttery shortbread filled with soft and chewy salted caramel.  The cookie dough is both the base and cookie crumble topping making these cookie bars a breeze to prepare.  Perfect for sharing at parties and gifting at Christmas!

Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

As a busy mama and self taught baker, cookie bar recipes save me all the time! In this recipe a simple homemade caramel sauce is tucked between a buttery shortbread crumble. And if making your own caramel sauce feels too daunting, you can make these caramel bars using caramel sauce from the store. An easy recipe that's sure to become a favorite! 

Caramel treats like Twix cake, caramelitas, biscoff caramel tart and homemade caramels are my favorite! Much like my brown sugar caramel cookies, you will love the soft shortbread and gooey caramel middle. No chilling of the cookie dough, simply make the caramel sauce, mix the cookie dough, layer in an 8x8 pan and bake. Then try not to devour the whole pan in a day! {The whole pan disappeared the night I made tested them for Sunday dinner dessert.}

🛒 ingredients notes and substitutions

I wanted the caramel flavor to shine in this recipe.  So we are making the cookie bars without chocolate or chocolate chips.  If you wanted to add some chocolate, I would add some mini chocolate chips with the crumbled cookie dough on top of the caramel. A drizzle of melted chocolate would also work over the top of the baked bars.

I also debated having you bake the base first, followed by the caramel and shortbread crumble topping. But I bet you are as busy as I am and want to just put a dessert in the oven and be done, right?

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

• Caramel ~ an absolute necessity for this recipe.  I tested with both a store bought caramel sauce {Trader Joe’s salted caramel} and with a homemade caramel sauce.  My testers liked the chewy texture that came from using the homemade caramel sauce best.
• Cornstarch ~ the secret ingredient that creates a chewy caramel layer!  If you prefer a more gooey middle the cornstarch can be left out.
• Egg ~ one large egg yolk adds richness and softness to the shortbread.  You can save the egg white to use for meringue cookies or for vanilla snack cake.
• Kosher salt ~ brings balance and flavor and helps to cut the sweetness. If you only have table salt, use half the amount.
• Flaky sea salt {optional} ~ sprinkle over the top of the caramel cookie bars when you remove them from the oven. This creates that salty sweet combo.  Murray River pink salt flakes are what I use in my kitchen.

🥣 how to make in photos

Start by making the homemade salted caramel. If you need a visual, see this cookie butter caramel sauce post.

Then preheat oven to 350°F and line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand held mixer beat together the unsalted butter, kosher salt, granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar until creamy.

Scrape up and down the bowl, then add in the egg yolk and vanilla and mix on medium-low until fully incorporated.

Now add the all-purpose flour and mix on low until a clumpy dough is formed.

Take about ¾ of the dough and press it into the prepared pan, covering the bottom in an even layer and slightly coming up the sides of the pan, which helps to keep the caramel from melting out.

Now spread the caramel sauce over the cooke dough, the caramel should be thick, but spreadable. If it has thickened too much to spread, lightly warm it.

Then crumble the remaining cookie dough over the top of the caramel.

Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are just barely browning, about 25-30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. Top with flaky sea salt, when hot from the oven if desired. Once cool, a dusting of confectioners' sugar can also be added.

👩🏻‍🍳 tips for the best chewy caramel bars

Line the baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal.

Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing, otherwise the caramel sauce will melt out.

For the caramel cookie bars, I recommend baking in a light colored 8x8 baking pan.  A dark pan will absorb more heat and can cause the edges to burn while the middle is undercooked.  Glass pans also distribute the heat differently and can have similar results to dark colored baking pans.  If baking in glass, it’s recommended to lower the temperature by 25°F and bake for a few minutes longer.

Remember your oven is different from mine and the baking time may be slightly different. I use this oven thermometer to ensure my oven is at the temperature I think it is.  

Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Shortbread Caramel Cookie Bars. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

📖 recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Easy Shortbread Caramel Cookie Bars

Buttery shortbread bars filled with soft, salted caramel and topped with cookie crumble. Easy to make and perfect for parties or holiday gifting!

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Bars and Brownies

Cuisine: American

Keyword: caramel bars, caramel shortbread, cookie bars, salted caramel

Servings: 16 bars

Calories: 218kcal

Author: Tasia Harper

Ingredients

salted caramel sauce

• ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (42g)
• ¼ cup heavy cream room temperature (60mL)
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon water

cookie bars

• ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature (170g)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
• ½ cup confectioners' sugar (60g)
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (188g)
• Flaky sea salt confectioners' sugar for garnish, if desired

Instructions

• Make the salted caramel: Add ½ cup of granulated sugar (100g) to a medium saucepan and heat over medium, stirring constantly. Use a wooden spoon or a high heat resistant rubber spatula.
• The sugar will start to melt. Then it will clump together before melting into a thick amber colored liquid.
• When the sugar is fully melted, add the room temperature butter (3 tablespoons/42g). The butter will cause the sugar to bubble rapidly, so use caution in this step.
• Whisk the butter into the caramel until it is completely incorporated. I prefer using a whisk to keep the butter and sugar from separating, but your wooden spoon or spatula can work as well. When the butter and sugar are fully incorporated, slowly add the room temperature heavy cream (¼ cup/60mL) while continuing to whisk (or stir). Again, the mixture will bubble rapidly, so use caution.
• Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla (½ teaspoon) and kosher salt (¼ teaspoon). Dissolve the cornstarch (½ teaspoon) in water (½ teaspoon) and then stir into the caramel sauce.
• Carefully pour caramel into a heatproof container and allow to cool a bit while you prepare the cookie bars.
• Make the cookie bars: preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
• Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand held mixer beat together the unsalted butter (¾ cup/170g), kosher salt (½ teaspoon), granulated sugar (½ cup/100g) and confectioners' sugar (½ cup/60g) until creamy; start on low until incorporated and then on medium-low (speed 4 on KitchenAid) until creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape up and down the bowl, then add in the egg yolk (1 large) and vanilla (1 teaspoon) and mix on medium-low until fully incorporated.
• Now add the all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups/188g) and mix on low (stir on KitchenAid) until a clumpy dough is formed.
• Take about ¾ of the dough (approximately 400g) and press it into the prepared pan, covering the bottom in an even layer and slightly coming up the sides of the pan, which helps to keep the caramel from melting out.
• Now spread the caramel sauce over the cooke dough, the caramel should be thick, but spreadable. If it has thickened too much to spread, lightly warm it.
• Then crumble the remaining cookie dough over the top of the caramel.**
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are just barely browning, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. Top with flaky sea salt, when hot from the oven if desired. Once cool, a dusting of confectioners' sugar can also be added.

Notes

*I also tested this recipe with Trader Joe's salted caramel sauce. It works, but the caramel layer is a little runny. If using a jarred caramel sauce, you may want to dissolve cornstarch (½ teaspoon) in water (½ teaspoon) and then stir into the caramel sauce to help thicken it. You need about ½ cup of caramel.

**If you'd like to add chocolate - mini chocolate chips (or regular size) can be added to the crumbled cookie dough before baking. You could also drizzled melted chocolate over the baked and cooled cookie bars.

Store any leftovers covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. They can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The caramel cookie bars also freeze well for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bar | Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 402IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

Chocolate chocolate chip bars are soft, chewy, brownie-like and filled with chocolate chips.  The double chocolate cookie bar recipe is made with melted butter and comes together quickly in one bowl. They are double chocolate decadence!

Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

As a busy mama and self taught baker, bar cookies are my jam because they are simple to make, don’t create a bunch of dishes and are always a crowd pleaser!  This double chocolate version is like a fusion of chocolate chip bars and brownies and has a nice crackly top.  

Much like my double chocolate oat bottom brownies and almond cookie bars, you will love the soft and fudgy texture {bake for the minimum bake time for a gooey center}. Rich and decadent like my chocolate snack cake, the cookie bars are a chocolate lover's dream!

🛒 ingredient notes

Here are a few ingredients that make these cookie bars extra special. 

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

• Cocoa powder ~ unsweetened natural cocoa powder is what I recommend.  I love Scharffen Berger, but Hershey’s also makes a solid version.  Since we are using baking soda for a leavener, I do not recommend Dutch process cocoa.
• Sugars ~ I tested a few ratios of granulated to brown sugar and using more brown sugar brought the chewy and fudgy texture that my testers loved.
• Chocolate chips ~ I went with semi-sweet chocolate chips to increase the decadence of this double chocolate recipe.  Feel free to substitute milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips or M&M’s if you would like.
• Cornstarch ~ this ingredient is a secret weapon in baking, bringing softness and chewiness to the bar cookies. If you don't have it, it can be left out with no other changes.

🍫 can I replace the chips with a chocolate bar?

Yes!  This will work, but know that a baking bar will melt a little more into the cookie bars, which isn’t really a bad thing in my opinion!

Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.

🥣 how to make in photos

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.

In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, packed brown sugar and kosher salt until well combined. A whisk or spatula works.

Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Next add the baking soda and cornstarch and mix until well combined.

Then add the cocoa powder and mix until it starts to incorporate. Now add the all-purpose flour and mix with a spatula until some large flour streaks remain. Then add the chocolate chips and gently fold them into the cookie dough until combined. {hold aside a few chocolate chips.}

Drop the batter {it’s thick} into the prepared baking pan and smooth to an even layer. Top with the chocolate chips you held aside, if desired.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the edges have lightly browned and a tester in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

These double chocolate chip bars have a shiny and crackly top, which feels a little crisp when you test the bars. You do not want a clean/dry tester, which means the cookie bars are over baked. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack.

👩🏻‍🍳 tips for the best double chocolate cookie bars

This recipe for chocolate chocolate chip bars makes soft, chewy, and fudgy cookie bars.  To create this texture, be sure to not over mix the batter and don’t over bake! They will firm up and continue to cook as they cool. If you like a more gooey center, bake the bar cookies on the shorter side of the recommended baking time.

For the best double chocolate bars, I recommend baking in a light colored 8x8 baking pan.  Dark pans absorb more heat and can cause the edges to burn while the middle is undercooked.  Glass pans also distribute the heat differently and can have similar results to dark colored baking pans.  If baking in glass, it’s recommended to lower the temperature by 25°F and bake for a few minutes longer.

Remember your oven is different from mine and the baking time may be slightly different. I use this oven thermometer to ensure my oven is at the temperature I think it is.  

If you need to speed up the cooling process, once the cookie bars have cooled enough that you can pick up the pan with your bare hands, place the pan in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these One Bowl Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bars. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

📖 recipe

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5 from 4 votes

One Bowl Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bars

Chocolate chocolate chip bars are soft, chewy and filled with chocolate chips.  This double chocolate cookie bars recipe is made with melted butter and comes together quickly in one bowl.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Bars and Brownies

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate chips, chocolate cookie bars, cookie bars, double chocolate

Servings: 16 bar cookies

Calories: 331kcal

Author: Tasia Harper

Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsalted butter melted (170g)
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar (133g)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (200g)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (8g)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (20g)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
• 1 ¾ cups chocolate chips (315g)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the melted butter (¾ cup/170g), granulated sugar (⅔ cup/133g), packed brown sugar (1 cup/200g) and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) until well combined.
• Then add in the eggs (2 large) and vanilla (1 tablespoon) and mix until well combined, about 1 minute.
• Next add the baking soda (1 teaspoon) and cornstarch (1 tablespoon/8g) and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Then add the cocoa powder (¼ cup/20g) and mix until it starts to incorporate. Now add the all-purpose flour (2 cups/250g) and mix with a spatula until some large flour streaks remain. Then add the chocolate chips (holding aside a few if you'd like to press them into the top of the batter before baking) and gently fold them into the cookie dough until combined.
• Drop the batter (it’s thick) into the prepared baking pan and smooth to an even layer. Top with the chocolate chips you held aside, if desired.
• Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the edges have lightly browned and a tester in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. You do not want a clean/dry tester, which means the cookie bars are over baked. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
• Then use the parchment to pull the bars out of the pan and cut into desired sizes.

Notes

* The chocolate chips can be your favorite milk or dark chocolate (I use semi-sweet), but can also be replaced with white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, mini chocolate chips or m&m's.

I recommend a light colored metal baking pan; glass can take up to double the amount of baking time and can cause the edges to over brown or burn while the middle is still raw. If you only have a glass pan, reduce the oven heat by 25° and know it may take a bit longer to bake.

Double chocolate chip bars will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. They also freeze well for up to three months; allow to defrost before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bar | Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 296IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg