Brown butter blondies are topped with cream cheese filling and cinnamon sugar to make these cinnamon roll blondies.
Yield: 12 blondies
Ingredients
For the cream cheese filling
4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup (50 g) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of kosher salt
For the cinnamon sugar swirl
¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of kosher salt
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
For the blondies
2 cups (284 g) all purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
1½ tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs + 4 egg yolks, room temperature
Instructions
For the cream cheese filling
Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
For the cinnamon sugar swirl
Melt the brown sugar, butter, and salt together over low heat just until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon. Set aside.
For the blondies
Heat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking sheet and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
Melt 12 tbsp (170 g) of the butter in a medium saucepan and and cook over medium heat until it is dark amber and starts to smell nutty, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 4 tbsp (57 g) of butter. Pour into a large bowl. Stir in the sugars, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine.
Allow to cool to room temperature, then stir in the eggs and egg yolks. Whisk until combined.
Add in the flour and baking powder, and mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Put spoonfuls of the cream cheese filling and the cinnamon sugar swirl on top of the batter, alternating between the two. Using the tip of a butter knife, drag it through the dollops to create swirls.
Place in the oven and bake for 25-29 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Lift the blondies from the pan and cut into squares.