Ingredients:
For the Blondie:
160g unsalted butter, softened
165g light brown sugar
100g granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
210g plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Cinnamon Swirl:
70g light brown sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
50g unsalted butter, melted
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
60g butter, softened
110g cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g icing sugar, sifted (halve it if you want a thinner layer!)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 170°C fan (or 190°C conventional). Line an 8×8” square baking tin with parchment paper, letting the sides hang for easy removal.
Cream the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.
Add the flour and cinnamon to the wet ingredients. Fold everything together until just combined—don’t overmix!
Make the cinnamon swirl by combining brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a small bowl until it becomes a paste-like mixture.
Spread the blondie batter evenly into the lined tin. Dollop the cinnamon swirl mixture over the top and use a knife or skewer to swirl it through the top layer.
Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown, and the center no longer wobbles. For a slightly gooey middle, aim for 22–25 minutes. Watch closely!
Let the blondies cool completely in the tin before icing—this is important so the icing doesn’t melt!
For the cream cheese icing, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add vanilla, then gradually beat in the sifted icing sugar until fluffy and creamy.
Spread the icing generously over the cooled blondies and use the back of a spoon or spatula to make soft swoops across the top. Slice into squares and serve!
Happy Cooking!