Snickerdoodle Blondies

The holidays are sneaking up on us faster than I’m ready for. October is already over and next thing you know Thanksgiving will be gone, too. Now is the time I need to plan my Christmas cookies… every year I usually give those I like best a giant box of baked goods. I guess that’s the downside of me liking you, you’re bound to gain a few pounds…

Snickerdoodles have always been one of my favorite holiday cookies, but they are a bit more labor intensive than I’d like.

These blondies differ from traditional snickerdoodles in a number of ways, which make them both easier and more delicious than your usual snickerdoodle. First off, where a normal snickerdoodle is just a sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar, these have the cinnamon flavor permeating throughout the entire base PLUS the cinnamon-sugar coating. Second, they are bars. That means you don’t have to chill, scoop, or roll them. Just smoosh them into a 9×13 pan and you’re good to go.

These snickerdoodle blondies have been in my Christmas Cookie care packages the past two years running, but BF complains that I should make them all year long. It’s just not fair that I only break them out for Christmas. So when BF’s cute little niece came over the other weekend requesting snickerdoodles, I took that as an opportunity to break this recipe out. I don’t think Boyfriend ate a single one, poor thing.

You can see by the slightly cakey texture that these ended up with a bit too much flour in them. It’s amazing what a difference just a little extra flour makes, but these things happen when you have a young apprentice in your kitchen. Luckily, the blondies still tasted great – and that’s the important part. So if you worried that adding too much flour would be the end of the world, don’t be. But if you want the more dense blondie texture for your snickerdoodles, be sure to “scoop and sweep” your flour.

 The texture is usually more dense, like this
Pardon the poor picture quality as it was taken during christmas baking with a cell phone… 2  years ago…  🙂

Perhaps I can add new pictures next time I make this recipe (in December…)

Snickerdoodle Blondies

For Blondies:

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For Topping:

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• a pinch nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil or parchment – this will make cutting and removing your blondies inifinity easier.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix the remaining cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg; set aside.
3. In large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar for 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, and beat until smooth.
4. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended.
5. Spread evenly in prepared pan* and sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool before cutting.

[ Adapted from MBA ]