Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bars
If you love warm, cozy desserts as much as we do, then you have to try our Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bars. They’re soft, buttery, layered with a rich cinnamon-sugar filling, and topped with a sweet icing that melts right into every bite.
Fall and the holidays always conjure thoughts of warm, cinnamon flavor, but we love it all year long. That’s why these bars are always in our rotation. They’re perfect for holidays, brunch, desserts, or a weeknight dessert.
For more cozy and sweet cinnamon treats, try our cinnamon roll bundt cake or snickerdoodle cheesecake bars.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, buttery layers with a gooey cinnamon center
- Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients
- Perfect for any occasion or just a weeknight dessert
- Tastes like cinnamon rolls in a bar
- Sweet icing that melts into every bite
- Freezer-friendly and perfect for making ahead of time
Key Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Butter: This is what makes the bars rich, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth. It’s doing a lot of the heavy lifting for flavor and texture.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the dough and the icing while keeping everything super smooth and soft.
- Brown Sugar: Creates that gooey, sweet filling with a deeper, almost caramel-like flavor.
- Cinnamon: The star flavor! It gives the bars that warm, cozy, cinnamon-roll vibe.
Variations
- Add Nuts: Add chopped pecans or walnuts for more flavor and extra crunch.
- Add More Caramel: Drizzle caramel over the icing for a more indulgent texture and more cinnamon flavor.
- Swap Out the Icing: Try cream cheese glaze in place of icing for a tangier but equally classic flavor.
- Make it a Breakfast or Brunch: Pair these bars with savory breakfast items, such as an overnight croissant breakfast casserole bake with gravy or a slow cooker breakfast casserole with sausage.
How to Make Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bars
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Then, add vanilla and powdered sugar, followed by the egg. Mix in the flour and salt and set aside.
- Mix the cinnamon filling ingredients.
- Press half the dough evenly into a prepared 8×8 baking dish. Then, spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough.
- Press the outer half of the dough over the filling. Then, bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the bars on the counter. Meanwhile, mix the icing ingredients.
- Pour the icing over the bars and let it sit until slightly hardened. Then, cut into bars and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature butter for a smooth dough.
- To ensure soft bars, don’t overmix the dough.
- Lightly oil your hands before pressing the dough into the pan to avoid sticking.
- Cool the bars before adding the icing for the best texture.
- For a wonderfully gooey texture, serve the bars before the icing has fully hardened.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bars FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes! These bars are great for making ahead and often taste even better the next day as the flavors settle and develop.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer freshness, you can refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
Absolutely. Wrap them tightly or place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
The center should be set, and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean or with just a few crumbs.
Yes, simply double the ingredients and bake in a larger pan (like a 9×13). You may need to adjust the baking time slightly.
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📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bars
Equipment
- 8×8-inch baking dish
- parchment paper
- large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Spatula
- Knife (for slicing)
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoons water if needed, to thin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar, mixing until smooth.
- Beat in the egg.
- Add flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir until fully combined.
- Press one half evenly into the prepared pan (lightly oil hands or a measuring cup if sticky).
- Spread the brown sugar cinnamon filling evenly over the base layer.
- Place remaining dough on top and gently spread to cover (use oiled hands for easier handling).
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until the center is set (use a toothpick to check).
- Let bars cool in the pan for about 40 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add 1–2 teaspoons water if needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Spread icing over completely cooled bars.
- Let sit for about 15 minutes until icing sets slightly.
- Lift out using parchment paper and cut into bars.
Notes
- Make sure bars are fully cooled before icing or it will melt too much.
- If dough is sticky, lightly oil your hands or use the bottom of a greased measuring cup to press it evenly.
- For extra gooey bars, slightly underbake by a minute or two.
- Icing can be adjusted thinner with small amounts of water.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
