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–+ servings
stack of cinnamon gooey butter bars

Gooey Cinnamon Squares

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Half gooey butter cake and half snickerdoodle cookie, these squares are irresistible.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cool Time 1 hour
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 24 squares
Calories 213
Author Annalise Sandberg

Ingredients

Cookie base:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature (113 grams)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup whole or 2% milk (60 ml)
  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (188 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Gooey layer:

  • ¼ cup light corn syrup (60 ml)
  • ¼ cup whole milk (60 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature (170 grams)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)

Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

To make the cookie base:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium high speed until pale and creamy.
  • Add the egg, mixing until incorporated, and scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk, and mix just until combined. Spread batter into the bottom of the prepared baking pan (Mixture will be thick. Dollop spoonfuls of batter evenly into the pan, then use a spatula to spread batter to the edges).

To make the gooey layer:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the corn syrup, milk, and vanilla.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium high speed until pale and creamy.
  • Add the egg, mixing until incorporated, scraping the bowl down as needed. Add the flour and salt in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Spread the batter evenly over the cookie base in the baking dish (Use the dollop-and-spread method here too for easiest spreading).

To make the topping:

  • In a small bowl, combine the sugar and ground cinnamon to make the topping. Sprinkle evenly over the batter. Bake until top is golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Let bars cool completely to room temperature (the gooey layer won't set until the squares have cooled completely).
  • Let cool, then slice into 2-inch squares. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Notes

Recipe adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.

Nutrition

Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg