Go Back
–+ servings
Sugar and Soul Logo

Cinnamon Roll Shortbread Bars


Course Dessert
Cuisine British
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Cooling/Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 24 cookies
Close up of a stack of three cinnamon roll cookie bars on a table.
Irresistible Cinnamon Roll Shortbread Bars combine your favorite breakfast treat with a classic dessert into one delightful creation! Experience the perfect harmony of a warm cinnamon swirl nestled in a rich, buttery shortbread. Topped with a sweet drizzle of vanilla icing, these bars offer a mouthwatering twist on classic shortbread that you won’t want to miss!

Ingredients  

Shortbread

Filling

Icing

Instructions

  • Line a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream together 2 cups salted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, and ½ teaspoon salt for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl about halfway through.
    Butter and sugar creamed together in a glass bowl.
  • In a separate, large mixing bowl, whisk together 5 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon salt.
    A bowl of dry ingredients being whisked to make cookies.
  • Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 parts, mixing between each addition just until incorporated. The dough will be mixed but slightly crumbly.
    Dry ingredients being added to wet ingredients in a bowl.
  • Transfer about ⅔ of the dough to the prepared baking pan and press it evenly into the bottom of the pan.
    Shortbread dough being spread in the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together 1¼ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup salted butter, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract , and ¼ teaspoon salt until fully combined.
    Ingredients to make cinnamon roll filling in a glass bowl.
  • Spread the cinnamon roll filling mixture out over the top of the shortbread dough, but don't spread it all the way to the edge; leave a border of about ¼ inch.
    Cinnamon filling being spread over cookie dough in a pan.
  • Top with the remaining shortbread dough and gently press to cover; some gaps are perfectly fine!
    A woman's hand adding dough to shortbread cookie bars with cinnamon filling.
  • Chill the shortbread in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
    Unbaked shortbread bars ready to chill in the refrigerator.
  • With 15 minutes left of chilling, preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • After chilling, bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the tops and edges of the shortbread should be just turning golden brown.
    Cinnamon roll shortbread bars in a pan.
  • Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.
  • Let the shortbread cool completely before lifting it out of the pan. Then use a sharp knife to cut the shortbread into squares.
    Shortbread bars with cinnamon filling sliced on a table.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1and 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste to create the icing.
    Vanilla icing in a white bowl.
  • Drizzle the icing over the sliced shortbread bars and let set.
    Cinnamon roll shortbread bars on a table.

Notes

  • We tested this recipe with unsalted butter and salted butter and preferred salted. If using unsalted, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe. 
  • I highly recommend using grass-fed butter such as Kirkland, Kerrygold, or Finlandia.

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 617IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/cinnamon-roll-shortbread-bars/