Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (can substitute with whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier flavor)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes (butter adds richness, but you can use margarine if needed)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream (for moisture and tenderness; Greek yogurt works as a substitute)
- For the cinnamon swirl:
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (or heavy cream for a richer glaze)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This is your dry base, which will give your bars a tender crumb.
- Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. When I taught my daughter to bake, showing her this step helped her feel like a real chef!
- In a separate large bowl, beat the sugar and egg together until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Then stir in the vanilla extract and sour cream until fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until combined. Don’t overmix here—this keeps the bars tender and soft.
- Press two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. This forms the base layer.
- For the cinnamon swirl, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a small bowl until it looks glossy and spreadable.
- Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough base. Then crumble the remaining dough over the top, creating a rustic, “blissful” look.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the bars cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to make the glaze. Drizzle generously over the bars once they’re cool but still slightly warm.
- Allow the glaze to set for about 15 minutes before slicing into squares. I find that letting them cool just enough makes cutting easier and keeps the bars from crumbling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International