I love cinnamon so much that I usually at least double the amount called for in most recipes.
And all that cinnamon is just perfect with white chocolate.
If you’re a cinnamon aficionado, you’re going to love these easy, no-mixer bars that are ready in 30 minutes.
They’re extra soft, tender, supple, and packed with cinnamon flavor.
There’s one full tablespoon of cinnamon stirred into the easy no-mixer-required batter, along with over a cup of cinnamon chips added to the batter.
After baking and spreading a layer of melted white chocolate on top, I sprinkled it with more cinnamon chips. The more, the merrier.
Even though that sounds like a ton of cinnamon, and it is, although the cinnamon flavor is bold and robust, it’s not overwhelming. However, if you’re not as much of a cinnamon lover, I suggest decreasing the amount of cinnamon added to the batter, to taste.
The bars are made exclusively with brown sugar, no granulated, and the brown sugar caramelizes while baking, adding caramely undertones amidst the dominant cinnamon.
If there’s something I enjoy as much as cinnamon, it’s white chocolate. It’s not technically chocolate, but it’s technically good.
I love to make Cinnamon Chip and White Chocolate Peanut Butter, combine the two into one drippy, smooth spread. Talk about a hide-the-spoons situation.
White chocolate is notoriously hard to melt and scorches easily and I recommend either Candy Melts or Dips (what I used), Vanilla Candiquik, or a good quality White Chocolate Bar.
White chocolate chips are the worst because of the stabilizers in them. You don’t want the white chocolate chips in your cookies melting into puddles, so chips have stabilizers added to resist melting, the opposite of what you want here.
Which is a nice, smooth, flat layer that’s perfect for sprinkling on all those cinnamon chips. They add a bit of texture to the otherwise buttery soft, very moist, rich, and dense bars.
If you’re not a white chocolate fan, you can omit it or use regular chocolate. However, the more delicate flavor of white chocolate, coupled with the bright pop of sweetness it lends, makes it a perfect complement to the spicier cinnamon and cinnamon chips.
Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, molasses, pumpkin. I love all the flavors of fall even though I don’t love that the weather is going to be getting cooler. I wish the weather stayed in the 80s year round.
But I’m a pushover for melt-in-your-mouth soft bars and can get behind these fall-flavored little numbers.
Very happily.
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White Chocolate-Topped Cinnamon Chip Cinnamon Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon, or to taste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- one 10-ounce bag cinnamon chips
- 8 ounces White Candy Melts, Vanilla Candiquik, or White Chocolate Bar, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
- Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
- Stir in 1 1/4 cups cinnamon chips.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until done. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow bars to cool in pan while you melt the white chocolate topping.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate according to package directions. I melt it in short bursts of about 15 seconds each, stirring after each burst. To melt 8 ounces takes about 1 minute in my microwave. Don’t overcook the chocolate, noting that white chocolate scorches and will seize up very easily. If that happens, there’s no way to save it and you have to discard and start over.
- Smooth the white chocolate over the bars in an even flat layer.
- Sprinkle with 1/3 cup cinnamon chips or whatever remains in bag.
- Allow white chocolate layer to set up fully before slicing and serving. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Thanks for the entries in the Fall Cooking Giveaway for KitchenAid Stand Mixer, 10-Piece Cookware Set and More! Giveaway
Are you a cinnamon fanatic? White chocolate?
Oh my gosh the additional cinnamon chips on top are so cute!
These and your apple cinnamon crockpot recipe would be perfect together :)
I LOVE cinnamon, and I always crave it in the fall. I love that there are overloaded with cinnamon chips, and the combination of cinnamon, brown sugar, and white chocolate sounds like heaven!
They were heaven for me :)
Wow these look really really good! I love the idea of using cinnamon chips. They would be great for breakfast or lunch or dinner. I am having a pumpkin spice latte right now and these would be a perfect combo!
These bars are begging to be washed down with some coffee – especially a PSL!
I am totally digging these bars. I’m a big fan of cinnamon so the whole tbsp works for me. I swear the UK sucks when it come to chips. No butterscotch chips, no pb chips, no cinnamon chips! Boooo Any alternative for cinnamon chips that would make my bars look as cool as these ?
No butterscotch chips, no pb chips, no cinnamon chips = that is harsh!
I wrote in the headnotes of the recipe card that no, really – there are no substitutions for the cinn chips in this recipe. I’d order them on Amazon or take a trip and stuff your suitcase full! Sorry that there’s really no way around them in this recipe. They ARE the recipe in so many ways.
@Rochelle…I have a similar dilemma…but I was thinking…perhaps here across the pond we could somehow make a “chip” substitute with Biscoff/Speculoos paste?!…I think I saw a recipe for that somewhere in the foodie blogosphere!! You might try googling it!?…Alas…this is what I may have to attempt as well if I want to make Averie’s amazing cinnamon bar!..What are your thoughts Averie?…Do you think Biscoff/Speculoos paste COULD possibly work with some cinnamon added?
The reason I wrote in the recipe that there are really no substitutes for cinn chips is b/c…there really are no subs. I would just order them online if I were you! Or come on vacation and bring a big suitcase full home :)
You could start tinkering with specu/biscoff yes but you’d have be your own teacher and student and figure out what’s going to work for you, given your situation and ingredients, since I haven’t tested. Happy experimenting!
You totally had me at the white chocolate. I love cinnamon, but i don’t think I’ve ever seen cinnamon chips. I’m very intrigued.
They are incredible! Try them! Incredible!!
Gorgeous photos! The white int eh white chocolate frosting could not look better! Wow, yum! So much cinnamon flavor going on in these things. Amazing and so hard core. I love it! I need to do an amazon order full of cinnamon chips to stock up for the season since I have a hard time finding them in stores. Pinned!
I went for over a year in San Diego of not being able to find them. Then Albertson’s started carrying them and now I think both Von’s and Ralph’s do. Try all your stores again, espicially this time of year. Lots of stores will get them seasonally, right now! Also Target. And Walmart Ive heard (But I dont shop there). Or the Hershey’s website i linked is only 2.75/bag! Cheap!
As you know it can be a pain to photograph contrasts b/c the lighting/shadows/exposure can get wonky in a hurry but thankfully these weren’t too bad. Thanks for pinning, too!
You always remind me I need to pay more attention to white chocolate! These bars look totally addictive and the photos are GORG! XO
I looove white choc and have to remind myself not to (over)use it b/c not everyone is as much of a fan. Lol
I’ve never seen cinnamon chips, but I think I’d like them! Right now I’ve been loving butterscotch chips. They’re sooooo addicting!
If you like butterscotch chips, try to find cinn chips. They’re every bit as addicting as butterscotch and add so much flavor. You’ll love them!
Gosh, the abundance of cinnamon chips throughout these bars is calling to me! Man, do they look gooood!!!!!! I think I have about five bags of cinnamon chips in the pantry right now… They’re kind of my fave :)
That is awesome you have a massive stash on hand! I went for a year or so of not being able to find them locally so when I finally did, I bought like 10 bags. I’m down to about 3-4 bags now. Better restock :)
I am a cinnamon love through and through. My mom doesn’t like cinnamon at all and that makes me very sad! These bars look right up my alley–and I love how simple they come together. :)
Maybe you can twist her arm to love it more with one of these bars :)
Cinnamon is such a fabulous Fall spice. These bars are gorgeous!
These look so good with all the cinnamon chips and white chocolate! I have to comment again on the color contrast of these bars– I love seeing that in desserts (and with food in general–“we eat with our eyes first” holds true for me). I have been much more generous with my use of cinnamon (and ginger) over the past few years so a TBS of cinnamon in the bars sounds good to me!
I loved the contrast on these too. It can be a pain to photograph b/c the camera/lighting/shadows/exposure can get wonky in a hurry but thankfully these weren’t too bad. You love the robust cinn flavor in these!
I think we’ve discussed both being cinnamon freaks;) rarely do I see cinnamon in a recipe and not think I’ll want to double it, but this may be the exception, looks perfect!
I know – you *could* double it, but it would be hardcore. As written, it’s big and bold but still within the realm of acceptable. I think :)
Oh wow these sound delicious! I bet they make the house smell heavenly.
Yes all that cinnamon is just so good smelling!
These look perfect! I love cinnamon too so these would definitely go down a treat :)
Oh Averie! Amazing! Seriously. I love how it’s LOADED with cinnamon chips. I couldn’t find cinnamon chips anywhere in LA so I had to buy a huge batch on Amazon but they all expired! Looks like I’ll have to stock up again to make this!
I would still use them anyway…they’re sugar. And cinnamon. Two things that are very hard to go bad. Unless they’re fuzzy, I’d use them :)