Gooey Cinnamon Squares
Soft cookie base:
- 8 tablespoons (115 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 1½ cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
- ¼ cup (60 ml) light corn syrup, golden syrup, or honey
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 12 tablespoons (170 grams or 1½ sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225 grams) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 large egg
- 1¼ cups (155 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions:
The base is slightly more cake than cookie, the topping is a cross between a toasted marshmallow and cinnamon toast.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch cake pan with at least 2-inch sides with parchment paper and either butter the paper and sides of the pan or coat them with a nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the 8 tablespoons butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and the milk, and beat until combined, scraping down bowl and then beating for 10 seconds more. Beat in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Dollop cookie base over the bottom of the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer with a butter knife or offset spatula. Set pan aside.
- Whisk liquid sweetener, milk, and vanilla together in a small bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, scrape down sides of bowl, and mix for 10 seconds more. Add ⅓ of flour and mix, then ½ of vanilla mixture and mix. Repeat again, twice, until all of the flour has been mixed until just combined. Dollop over the cookie base and spread carefully with an offset spatula or butter knife.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a tiny dish and sprinkle it over the entire gooey layer. It will be thick but will come out of the oven almost like a crème brûlée lid, i.e., awesomely.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cookies have bronzed on top. The gooey layer will rise and fall in the oven but will still be a bit liquidy under the cinnamon crust when the squares are done. Let cool completely on a rack, then cut into 1-inch squares.