Buttery, chewy, and filled with strawberry jam, this dessert combines the nostalgia of
Pop-Tarts and the classic comfort of blondies in one adorable bar cookie. The bite-size treats are great for breakfast or brunch, but also make a fun party dessert— plus they’re easy to pull together. Here’s what you need to know:
How to make the best Pop-Tart blondies:
—Layer it right. To get the Pop-Tart effect, you spread half of the blondie batter in the pan, top it with jam, then add the rest of the batter. The slippery jam can make spreading the batter a little challenging, but we’ve got a trick: Dollop spoonfuls of batter on top of the jam, then use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently bring those dollops together, trapping the jam in the middle of the bars. If a little jam gets mixed into the batter, don’t worry. It’ll still be delicious, plus it’s all going to be covered with frosting, so nobody will know. 😉
—Choose your jam. We went with strawberry jam here, for a classic Pop-Tart vibe, but feel free to use whatever jam or jelly you have in the fridge.
—Chill out. To make sure the glaze looks its best, let the blondies cool completely before frosting them.
—Use the right tools. A chef’s knife will work just fine for cutting these bars, but a serrated knife will give you a cleaner cut.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/4 c.(270 g.) packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 c.(1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 c.(50 g.) granulated sugar
- 2large eggs
- 2 tsp.pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp.kosher salt
- 2 c.(240 g.) all-purpose flour
- 1 c.strawberry jam
- 1 c.(115 g.) powdered sugar
- 1to 2 tbsp. whole milk
- Sprinkles, for decorating
Directions
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- Step 1
Preheat oven to 350º. Grease an 8″-by-8″ baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment, leaving an overhang on 2 opposite sides.
- Step 2In a large bowl, whisk brown sugar, butter, and granulated sugar until well combined. Whisk in eggs, vanilla, and salt to blend. Stir in flour until just combined.
- Step 3Spread 1 1/2 cups batter in bottom of prepared pan. Top with dollops of jam, then gently spread jam over batter with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Step 4Dollop remaining batter over jam. Using offset spatula or the back of a spoon, gently smooth batter in an even layer, being careful not to disturb jam layer. (The goal is to trap the jam in the middle, like a Pop-Tart.)
- Step 5Bake blondies, tenting with foil if darkening too quickly, until golden around the edges and a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in pan 15 minutes, then lift out of pan using parchment overhang and transfer blondies to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
- Step 6In a medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk until smooth, adding more milk by the 1/2 teaspoonful until glaze is thick yet pourable.
- Step 7Pour glaze over cooled blondies and spread with offset spatula. Top with sprinkles. Let glaze rest until set, about 1 hour.
- Step 1