Chewy Cinnamon Roll Bars

The next time that you find yourself craving cinnamon rolls, but not craving the time, energy, and effort that it takes to make the from scratch, make these Chewy Cinnamon Roll Bars instead! These quick-and-easy, gluten-free bars are light, chewy, and topped with a delicious icing, giving them all of the flavor of a traditional cinnamon roll, without the hassle.

Friends, have you ever found yourself craving cinnamon rolls, but not wanting to put in the effort to make them from scratch? As much as I love recipes like my Best Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls or my Real Deal Vegan Cinnamon Rolls, I’ll be the first to admit that making these recipes is an absolute labor of love. They take a significant amount of time to prep, need to proof overnight, and then need time to bake and cool before frosting. That being said, they ARE totally worth it — after all, there’s nothing quite like biting into a light, fluffy, homemade cinnamon roll. And, store-bought cinnamon rolls just don’t hit the same, not even Cinnabon, and I don’t care what anyone says!

But on the days where I am absolutely craving a cinnamon roll, but don’t have the time, energy, or effort to spend on making them from scratch, I love to whip up a batch of these Chewy Cinnamon Roll Bars. These bars are chewy, sweet, and absolutely delicious, and taste just like a homemade cinnamon roll… but made much easier. In fact, they come together with just a few easy pantry staples, an egg, and a few minutes of prep, which makes them the perfect sweet treat to whip up in a pinch. Oh, and unlike traditional cinnamon rolls that are often loaded with sugar (which, don’t get me wrong, is NOT a bad thing… but if you’re on a fitness journey or are trying to watch your health, this can be hard on you!) these Chewy Cinnamon Roll Bars are free from refined sugars, and are only sweetened with a combination of coconut sugar, maple syrup, and powdered monk fruit sweetener, making them a sweet but healthier twist on the cinnamon rolls you know and love!

What You Need to Make These Cinnamon Roll Bars

• Almond Flour & Coconut Flour: The blend of almond flour and coconut flour makes for the perfect texture for these bars, while also keeping them gluten-free! I do not recommend substituting out these flours, as this recipe has not been tested with any other flour blend.
• Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar is sweet, without the refined sugars, which makes it perfect for pairing alongside the maple syrup and adding to this recipe.
• Kosher Salt: Kosher salt helps to balance out the flavor of these bars and give them that nice sweet and salty finish. Don’t skip it!
• Maple Syrup: A touch of maple syrup ensures that these bars turn out sweet without the refined sugars!
• Coconut Oil: I recommend using refined coconut oil, so that these bars don’t take on a strong coconut flavor. You can use unrefined, but be warned that it will make the bars taste slightly like coconut!
• Vanilla Extract: Of course, vanilla extract is essential to any baked goods recipe, especially with these bars!
• Egg: The key to getting these bars the right consistency is to make sure that the egg is room temperature. This is super important!
• Almond Butter: Almond butter is smooth and creamy, and makes for a delicious base for the filling to come together!
• Cinnamon: A pinch of cinnamon adds the perfect flavor to these bars.
• Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener: While you can use traditional powdered sugar to create the creamy glaze that tops these bars (and makes them taste like a true cinnamon roll), I like using powdered monk fruit sweetener for the same sweetness, without the refined sugars.

How to Make These Easy Gluten-Free Bars

To make these bars, start by preheating your oven to 325 F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and set it aside.

Next, prepare the base of the bars. Add all of the dry ingredients (the almond flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, and sea salt) to a large bowl. Mix to combine. Then, add in the wet ingredients— the maple syrup, cooled coconut oil, vanilla extract, and egg. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, until they’re fully incorporated and no lumps remain. Then, add half of the batter to the lined baking pan.

Use a spatula to smooth the batter down into an even layer, then set it aside. Next, prepare the filling. Add the almond butter, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla extract to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Then, spread the mixture on top of the base in the pan, using a spatula to ensure it is an even layer.

Transfer the baking dish into the oven and allow it to bake for 25-26 minutes.Spoon remaining the dough mixture on top in dollops and use a spatula to spread it out into an even layer, on top of the filling.

Once it’s done, remove the dish from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely.

While the bars are cooling, prepare the glaze. Add powdered monk fruit sweetener (or powdered sugar), maple syrup, and cinnamon to a bowl and whisk until the glaze is completely smooth and no clumps of sugar remain. If you need to thin the glaze, add in water, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.

Finally, pour the glaze on top of the cooled bars. Then, slice the bars into even squares.
Serve the bars and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to one week.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim