Fireplace Treat Cinnamon Drift (Print Version)

Gooey cinnamon-spiced chocolate chip bars with a comforting, warm flavor and rich texture.

# List of Ingredients:

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour

02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda

03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

04 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

06 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed

07 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar

08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature

09 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

10 - 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

11 - 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

12 - Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.

02 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside.

03 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly.

04 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined, avoiding overmixing.

05 - Fold in chocolate chips and nuts, if using, ensuring even distribution.

06 - Evenly spread dough into prepared pan and sprinkle flaky sea salt on top if desired.

07 - Bake 23 to 27 minutes until edges are golden and center is set but still slightly soft for a gooey texture.

08 - Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 20 minutes before lifting out and slicing into 12 bars.

01 -

They're gooey in the center where it counts, with crispy-edged goodness that's almost impossible to achieve elsewhere.
The cinnamon is the secret hero that makes people pause mid-bite and ask what you did differently.
Twenty-five minutes of baking means you can actually smell them while they're happening, which is half the joy.

02 -

The underbaking is not a mistake—that gooey center is the whole point, and overbaking will give you the kind of bar that's technically correct but emotionally disappointing.
Room-temperature eggs matter more than you think because cold eggs won't incorporate smoothly into the wet mixture, and you'll end up with a slightly grainy batter that bakes unevenly.
Using melted butter instead of softened butter changes the entire structure for the better—melted means they spread slightly and get crispy edges while staying tender inside.

03 -

The parchment paper overhang is genuinely useful—grab it and lift the whole block out of the pan, then slice on a cutting board for clean, professional-looking bars.
Slightly underbaked is not a mistake; it's the difference between a bar that's dry and forgettable and one that people think about for weeks.