Soft and chewy gingerbread blondies are swirled with a citrusy, smooth cream cheese filling. Full of holiday spice, these blondies are a great dessert option for a last minute addition to your holiday menu.

Gingerbread Blondies with Meyer Lemon Cream Cheese Swirl | The Suburban Soapbox


Gingerbread Blondies

I should be wrapping gifts. I’ve procrastinated all day  all month long. I have a pile stacked to the ceiling in the closet in my basement and I just can’t seem to get my butt to do it. Plus, I have this recipe for Gingerbread Blondies I have to share with all of you. Because I know some of you are procrastinating too.

If you’re reading this post…you’re looking for something. Right? Do you have some holes in your holiday menu? Are you looking for something yummy and easy to add to your spread? If so, you’re in the right place.

Blondies are the Outkast of the brownie world. Everyone raves about a rich chocolate-y brownie but rarely ever do you hear someone craving blondies. Things are about to change when you take a bite of these buttery, lightly spiced blondies.

They’re swirled with a lemon-y cheesecake filling that’s equally amazing and that’s why it pairs so brilliantly with the flavor of gingerbread.

Gingerbread Blondies with Meyer Lemon Cream Cheese Swirl | The Suburban Soapbox

What Are Blondies

Blondies are brownies without the chocolate. Also known as blonde brownies, they’re made without cocoa powder giving them a lighter vanilla flavor.

These Gingerbread Blondies with Meyer Lemon Cream Cheese Swirl are made the same way but are spiced with the classic gingerbread flavors. They’re soft and slightly chewy, a little fluffier than a fudge brownie but just as knee-buckling delicious.

The cream cheese swirl is like a cheesecake…kinda…baked right into the top of the blondie. And the hint of citrus is just divine. The perfect balance of sweet and tart.

Gingerbread Blondies with Meyer Lemon Cream Cheese Swirl | The Suburban Soapbox

What are Meyer Lemons

If you’re not familiar with Meyer Lemons…let me fill you in. If you can find them easily, like I can, they are an amazing way to get rid of some of the pucker a traditional lemon might cause. A little more clementine than lemon…..think of the flavor if it was right in between the two.

Still slightly tart but with a little hit of sweet. I love to use these in my recipes during the winter months. If you don’t have or can’t find Meyer Lemons….feel free to use a regular lemon with an extra 1/4 teaspoon of sugar to the cream cheese filling.

Gingerbread Blondies with Meyer Lemon Cream Cheese Swirl | The Suburban Soapbox

These Blondies take no time at all to make and make a perfect light dessert or an excellent addition to your cookie tray. And if you’re looking for something to give to your loved ones as gifts they would be great in a tin with my Chocolate Covered Pretzel Toffee,  also super easy and ready in minutes.

Are you ready? Have I helped you out of a last minute menu crisis? I hope I did….if not, let’s just pour ourselves a glass of wine and toast the holiday season. Take it in and live in the moment. Cheers!

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Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Blondies with Meyer Lemon Cream Cheese Swirl

A family favorite, Gingerbread Blondies are super simple to make and great for your holiday cookie tray!
5 from 2 votes

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • juice and zest of one meyer lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 17-by-12-inch baking sheet with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment leaving a 1-inch overhang. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and brown and granulated sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolk, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla and molasses and then reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until combined.
  • Spread batter into prepared pan and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon zest, juice and vanilla until smooth. Fill a pastry bag without a tip, or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off, with the filling and pipe it onto the batter in ribbons lengthwise approximately 1 1/2 inches apart. Cut through the filling with a knife widthwise, alternating directions, to create the swirl.
  • Bake until edges are golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 2-inch squares.
Serving: 0g, Calories: 91kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 112mg, Potassium: 61mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 85IU, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 0.6mg