Tiramisu blondies are a must-try at your next gathering! They’re quicker to make than a traditional tiramisu because they only need to chill for 30 minutes, and the recipe yields a generous 24 servings. It’s perfect for a crowd!
You’ll love the chewy espresso blondies loaded with chocolate chips and just a hint of spiced rum for that signature tiramisu flavor. The rich mascarpone frosting comes together quickly, and a nice dusting of cocoa powder gives the perfect finishing touch. For more dessert bar recipes, try my snickerdoodle bars, turtle brownies, and sugar cookie bars.
The Best Of Two Delicious Desserts
Tiramisu blondies are a mashup of blondies and tiramisu! A chewy blondie base is flavored with coffee and a splash of rum and studded with chocolate chips. Once baked, they get topped with a velvety mascarpone frosting that emulates the creamy custard layer of a classic tiramisu. The flavors are rounded out perfectly with a generous dusting of cocoa powder on top, just like the finishing touch on the iconic Italian dessert.
For another play on this dessert classic, try my tiramisu cookies!
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Flour — all-purpose flour is all you need for the chewy base.
Espresso powder — for the signature coffee flavor of tiramisu, you’ll need instant espresso powder.
Cornstarch — cornstarch is a must for the most tender tiramisu blondies.
Leavening — baking soda helps the batter rise and create a texture that isn’t too dense.
Sugar — you need both light brown sugar and granulated sugar to add sweetness and chewiness. The brown sugar will also add a subtle molasses note that pairs so well with the coffee flavor.
Butter and salt — I always like to use unsalted butter and then add salt so the dessert bars don’t turn out too salty. The amount of salt in salted butter can vary by brand and throw off the balance of flavors in baked goods.
Eggs — eggs help to bind the dough.
Rum — spiced rum adds warmth to the blondie base. See the FAQ section for alternatives!
Vanilla — I recommend using a good quality vanilla extract instead of vanilla flavoring, as the latter can be synthetically flavored.
Chocolate chips — dark chocolate chips play very well with the deeper flavors of rum, espresso, and cocoa powder in this recipe. You can switch them for your preferred type of chocolate if you don’t love dark chocolate.
Mascarpone frosting — for the velvety frosting, you need mascarpone cheese, butter, salt, confectioners’ sugar, spiced rum, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder.
How To Make Tiramisu Blondies
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for the moment.
2. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, spiced rum, and vanilla extract.
3. Whisk until the wet ingredients are well combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir with a silicone spatula until almost combined.
5. Then add the chocolate chips and stir until they are well distributed.
6. Butter or spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray, then line it with parchment paper. Transfer the tiramisu blondie dough to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 32 minutes, or until the edges are set and golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cookie bars cool completely in the pan.
7. While the bars cool, make the mascarpone frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the mascarpone, butter, and salt together on medium speed for about 1 minute or until creamy. Add the spiced rum and vanilla, and sift in the powdered sugar. Beat on low speed just until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the frosting is light and fluffy. Spread the frosting in a thin, even layer over the top of the cooled blondies. Refrigerate the dessert bars for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days) to help the frosting set.
8. One hour before serving, dust the blondies liberally with cocoa powder. Slice and serve.
The Key To Chewy Tiramisu Blondies
The secret to chewy tiramisu blondies is to not over-bake them. Check them for set, golden brown edges around 30 minutes of bake time. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs. If it comes out clean, the tiramisu blondies will be drier, more crumbly, and likely more cakey than chewy.
Storing Leftovers
They keep nicely at room temperature for up to 24 hours in an airtight container. Because there is cheese in the frosting, I recommend storing the bars in the refrigerator for any amount of time longer than 1 day. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Let them sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Weigh the flour. The best way to measure flour is with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level off the top.
- Use room temperature eggs as they are easier to incorporate. Set the eggs out on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour before you start working on this recipe.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. This will over-develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tough tiramisu blondies.
- Use a metal pan instead of glass. Since glass heats up differently to metal, you may end up with overcooked edges and an undercooked middle, or you won’t achieve a golden edge on the coffee-blondie base.
- Line the baking dish with parchment paper. Not only does this prevent sticking, but leaving a parchment paper overhang will make it really easy to remove the unfrosted blondies from the pan.
- Let the dessert bars cool completely before frosting. If they’re still warm, the frosting will melt and won’t keep its fluffy, whipped consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can swap the mascarpone for cream cheese, but keep in mind that cream cheese is a tangier, more flavorful cheese than mascarpone (which is very mild). You may want to add a bit more sugar to balance the flavor.
Yes, bake the dessert bar base, cover it with plastic wrap once cooled, and keep it at room temperature for up to 24 hours before frosting. Or feel free to completely assemble them (minus the cocoa powder dusting) and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving. Dust liberally with cocoa powder an hour before you slice and serve the tiramisu blondies.
No, you can use a different liquor like bourbon or brandy or a liqueur like Kahlua. Alcohol-free swaps include brewed coffee, cold brew, or milk.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this tiramisu blondies recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Tiramisu Blondies Recipe
Equipment
- 9×13-inch pan
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or handheld electric mixer
Ingredients
For the Espresso Blondies:
- 3¼ cups all-purpose flour (390g)
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups packed light brown sugar (275g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly (226g)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon spiced rum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (160g)
For the Mascarpone Frosting:
- ¾ cup mascarpone cheese (170g)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened (56g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar (180g)
- 1 tablespoon spiced rum
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder for sprinkling
Instructions
For the Blondies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray, then line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, spiced rum, and vanilla. Whisk together until the mixture is thick and well combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir with a silicone spatula until almost combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir until they are well distributed.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake for 30 to 32 minutes or until the edges are set and golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cookie bars cool completely in the pan.
For the Mascarpone Frosting:
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl, using a handheld mixer), cream the mascarpone, butter and salt together on medium speed for about 1 minute or until creamy.
- Add the spiced rum, and vanilla and sift in the confectioners’ sugar. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, just until combined.
- Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting in a thin, even layer over top of the cooled blondies. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days) to help the frosting set.
- One hour before serving, dust the blondies all over with cocoa powder. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Weigh the flour. The best way to measure flour is with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level off the top.
- Use room temperature eggs as they are easier to incorporate. Set the eggs out on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour before you start working on this recipe.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. This will over-develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tough tiramisu blondies.
- Use a metal pan instead of glass. Since glass heats up differently to metal, you may end up with overcooked edges and an undercooked middle, or you won’t achieve a golden edge on the coffee-blondie base.
- Line the baking dish with parchment paper. Not only does this prevent sticking, but leaving a parchment paper overhang will make it really easy to remove the unfrosted blondies from the pan.
- Let the dessert bars cool completely before frosting. If they’re still warm, the frosting will melt and won’t keep its fluffy, whipped consistency.
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