These Pop-Tart Cookies take store-bought pastries to a whole new level! Soft brown sugar cookies are stuffed with a rich brown-sugar cinnamon filling and finished with a sweet cinnamon glaze.
Pop-Tart Cookies
My oldest is obsessed with brown sugar Pop-Tarts, but honestly, I don’t get the hype. I’m not a huge fan. These cookies, though, are a whole different story!
If you love chipless cookies like Brown Sugar Cookies or Snickerdoodles, this recipe might become your new favorite.
Ingredients
Many of the ingredients are shared between the cookie, filling, and glaze in these Pop-Tart Cookies. Here’s what we’re working with:
- Butter: Melted for a soft, rich cookie texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and a chewy texture.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and deeper flavor.
- Egg + Egg Yolk: The yolk makes cookies richer and chewier.
- Flour: Provides structure. Be sure to measure accurately — a food scale is so helpful!
- Salt: Balances sweetness and boosts flavor.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and stay soft.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warm, sweet spice and flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: Creates a smooth, thick glaze.
- Milk: Whole milk makes the glaze creamy and rich.
- Light Corn Syrup: Gives the glaze a glossy finish and a touch more sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances flavor in the glaze.
How To Make Pop-Tart Cookies
- Melt Butter: Melt and cool butter.
- Mix Dough: Add sugars, eggs, and dry ingredients. Chill for 1 hour.
- Make Filling: Mix filling and pipe small dollops. Freeze.
- Form Cookies: Wrap dough around frozen filling, roll in sugar, and chill.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a rack.
- Glaze: Whisk glaze and spoon over cooled cookies. Let set.
Pop-Tart Cookies Tips
- Chill the Dough: Chilling prevents spreading and gives the cookies a better texture and flavor.
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing can make the cookies tough. Mix just no dry streaks remain.
- Slightly Underbake: For softer, chewier cookies, take them out when they’re just set, but still slightly underbaked.
- Room Temperature Butter: Make sure the butter cools to room temperature before mixing in the sugars to avoid greasy cookies.
- Re-chill Before Baking: Chilling the formed cookies before baking helps them hold their shape.
Storage
Pop-Tart Cookies Leftovers
Room Temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freeze Dough: Freeze unbaked and unglazed cookie dough balls for 1 hour, then transfer to a bag for up to 3 months. Bake frozen, adding a few minutes. Glaze after cooling.
Number 1 Tip: A food scale ensures accuracy, especially for flour and sugar. Measuring by weight avoids common issues like dry or spread-out cookies. For perfect results, precision in baking is key!
More Fun Cookie Recipes:
- Crumbl Oreo Cookies with cream cheese frosting
- Cake Mix Cookies the easiest cookie recipe!
- Lemon Cookies with a simple glaze
- Fudge Stripe Cookies Recipe with a shortbread cookie base
- No Bake Cookies chocolate and peanut butter-flavored
Pop-Tart Cookies
Forget store-bought pastries—these Pop-Tart Cookies are on another level! Soft, chewy brown sugar cookies are loaded with a cinnamon-sugar filling and topped with a sweet cinnamon glaze.
Equipment
- Sheet pan plus silicone liner
Ingredients
Cookies
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar plus 1/2 cup for rolling cookies
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk discard or save whites
- 2-3/4 cups flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda sift if clumpy
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Filling
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon flour
- pinch salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Glaze
- 2-1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk whole preferred
- 1-1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Cookies
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Let it cool to room temperature. Make sure it’s not hot to avoid greasy cookies.
- Once the butter has cooled, add the granulated and brown sugars. Whisk well. Add the egg and egg yolk, whisking until emulsified and creamy.
- Add the remaining cookie ingredients and mix until there are no dry streaks. If needed, switch to electric hand mixers. Don’t overmix. Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Filling
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, add all the filling ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag or zip-top bag. Pipe about 1 teaspoon-sized dollops onto the prepared sheet pan. You should get around 25 dollops. Freeze until firm. If filling won't squeeze out of piping bag you may need to pop in the microwave and rewarm for 10 seconds.
Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a bowl. Measure out cookie dough balls (2 packed tablespoons or 40 grams each). Press a frozen filling puck into each dough ball and roll the dough around it, ensuring it's fully enclosed. Roll each ball in granulated sugar.
- Arrange 8 cookie balls on a silicone-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes until firm. Bake for 10-12 minutes, being careful not to overbake. Slightly underbaked is best.
- If any cookies have uneven edges after baking, immediatly press them inward with a metal spatula. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Allow them to fully cool before glazing.
Glaze
- In a large bowl, whisk together all the glaze ingredients until smooth. If too thin, add more powdered sugar until thick.
- Spoon the glaze over the cooled cookies. Use a toothpick to pop any air bubbles. Let the glaze set for about 20 minutes before serving.
Video
Recipe Notes
Sugar Tip: Make sure brown sugar is super soft and doesn’t have clumps.
Flour Measurement Tip: Accurate flour measurement is crucial. Too much flour can result in dry cookies, while too little can cause them to spread. Using a kitchen scale is recommended. Aim for 405 grams of flour for best results.
Storage: Freeze unbaked and unglazed cookie dough balls for 1 hour, then transfer to a bag for up to 3 months. Bake frozen, adding a few minutes. Glaze after cooling.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 2.2g | Fat: 10.2g | Cholesterol: 41.2mg | Sodium: 134.8mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 25.6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
