Brown Sugar Pop-Tart Cookies are soft brown sugar cookies filled with a cinnamon-sugar center and topped with a sweet cinnamon glaze.
author’s note
The Pop-Tart Cookie Mashup You Didn’t Know You Needed!
My oldest is absolutely obsessed with brown sugar Pop-Tarts. If he could, he’d eat one every morning. Honestly, I’ve never really understood the obsession. I don’t think I’ve ever craved one myself. But I had this idea: what if I turned his favorite store-bought treat into something homemade that everyone would also love?
That’s how these Brown Sugar Pop-Tart Cookies were born. Soft brown sugar cookie dough with a gooey cinnamon filling, finished with a sweet glaze that tastes just like the Pop-Tart version. These cookies quickly became a family favorite, and now they disappear as fast as I can bake them.
If you’re into chipless cookies like Brown Sugar Cookies or Snickerdoodles, this one is going to be right up your alley.
Ingredients
Many of the ingredients are shared between the cookie, filling, and glaze in these Brown Sugar 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 Brown Sugar 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.
Brown Sugar Pop-Tart Cookies Tips
- Chill the Dough: Prevents spreading and improves texture and flavor.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix only until no dry streaks remain to avoid tough cookies.
- Slightly Underbake: Pull out when just set for softer, chewier cookies.
- Room Temp Butter: Let butter cool before mixing with sugars to prevent greasiness.
- Re-chill Before Baking: Helps formed cookies keep their shape.
Storage
Room Temp: Store brown sugar pop-tart cookies 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:
Desserts
Cake Mix Cookies
Desserts
Lemon Cookies
Cookies
No Bake Cookies Recipe
Desserts
Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies
Brown Sugar Pop-Tart Cookies
Video
Equipment
- Sheet pan (15" x 10") plus silicone liner
Ingredients
- 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
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon flour
- pinch salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 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.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The best cookies!!
A little bit of work to make but so worth it!
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Beth!