Frosted Brown Sugar Pop Tart Cookies
If you love brown sugar cinnamon Pop-Tarts, these cookies are such a fun homemade twist on the classic.
Soft, thick cookies are stuffed with a buttery cinnamon brown sugar filling and finished with a sweet cinnamon glaze.
The surprise center is what really makes these cookies special. They're rich, cozy and full of brown sugar and cinnamon flavour — perfect with a cup of tea or a cold glass of milk.
Why You'll Love These Cookies:
These aren't your everyday sugar cookies. You get three delicious layers in every bite: a soft and thick cookie, a sweet cinnamon brown sugar center, and a buttery cinnamon glaze on top.
They're also a fun recipe when you want to bake something a little different. The familiar brown sugar and cinnamon flavour is inspired by the classic toaster pastry, but everything is made from scratch.
Ingredient Notes:
Cake flour: Cake flour helps give these cookies their soft, tender texture. For the best results, measure it carefully so you don't accidentally add too much flour.
Butter: Make sure the butter for the cookie dough is softened but still slightly cool to the touch. Butter that's too warm can cause the cookies to spread too much in the oven.
Brown sugar: Brown sugar is the star of this recipe. It's used in both the cookie dough and the filling and gives the cookies their rich caramel-like sweetness.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon is used in both the filling and glaze, giving every part of the cookie that classic brown sugar cinnamon flavour.
Tips for the Best Brown Sugar Pop-Tart Cookies:
Don't skip chilling the dough. Chilling the cookie dough for an hour makes it easier to work with and helps the cookies hold their thick shape while baking.
Seal the filling completely. Once you've placed the brown sugar filling in the center, pinch the cookie dough together carefully so there aren't any openings where the filling can escape.
Don't overbake them. Take the cookies out when the tops are set and the edges are just beginning to turn golden. They'll continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.
Cool before glazing. Let the cookies cool completely before adding the cinnamon glaze so it stays thick and sets nicely on top instead of melting into the cookie.
Make Ahead & Storage
Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can also freeze the baked cookies before glazing them. Once completely cool, freeze them until firm and transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and add the glaze before serving.
The stuffed cookie dough can also be frozen before baking. Shape and fill the cookies, freeze the dough balls until solid, and then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time if needed.
Recipe:
Servings: 16 cookies
Chill Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 11–13 minutes
Oven Temperature: 350°F
Ingredients:
Cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (if you only have salted butter, that’s fine just omit adding salt)
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3¾ cups cake flour or regular flour works as well
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cake flour
Cinnamon Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2½ tablespoons milk
Instructions:
Add the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes, until creamy.
Add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating for another 1–2 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on medium speed just until everything comes together, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
To make the filling, stir together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cake flour until smooth. Scoop out heaping teaspoons of filling, approximately 2 teaspoons each, and roll them into small balls.
Scoop approximately ¼ cup of chilled cookie dough for each cookie. Divide the portion of dough in half and make a small well in one half. Place a ball of brown sugar filling into the center.
Place the remaining half of cookie dough over the filling. Pinch the seams closed, then gently roll the dough into a ball so the filling is completely sealed inside.
Arrange the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving approximately 2 inches between each cookie.
Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until the tops are set and the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cookies cool, make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, melted butter and milk until smooth.
Place parchment paper underneath the cooling rack to catch any drips. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cookies, allowing it to spread toward the edges.
Let the glaze set for approximately 15 minutes before serving.
Notes:
Butter temperature: The butter should be softened but still feel slightly cool rather than warm or overly soft. Butter that is too warm can cause the cookies to spread more during baking.
Chilling the dough: If you refrigerate the dough for longer than 1 hour, allow it to sit at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes before shaping so it's easier to work with.
Storage: Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Freezing baked cookies: For best results, freeze the cookies before adding the glaze. Once frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and glaze before serving.
Freezing cookie dough: Shape and fill the cookie dough balls, then freeze them on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding approximately 1–2 minutes to the baking time if needed.
