Pop Tart Cookies

Pop tart cookies have that nostalgic flavor you love, but in cookie form! This easy recipe is a brown sugar cookie stuffed with a brown sugar cinnamon filling and frosted with a simple vanilla icing.

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Frosted brown sugar cinnamon pop tart cookies. In my opinion, it's really the best flavor of pop tarts! Now you can enjoy this nostalgic flavor in cookie form. A soft, buttery brown sugar cookie with a filling of brown sugar and cinnamon.

This easy recipe is similar to my popular sprinkle cookies and chocolate sprinkle cookies in that the cookie dough is made without a mixer. A food processor makes the quick sugar cookie dough.

why you will love this brown sugar cookie

• Pop tart flavor in a bakery style cookie.
• The cookies bake up large, thick and chewy.
• The cookie dough uses cold ingredients.
• A food processor does all the hard work.

ingredients needed for these pop tart cookies

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

• All-purpose flour ~ gives the pop tart cookies their stability. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method.
• Kosher salt ~ helps balance the sweetness of the cookies. If you only have table salt, start with half the amount.
• Baking soda ~ helps the cookies to bake up nice and thick.
• Unsalted butter ~ use cold butter and cut it into small cubes.
• Cream cheese ~ use cold block cream cheese and also cut it into small cubes.
• Brown sugar ~ for the wonderful brown sugar flavor! I like dark brown sugar best, but light brown sugar will also work here.
• Confectioners' sugar ~ adds softness to the finished cookies.
• Egg ~ helps to bind the cookie dough together. You need one large egg.
• Vanilla ~ I always like pure vanilla extract best, but use what you have. I love this vanilla.
• Cinnamon sugar filling ~ a mixture of brown sugar, all-purpose flour and cinnamon.
• Vanilla frosting {not shown} ~ a mixture of confectioners' sugar, vanilla and milk. If you are not a frosting person these cookies are perfectly delicious without frosting too!
• Coarse sugar ~ to give the finished cookies that iconic pop tart look. I use a Demerara sugar.

how to make these stuffed cookies

To start, place flour, baking soda and salt in the bowl of your food processor {this is the updated version of my 24+ year old Cuisinart}.  Pulse a few times to blend.

Add the COLD butter cubes and COLD cream cheese as well as the brown and confectioners’ sugars to the flour mixture.  Pulse until the mixture becomes sandy in texture.

Add the egg and vanilla and blend until the dough comes together. Chill the dough for 1-2 hours.  {I just chill it in the food processor bowl and don't cover it.}

I have baked these cookies successfully without chilling the dough. If you want to go this route, just be prepared for the dough to be really sticky and have some patience while you stuff and seal the cookie back up.

While the dough is chilling, mix the filling by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon and flour in a small bowl.

Then preheat oven to 375°F and prepare baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. 

Roll the dough into ¼ cup size balls {I use a size 16 scoop} and then use your {clean} thumb to press a wide indent into the dough.  Add 2-3 teaspoons of the brown sugar cinnamon filling to the indent, pressing it down into the hole you created.  The dough can be a little bit sticky and tricky to work with, especially if you choose not to chill it.

Then use your fingers to seal the cookie dough around the filling.

Please do not be tempted to stuff the pop tart cookies with extra filling as it makes it hard to close the cookie up.

Now place the cookie on the prepared baking pan, spacing 1-2 inches apart.

Use your fingers to lightly flatten the cookies to about ¼ inch tall. If you need to, sprinkle a tiny bit of the filling on top of the cookie to make it less sticky while you press it down. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set.

frosted pop tart cookies

While the cookies are cooling, make the vanilla frosting. 

Mix the confectioners’ sugar with vanilla and milk until a thick glaze forms.  You may need to add up to 1 additional tablespoon milk to get the icing thin enough to drizzle and spread over the top of each cookie.  Immediately sprinkle with coarse sugar.

The vanilla frosting glaze makes just enough for a thin layer on each cookie. The cookies are a sweet cookie with the brown sugar and cinnamon filling and the icing. If you tend to like extra icing, go ahead and double the icing recipe.

can I use other flavors for the filling?

Yes!! I actually tested the first batch with raspberry jam {my family's favorite jam flavor}. But we all agree that brown sugar cinnamon is the best flavor of pop tart, so that beat jam in the middle! Some other popular pop tart flavors that would be delicious ~

• Strawberry
• Cherry {if you want homemade pop tarts try this recipe}
• Blueberry
• Cookies and cream ~ I would smash Oreo cookies to crumbs and use them in place of the brown sugar cinnamon filling.

can I make the cookies smaller?

Yes! You can use a two tablespoon cookie scoop and create 20 smaller cookies. Instead of using a tablespoon to make the indent, use a teaspoon and reduce the filling amount in half. The bake time should be similar, but I would check them at the ten minute mark.

how to store

The pop tart cookies will stay fresh covered in an air tight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. 

They also freeze well for up to 3 months; let the cookies and frosting cool and set completely before putting in an air tight container and freezing.

Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Pop Tart Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

more classic cookie recipes

• Buttercream Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Chippers
• Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Soft and Thick Snickerdoodle Cookies

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!