Each bite of these brown sugar pop tart cookies reveals a soft, cake-like texture with a gooey brown sugar-cinnamon filling. Top it with the classic pop tart icing for a throw back cookie that will remind you of your favorite childhood Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon pop tarts in the morning.
Love a cinnamon cookies? Try these coffee cake cookies or Taylor Swift chai cookies next.
These cookies are a cinnamon lover’s dream. The dough combines cake flour and cornstarch to achieve a soft, bakery-style texture. The rich brown sugar filling is JUST LIKE the classic brown sugar pop tart.
If you’ve ever made stuffed cookies like cheesecake cookies or brown butter caramel cookies, you know the joy of biting into a surprise filling. These cookies take that concept to the next level with their buttery brown sugar and cinnamon center.
Need another iced cookie? Try maple pecan cookies, soft gingerbread cookies, or Italian sprinkle cookies next.
Ingredients You Need
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make these pop tart cookies. Skip to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Unsalted butter: Softened for creaming with sugar and the brown sugar filling.
- Granulated and light brown sugar: Sweetens and adds caramel-like richness.
- Eggs: Provides structure and richness.
- Cake flour: Creates a tender texture; substitute all-purpose flour if needed.
- Cornstarch: Helps create a soft, bakery-style cookie.
- Cinnamon: Key for warm flavor in the filling and glaze.
- Powdered sugar: Creates a smooth, sweet drizzle.
- Milk: Thins the glaze to the perfect consistency.
Need another cookie recipe? Try chocolate chip pudding cookies, Christmas crack cookies, or peanut butter blossoms next.
How to Make Pop Tart Cookies
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make pop tart cookies. Skip to the recipe card for the printable version.
Step 1. Make the Dough. Cream butter and sugars, add wet ingredients, and mix in the dry. Chill for 1 hour.
Step 2. Prepare the Filling. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter; roll into small balls.
Step 3. Assemble Cookies. Encase filling in dough, seal, and roll into balls.
Step 4. Bake. Bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes, then cool.
Step 5. Add Glaze. Drizzle cinnamon glaze over cooled cookies and let them set.
Expert Tips
- Measure ingredients right: it’s best to weight the ingredients, but if you don’t, make sure to spoon and level the flour.
- Temperature of ingredients: room temp butter should sit out for 1-2 hours and still feel cool to the touch (60°F).
- Chill the dough: Keeps cookies from spreading and makes assembly easier.
- Seal the edges: Ensures the filling stays inside during baking.
- Don’t over bake: The cookies should be just set to stay soft and tender.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but the texture will be slightly less tender. You can also make homemade cake flour.
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Absolutely! Chill the dough for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
How to Store and Freeze
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
To freeze baked cookies, place baked cookies (without icing) on a sheet pan and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and ice as directed before serving.
To freeze the cookie dough, skip chilling it and scoop the dough out into balls and stuff them as directed. Freeze on a cookie sheet until solid then transfer to a freezer bag to freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time as needed.
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Brown Sugar Pop Tart Cookies
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Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 3/4 cups cake flour
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Brown Sugar Filling
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoon cake flour
Brown Sugar Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 1/2 Tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Add the butter sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, or hand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat for another 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy.1 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a separate medium bowl until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on medium speed until combined, 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Cover and chill the dough for one hour.3 3/4 cups cake flour, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the filling ingredients to a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Use a heaping teaspoon (about 2 teaspoons) to scoop the filling out and roll it into a ball and place it on the baking sheet.5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 Tablespoon cake flour
- Scoop the chilled dough out using 1/4 cup measuring cup (or a very large cookie scoop). Break the dough in half and create a well in the middle of one half. Place one ball of filling inside the well and press the other half on top of the filling and pinch the seems. Roll them into a ball to seal the filling inside.
- Arrange the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the tops are just set and the edges are lightly golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While they cool, make the icing. Whisk together all of the icing ingredients until smooth. Place a piece of parchment paper under the cooling rack and spoon the icing on top of each cookie, letting it spread to the edges. Allow it to set for 15 minutes and enjoy.1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 1/2 Tablespoon milk
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Really great recipe! I had to bake mine way more than 11-13 minutes (closer to 20 minutes) @350F to get the golden brown on the edges. I tried it on convection and that helped some. I barely had any left over batter using the 1/4 cup to scoop and ended up using enough to use all the filling (2tsp) so I don’t think I made them too big. Totally worth it and not a challenging bake. This was my first time with stuffed cookies so anything should be challenging for me 🙂
I haven’t made the cookies yet but I will be saving this recipe just because of the way it is written! Ingredients added to the instruction step. Fantastic!
Thank you so much!! Let me know how it goes!
So so good! Me and my boyfriend made these today and we honestly didn’t think with how big they were that they would cook right, but we were happily surprised when they were done. Time consuming but worth it!
So glad you loved them!
I was surprised at the richness of these delicious cookies, a sophisticated surprise for grown ups. I can’t wait to try them with a cardamom and orange zest filling!
#whatWEmade
So glad you love them!
These cookies are amazing!! The brown sugar pop tart flavor is so nostalgic, and you nailed it! From the soft cookie dough, to the gooey center, to the perfect glaze to tie it all together. YUM!
I had never made a stuffed cookie before, so wasn’t sure what to expect in that regard, but your instructions made it so easy.
I asked my daughter whether she would give these one or two thumbs up, and she answered “51!!!”
We will definitely make them again! #whatwemade
Thank you so much Jill! I’m so glad you both loved them.
Love these cookies!! The cinnamon filling is gooey and delicious! I made these 2 days in advance, it was super easy to take them out of the fridge and assemble while also baking other goods for our neighbors this holiday season. I will surely add these into my yearly rotation.
#whatwemade
Thanks Andrea!!
These are really tasty. I found that they need to be spread further apart on the cookie sheet or less per sheet. Mine spread and touched each other which made for some less than pretty cookies. I may even roll 18 balls instead of 16 as these are a big cookie.
These are very good and worth the time+effort!! They had great flavor and just like the real deal “brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts”!
Thank you!
What a fun and nostalgic cookie! It really does taste like a brown sugar pop tart! So fun to make and really delicious!
#whatwemade
Thanks Adrienne!
Might be my fav cookie I’ve ever made. These turned out so great!! #whatWEmade
So glad you love them!
SO delicious! Made these GF by using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour 😊
#WhatWEMade
Thank you Ashley!!
Soooo gooey and soooo delicious!! Brings back memories of putting butter on brown sugar pop tarts- YUM! Molly knocked it out of the park! It’s difficult not eating the entire cookie sheet at one time!
What a compliment. Thank you Hannah!!
I love the cinnamon center. My cookies did not have the beautiful finished look as Molly’s, but they still tasted great.
Made these for our Christmas cookie boxes and they were a hit. If you are a cinnamon lover these are your go to.
Love this. Thanks Edith!
Wow! These were phenomenal cookies! I usually stray from stuffed cookie recipes, but these were so simple and reminiscent of the “less healthy” brown sugar poptarts I had growing up. Very excited to make these again as Christmas gifts!! #whatwemade
Thank you so much Ceci. So glad you love them!
One recipe says serving is 16. Does that mean it makes only 16 cookies? Looks like a lot of ingredients for only 16 cookies so wanna make sure before I double it for 3 dozen! Thanks!
Hi Jennie! The ‘serving: 16’ means the recipe makes 16 large stuffed cookies. Each cookie uses about ¼ cup of dough plus the filling, so they’re big bakery-style cookies.
HI! Can you use regular flour for these? Love this recipe!
Hi Rachel! Yes, but the texture will be slightly less tender. You can also make homemade cake flour.
This recipe turned out great! So tasty! #whatwemade
Thanks Quinn! So glad you loved it.
Can I use gluten free 1:1 flour, has any tried it that way?
Hi Tracy, I haven’t tried it, but it should work. Keep in mind the texture will be slightly less tender. Let me know how it goes!
I can’t wait to make these for the upcoming Christmas season as gifts for friends!! They look so good! #whatwemade
Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Amazing! I will be baking these again and again. They’re incredible!
Thank you Kelsey!!
These cookies were fantastic! I halved the recipe and used a #50 scoop for each cookie dough ball and a heaping #110 for the filling. I got 10 cookies out of the half batch that way. I will definitely be making these again!
Thank you Lynn for leaving a review and for the tips!! So glad you loved them!
Turned out pretty fantastic. I chilled the filling a bit to keep the form and used a piping bag for the frosting, but other than that followed the recipe very precisely. As I only made half of the recipe, it had to be incredibly precise! Definitely did exactly 2 tsp of filling and only 1/4 cup for each cookie. They definitely are hearty cookies! Well worth the time and effort.
Thanks Ashley!
A coworker made these and gave one to me at work and it’s the best cookie I’ve ever had. I asked for the recipe and am also leaving a review, so you know they are THAT good.
Oh my goodness love this. Thank you so much Libby!!
They were as close to a pop tart as you could get. However, they were way too big and very very sweet. Next time I’ll do half the recipe and try to make them half the size. One comment was great saying she weighed the dough to 1.5 ounces and filling .4. I’ll cut that in half as well. Also, it was easier to make the cookie after I chilled the dough balls and chilled the filling balls. It was easier to wrap the dough around the chilled while filling ball.
This is my 4th time making because everyone loves them! This time i weighed the dough for each cookie at 1.5 ounce and the filling at .4 ounce, it yielded 30 perfect cookies 🥰 It was definitely a little more time consuming but i couldn’t get the ratios right the last few times 😬
Okay okay okay these are AMAZING !!!!
I would also like to add that I don’t have a hand mixer or a stand mixer so I threw on a pair of gloves and mixed by hand and they still came out wonderfully!!! I have a friend that is asking for a high protein version of this recipe? What substitutions can I recommend so she can try this recipe?
Hey Alyssa!! So glad you like them! I haven’t tested these as a high protein recipe unfortunately, so I would maybe have her search for something like that on Pinterest!
I made these for my roommate and boyfriend. They absolutely loved it! They are so good and nostalgic. Awesome recipe thank you so much. 😊
Thank you so much Taylor!
These are delicious! I used 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, and added one extra tbsp of corn starch. They came out perfectly and were a HUGE hit! So yummy!!! Will definitely be making again and again!!
Thank you so much Paige!
These were absolutely delicious! I ended up with a lot of extra filling, so know to put more in each cookie next time. Worth the work!
Thank you so much Meg!
LOVE LOVE LOVE! I used this recipe to make these cannabis infused. I used infused butter & all sugars were infused. For the flour, I did half bread flour (which was also infused) & half cake flour (non- infused). These turned out absolutely DEVINE! Gonna be a HUGE HIT with my clients! Thanks for the recipe!
These were absolutely perfect. The are soft, gooey, and have a beautiful crust on the edges. I must say I had to freeze some or my husband and I would have ate them all in one setting. They have now made it to my Christmas cookie list for me to make for friends and relatives. I am a warm cookie kind of girl and these did not disappoint either. Infact I prefer to stick them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. Close your eyes and take a bite. You are eating a hot pop tart straight from the toaster. Excellent job. The perfect cookie.
Love this so much Kristie! Thank you for taking the time to share this!
Absolute perfection! Came out beautifully and are so reminiscent of my favorite pop tart!
Thank you so much Kimberley! What a compliment 🙂
My chilled dough always comes out sticky after I get it out the fridge why would that be?
Hey there! I haven’t had this problem. Mine is usually pretty firm. Are you measuring the flour and butter correctly?
I am not sure what happened but they turned out more like biscuits rather cookies?
Hi Axie! A few things could have lead to this. Did you measure and level your flour? Also, everyone’s oven temps can vary. The amount of time and even the baking sheet color can affect bake times. I always recommend going off of texture and doneness over exact times as they’re just an estimate.
Can I use regular flour instead of cake flour?
These cookies are delicious! Our dough was a little sticky when it came to stuffing with filling but washing hands frequently helped with that. Had a small mishap with the icing – misread the recipe and used granulated sugar which made a weird topping. We figured it out after only a few cookies were topped. The correct powdered sugar version didn’t spread on its own but was easily spread with a spoon. Definitely worth the work!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, Sherrie. So glad they turned out delicious for you in the end!
Unbelievably delicious!! Tried them on a group of friends and their children and EVERYONE loved these! Will definitely be one of my go-to cookie recipes
Wow what a compliment. Thanks for sharing, Robyn!
These were just like the brown sugar pop tarts that my husband loves. Now I’m going to try to figure out a strawberry filling so I can make gf strawberry pop tart cookies for my kiddos. Have you tried a strawberry version yet?
I haven’t but it’s on my list!!
So delicious! My dough turned out super crumbly any idea what I should tweak for next time?
Hey Jess! How did you measure your flour?
Can i use all purpose flour.?
Yes you can! Add a Tablespoon of cornstarch if you have it:)
These were amazing!!! They came out absolutely perfect!!! I want to upload a pic!!!
Love it!! I totally want to have an option to upload a picture.
Mine spread quite a bit and the middle sank in. I don’t believe the butter was left out too long, is there any other reasoning?
Hello! How long did you leave your butter out and how long did you cream the butter and sugars? Both of these things are telling me the butter may have been too warm!
What would you recommend to make this gluten free?
I’ve made them gluten-free a few times! You can use gluten-free baking flour (I used BOb’s Red Mill) and follow any recipe for DIY cake flour. It’s basically just adding in a tablespoon of cornstarch:) Thanks!
Mine came out as one big blob on the baking sheet. What did I do wrong?
This usually happens when the butter is too soft. It should only be set out for about an hour before using.
This is a wonderful recipe! It’s a little labor intensive but totally worth it. I was worried about running out of the filling so made 16 balls first. I then used the 1/4 cup method as she suggested to measure the dough balls. Turned out 16 equal sized balls of dough. Everything went according to plan to the recipe.
Absolute perfection! Came out beautifully and are so reminiscent of my favorite pop tart!
I’m not familiar with cake flour. Is it gluten free. If not, can I use gluten free flour for this recipe?
Hey there! It’s not gluten free. You can use a 1:1 gluten free flour and add in 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Thanks!
My family loves Pop Tarts so I had to make these cookies as soon as I saw the recipe. I doubled the batch so I could take some to work for a co-workers birthday. I have never had so many compliments on anything I’ve ever baked before! It’s been a couple of days and they are still talking about these cookies and people are putting in requests for these cookies for their birthdays. I am so happy to have found your blog and can’t wait to try more of your yummy recipes!
I am a novice baker. Not only were the instructions easy to follow and understand…. But I believe this recipe is the best cookie I’ve ever made and I will never top it. My husband is a HUGE cinnamon fan and I’m usually not but these cookies will become a staple in our home. I’ve never left a review before on a recipe but these cookies were review worthy.
Thanks so much Ali! Made my day!
Best cookies I’ve ever made. This will be a staple recipe for my family going forward. Thank you!
Love this thank you!!
As I was making these I was thinking they’re too high maintenance to do regularly. But then I took a bite of one when it was still warm… omg I will absolutely be making these over and over. Incredible! They taste EXACTLY like the pop tart! I don’t know how you did it, but you are a genius!
LOL Amanda! I actually felt that same way. I was wondering if it was too many steps as I was testing them then I ate one and thought NOPE. Worth it.
Easy and delicious!
These are amazing! We had them at a Christmas party and had to get the recipe. They taste EXACTLY like a frosted cinnamon poptart. We are making them right now for a New Year’s party. Cannot recommend enough.
Hi, the filling seems to be leaking out of the cookie when I bake it. Any advice?
Hey Carley! I’m wondering if you added too much butter to it? It shouldn’t leak. But make sure you don’t overfill it next time!
Hello ! Can I use salted butter? Would I not add the extra salt? Thank you!
Yes you can! Just don’t add the extra salt. Thanks!
These cookies are absolutely delicious! My son, who loves Brown Sugar Pop Tarts loved these cookies! He said they were just like the breakfast treat, but softer. They are sizable, but that makes each cookie easy to share – if you want to!
Could I substitute milk for dairy free alternatives? Like soy or oat?
These taste fantastic and are easy to make. I love the way you write the instructions! I did end up making them gluten free with Bobs Red Mill 1:1 flour. Texture was still great and had no issues with the filling breaking free. Will definitely be making again. Thanks!
These are delicious! I made them before Christmas and was immediately asked to make them for the holiday after my family tried them for the first time. They do take some more time than I expected (coming from somebody who is not a huge baker), but the recipe is easy to follow and worth it!
Can you make the cookies ahead, put them in the fridge, and add the frosting the day of serving?
Yes definitely!
These cookies are amazing. I made them for a cookie swap and they were a big hit! I will definitely make these again.
Hi Molly,
will regular flour also work? Thanks so much
Yes it will! Just add 1 Tbsp of cornstarch!
I always read reviews before I make a new recipe, but I rarely leave one myself. This recipe deserves a review. These cookies are definitely a labor or love, but they are worth it. They taste exactly like a brown sugar pop tart. They’re puffy, chewy, sweet and delicious. I will definitely be making this again and again. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Hi there! When looking it up, I see that cake flour helps negate something with gluten, however I plan to use GF flour. Do you think standard 1:1 GF flour will work fine? Thank you!!
Hey there! Yes, you can swap gluten-free flour and it will still be just as good:) The cake flour gives them a nice chewy texture but the gluten free flour will work too.
Oooh these sound delicious! Would regular AP flour work instead of cake flour?
Yes! Just add 1 Tbsp of cornstarch to the dough.
These cookies are dangerously delicious!
Great recipe!
3 3/4 cups flour is sooo much, my dough came out so dry and crumbly. Seems like a typo cause it in no way looks like the photos
Hey Maddie! This is the only review I’ve seen like this. I tested this recipe several times and it’s not a typo. Sounds like maybe overdid it while measureing the flour. What method did you use to measure?
My husband is so obsessed with these cookies I’ve made them three days in a row. I ran out of cake flour so I’m trying all purpose tonight!
Yummy recipe! Bummed the tops sunk in even though the cookies were nicely brown! Will give them another go! Any way to troubleshoot