Description
These homemade pop-tart–style cookies hide a cinnamon-brown sugar filling inside tender, buttery rectangles and finish with a quick glaze. They look impressive but bake up reliably — perfect for sharing or hoarding (no judgment).
Ingredients
Scale
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the filling
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For finishing
- 1 tbsp milk (for brushing tops)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk (for icing; add more if needed)
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Prep the oven & pans. Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Dry mix. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until evenly blended.
- Cream the base. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugars until light and aerated, about 2–3 minutes on medium speed.
- Add eggs & flavor. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla until smooth.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in batches, mixing slowly until a cohesive dough forms. Stop as soon as the flour disappears — overmixing toughens cookies.
- Chill. Divide the dough into two disks, wrap tightly, and chill for at least 1 hour. Cold dough rolls cleaner and keeps the shapes sharp.
- Make the filling. In a small bowl, stir together the cup of brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon until uniform. The cornstarch prevents the filling from running out as it bakes.
- Roll & cut. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disk to roughly ¼-inch thickness. Cut 3×4-inch rectangles (aim for ~12 per disk). Repeat with the second disk.
- Fill & seal. Place about 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar mixture in the center of half the rectangles, leaving a ¼-inch border. Brush the edges with a little milk, top with another rectangle, and press the edges to seal. Use a fork to crimp the sides and create a decorative edge. Transfer to prepared sheets, spacing them a couple of inches apart.
- Brush & bake. Lightly brush each cookie top with 1 tablespoon milk. Bake 12–15 minutes, until edges turn a light golden and the surface looks set.
- Cool. Let cookies sit on the baking sheet for 4–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Glaze & decorate. Whisk powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons milk until smooth; add a splash more milk if the glaze is too thick. Drizzle or spread over cooled cookies and add sprinkles if desired.
Notes
- Tips & swaps
- Make sure the butter is at room temp for easy creaming.
- Don’t overfill — too much filling will leak during baking.
- Add chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips to the filling for extra texture.
- For a fruitier twist, swap the brown-sugar center for thick jam (stir a pinch of cornstarch into runny jam).
- Storage
- Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze uniced cookies in a single layer, then stack with parchment between layers; thaw and ice before serving.