Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookies (Pop Tart Inspired)
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Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts were my all-time favorite growing up. I was a straight-from-the-wrapper girl — no toaster required. That soft cinnamon filling and sweet glaze on top? Absolutely undefeated.
So naturally, I had to see what would happen if I crushed them into cookie dough.
These soft and chewy brown sugar cinnamon cookies are packed with crushed Pop-Tarts and finished with a cinnamon glaze and crumble — thicker, softer, and completely bakery-worthy. And honestly? I think I love them even more as cookies.
If cinnamon is your love language like it is mine, you’ll also want to try my soft and chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies, these fun little Sugar Doodle Cookies, or my easy Snickerdoodle Bars. Clearly, I have a cinnamon situation… and I’m not fixing it anytime soon.
Why You’ll Love These Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookies
- Soft, chewy centers with lightly crisp edges
- Crushed Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts baked right into the dough
- Warm cinnamon flavor in both the cookie and the icing
- Frosted and crumb-topped for that nostalgic finish
- Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients
It’s basically your favorite childhood treat… dressed up for dessert.
🛒 Ingredients You’ll Need
(Full measurements in recipe card below.)
For the Cookies
- Butter
- Brown sugar + granulated sugar
- Egg
- Flour
- Baking soda + baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts
For the Cinnamon Icing
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
- Cinnamon
👩🍳 How to Make Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookies
- Cream butter and sugars until smooth and fluffy.
- Beat in egg.
- Mix in dry ingredients just until combined.
- Fold in chopped Pop-Tarts.
- Scoop dough onto baking sheet.
- Bake until edges are set and centers look slightly soft.
- Whisk icing and drizzle over cooled cookies.
- Top with extra Pop-Tart crumble if desired.
(See recipe card below for full details.)
Why Add Pop-Tarts to Cookie Dough?
Crushing Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts into cookie dough does more than just add flavor.
It creates:
- Little pockets of cinnamon filling
- Soft pastry bits baked right into the cookie
- Extra brown sugar sweetness
- A subtle chewy texture boost
It’s nostalgic, yes — but it also genuinely changes the texture of the cookie in the best way.
Tell me I’m not the only Brown Sugar Cinnamon loyalist.
💛 TidyMom Tips
- Start with soft butter. It creates that smooth, creamy base that gives you tender, chewy cookies.
- Rough chop is fine. Your mixer will break the Pop-Tarts down further.
- For deeper molasses flavor: Replace the granulated sugar with additional brown sugar.
- Control the cinnamon. Add it to both dough and icing for bold spice, or reduce it for a milder cookie.
- Bakery-style edges: Right after baking, swirl a small round bowl over each cookie to create perfectly round edges.
- Icing consistency matters. It should be thick but drizzleable. Add 1–2 teaspoons of milk if needed.
- Measure flour properly. For best results, spoon and level your flour (or weigh it). See my flour measuring guide below for full details.
How To Measure Flour Properly
Did you know THE WAY you measure flour matters? The most precise way to measure your flour is by weight using a digital kitchen scale. 1 cup of flour weighs 120 grams. If you don’t have a scale measure your flour by scooping flour with a spoon into the cup. Don’t use your measuring cup as a scoop, as it packs the flour down and gives a different measure.
✨ Variations
- Skip the icing for a more subtle cinnamon cookie.
- Add white chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
- Make larger bakery-style cookies for a thicker center.
- Try extra cinnamon for a snickerdoodle-inspired twist.
🧊 Storage
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
They’re delicious as-is, but warming them in the microwave for 10–15 seconds brings back that just-baked softness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Freeze unfrosted cookies up to 2 months. Add icing after thawing.
For the signature nostalgic flavor, yes — but you can experiment with similar cinnamon pastry flavors.
Absolutely. They’ll still have plenty of brown sugar cinnamon flavor from the dough.
If you try these Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookies, I’d love to know — were you team toaster… or straight from the wrapper like me?
However you grew up eating them, I hope these cookies bring a little cozy comfort to your kitchen. And maybe a cold glass of milk on the side.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookies (Pop Tart Inspired)
Soft, chewy brown sugar cinnamon cookies with crushed Pop-Tarts and sweet cinnamon glaze — a nostalgic twist on a classic treat.
Ingredients
- Ingredients (cookies):
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 brown sugar cinnamon pop-tarts, chopped
- For The Icing:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Using and electric mixer on medium-high combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in the egg for about a minute, or until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Reduce the speed of your mixer and slowly whisk in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Make sure no dry pockets remain in your cookie dough and then fold in the chopped pop-tarts.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop balls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Bake your cookies for 11 minutes.
- While your cookies bake, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and cinnamon until well combined.
- Drizzle a spoonful of icing over each cookie once they are done baking. If desired, crumble some extra pop-tart pieces over each cookie.
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
• Use fully softened butter for a smooth dough and soft, chewy cookies.
• Roughly chop the Pop-Tarts — the mixer will break them down further.
• For deeper brown sugar flavor, replace granulated sugar with additional brown sugar.
• Add cinnamon to both the dough and icing for bolder spice, or reduce for a milder flavor.
• Use a #40 scoop (about 1½ tablespoons) for evenly sized cookies.
• Swirl a small bowl around cookies right after baking for round, bakery-style edges.
• Icing should be thick but drizzleable; add 1–2 teaspoons milk if needed.
• Spoon and level flour — or weigh it (1 cup = 120g) — to avoid dense cookies.
• Store airtight up to 5 days; warm 10–15 seconds before serving.
Hi there, I'm Cheryl!
As a wife, mom, and caffeine enthusiast, my journey has taken me from bustling mornings with my family to sharing delicious recipes, home care tips, and heartfelt decorating insights with wonderful readers like you. My love for baking, photography, and tidiness shines through every post I craft. Dive into my world and discover the art of homemaking, one tidy moment at a time. Read more...
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