Brown Sugar Cinnamon Poptart Bars 

Breakfast Cookies, Cookie Bars
Jump to Recipe Jump to Comments

Is this the most fun dessert I’ve made in a while? Yes. This is a GIANT Pop-tart bar with the iconic brown sugar cinnamon poptart filling and frosting that you remember from when you were a kid.

Interior of a giant cinnamon brown sugar poptart cut into a square.

Pop-tart Recipe

I’m calling it right now: this giant poptart is the IT breakfast for the coming school year. With a buttery crisp crust that is pure perfection, a warm brown sugar cinnamon filling and a hard dark brown sugar icing on top, this pop-tart checks all of the boxes. Giant poptarts are toasty and delicious and SO STINKIN’ FUN. You’ll start by making brown sugar cinnamon poptarts for the kids but you’ll soon be making excuses to make them for yourself. 

ad for shop site.
Giant pop-tart with brown sugar filling cut into squares.

Ingredients in Homemade Poptarts

All instructions and ingredient quantities can be found at the bottom of the post!

Sugar Cookie Crust

  • Salted butter, softened – I like to use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, add an extra pinch of salt to the dough. 
  • Granulated sugar
  • Egg
  • Vanilla 
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Canola oil – This gives the crust a little buttery crisp texture that is perfection. 

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling

  • Melted butter – Again, I use salted butter! 
  • Light brown sugar
  • All-purpose flour
  • Ground cinnamon 

Glaze

  • Very warm water – Using warm water will help the glaze come together and spread onto the pop-tart easily. 
  • Light corn syrup – This is what will make the glaze harden like royal icing. Don’t omit this one! If needed, you can use merengue powder (1 tsp) as a replacement. 
  • Dark brown sugar 
  • Clear vanilla flavoring 
  • Powdered sugar
Giant brown sugar poptart cut into bars with the interior filling showing.

How to Make a Giant Pop-tart

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, combine the butter and granulated sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.
  3. Scrape the sides and add in the egg and vanilla. 
  4. Once combined, add the flour, baking powder, and canola oil. Mix until a soft dough comes together. Divide the dough in half.
  5. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and press half of the dough into the parchment paper. Alternatively, you can use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangle on parchment paper and then cut to fit the 9×13 pan. Remove the parchment paper and dough and place in the freezer.
  6. Grease the 9×13 pan with non-stick spray and then press the remaining half of the dough into the bottom of the pan. The dough will be thin, just work slowly until the bottom of the pan is evenly covered.
  7. In a medium sized bowl, combine the ingredients for the filling until you achieve a wet sand texture.
  8. Spread the filling onto the bottom cookie crust in the pan, leaving the edges empty so we can crimp the top and bottom crust together.
  9. Remove the rolled out cookie dough from the freezer. Remove the parchment paper and gently place the dough on top of the filling.
  10. Use the tines of a fork to gently crimp the edges and then cut a few venting slits or holes.
  11. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 17-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
  12. Remove from the oven and allow the poptart to cool completely.
  13. Once cool, make the glaze by whisking together the warm water, corn syrup, dark brown sugar, and clear vanilla in a medium sized bowl.
  14. Slowly add the powdered sugar to the water mixture, whisking constantly until all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated.
  15. Add warm water 1/4 tsp at a time until you reach a slow dripping consistency.
  16. Carefully remove the baked pop tart from the pan and pour/spread the glaze onto the top of the pop-tart.
  17. Allow the icing to set completely before cutting.
  18. Enjoy!
Poptart bars topped with brown sugar glaze. Picture of the crimped edges.

Can I use other fillings?

Yes, you can! I actually have a recipe for a strawberry pop-tart recipe if you’d like. Alternatively, you can use any type of fruit preserve in place of the brown sugar/cinnamon filling.

Storing this Giant Pop-Tart

Allow the glaze to completely harden and store this poptart in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days! You can also freeze for up to 3 months.

A giant pop-tart cut into pieces and scattered on the counter. Across the top it says "brown sugar cinnamon pop-tart bars" in text.

Breakfast Faves

A brown sugar cinnamon poptart bar cut into squares and stacked.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Poptart Bars

Is this the most fun dessert I’ve made in a while? Yes. This is a GIANT Pop-tart bar with the iconic brown sugar cinnamon poptart filling and frosting that you remember from when you were a kid.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 228kcal

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Crust

  • 3/4 cup (167g) salted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup (173g) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cups (342g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp canola oil

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling

  • 1/4 cup (56g) melted butter
  • 1 cup (246g) light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Glaze

  • 2 1/2 Tbsp very warm water, plus more as needed
  • 1/2 Tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup (62g) dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp clear vanilla flavoring
  • 1 1/2 cups (161g) powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, combine the butter and granulated sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.
    3/4 cup (167g) salted butter, softened, 3/4 cup (173g) granulated sugar
  • Scrape the sides and add in the egg and vanilla.
    1 egg, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • Once combined, add the flour, baking powder, and canola oil. Mix until a soft dough comes together. Divide the dough in half.
    2 1/4 cups (342g) all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 Tbsp canola oil
  • Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and press half of the dough into the parchment paper. Alternatively, you can use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangle on parchment paper and then cut to fit the 9×13 pan. Remove the parchment paper and dough and place in the freezer.
  • Grease the 9×13 pan with non-stick spray and then press the remaining half of the dough into the bottom of the pan. The dough will be thin, just work slowly until the bottom of the pan is evenly covered.
  • In a medium sized bowl, combine the ingredients for the filling until you achieve a wet sand texture.
    1/4 cup (56g) melted butter, 1 cup (246g) light brown sugar, 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Spread the filling onto the bottom cookie crust in the pan, leaving the edges empty so we can crimp the top and bottom crust together.
  • Remove the rolled out cookie dough from the freezer. Remove the parchment paper and gently place the dough on top of the filling.
  • Use the tongs of a fork to gently crimp the edges and then cut a few venting slits or holes.
  • Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 17-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and allow the poptart to cool completely.
  • Once cool, make the glaze by whisking together the warm water, corn syrup, dark brown sugar, and clear vanilla in a medium sized bowl.
    2 1/2 Tbsp very warm water, plus more as needed, 1/2 Tbsp light corn syrup, 1/4 cup (62g) dark brown sugar, 1/4 tsp clear vanilla flavoring
  • Slowly add the powdered sugar to the water mixture, whisking constantly until all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated.
    1 1/2 cups (161g) powdered sugar
  • Add warm water 1/4 tsp at a time until you reach a slow dripping consistency.
  • Carefully remove the baked pop tart from the pan and pour/spread the glaze onto the top of the pop-tart.
  • Allow the icing to set completely before cutting.
  • Enjoy!
Find Cookies for Days on Instagram!Follow @cookiesfordaaays for new recipes daily!

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg

Latest Recipes:

19 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is one of those recipes that clearly shows the work behind the scenes. I made it the first time and it came out PERFECT! I really enjoy how Karli’s recipe knowledge makes me look so good! Not only is this delicious but its FUN too. The kids got a kick out of the MASSIVE poptart. If you want the sides to keep their layered look after you cut them, let the topping set even longer than you think. (she tells you in the recipe instructions, I didn’t wait long enough) I touched the glaze lightly and it didn’t make a print so I thought it had hardened. However, underneath was still soft. Wish I could attach pictures to this review.

    Reply

    1. Yes! I recommend subbing with a 1:1 gluten free flour like King Arthurs and double checking all other ingredients to ensure they are gf!

      Reply

  4. Hi Karli,
    I’m just curious is it hard to get out of the pan after you bake it? I’m really nervous that it’s gonna like break in half, lmk how you do it! Thanks

    Reply

    1. If you’re really worried about it breaking when you get it out of the pan you can try lining the pan with parchment (all the way up the sides). Once the cookie has completely cooled, you’ll use the parchment to lift the entire thing out of the pan and then cut like normal!

      Reply

    2. I like to put my pan in the freezer for like 10 minutes, and then take a dough scraper around the edges to separate it! It will pop right out upside down and depending how long is frozen enough that it doesn’t fall apart when you flip it back over right away!

      Reply

  8. Hi,
    Is there any way to prep this in advance? I was wanting to make it Wednesday or Thursday night and maybe store it in the fridge until I bake it Saturday morning? Would this be a possibility? Or would it be better to bake it Thursday night and just store them in an airtight container?

    Reply

    1. Hi! I would bake and completely assemble and cut. Then I’d store in an airtight container in the freezer and pull it out the morning you want to serve!

      Reply

  9. Hi, I haven’t made it yet because I noticed the grams you listed do not lineup with the volume measurements you listed- one cup of all-purpose flour is 120 g, so 2.25 c should be 270 g but you’ve got it as 342 g, same issue with sugar. Are the grams you listed the actual grams you used in the recipe? If so that’s totally fine and I’ll just ignore the volume entirely. There’s just such a difference between the two I don’t want to take the chance

    Reply
5 from 2 votes

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating