A tender, oversized cookie baked and served like a cake, this dessert captures everything you love about a classic brown-sugar-and-cinnamon Pop Tart—soft crumb, gooey spiced filling, and a sweet glaze—while delivering the nostalgia of a bakery-style cookie cake. It is perfect for birthdays, bake-sales, or any gathering where you need a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Two treats in one – the chew of a cookie meets the slice-and-serve ease of cake.
Layered brown-sugar swirl – a ribbon of buttery cinnamon filling recreates the Pop Tart center in every bite.
No fancy equipment – a single mixing bowl and a 23 cm / 9-inch springform pan are all you need.
Make-ahead friendly – the baked cookie cake keeps beautifully, so you can prepare it a day in advance.

Ingredients

(Tip: You can find the complete list of ingredients and their measurements in the recipe card below.)

Cookie Dough

Unsalted butter, softened
Packed light brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Large eggs
Pure vanilla extract
All-purpose flour
Cornstarch
Baking powder
Fine sea salt
Ground cinnamon

Brown-Sugar Cinnamon Filling

Unsalted butter, softened
Packed light brown sugar
Ground cinnamon
All-purpose flour

Cinnamon Glaze

Icing (confectioners’) sugar
Packed light brown sugar, finely crushed
Ground cinnamon
Pure vanilla extract
Whole milk (or as needed for consistency)

Directions

Prepare the pan
Grease a 23 cm / 9-inch springform pan and line the base with parchment. Preheat the oven to 175 °C / 350 °F.
Make the dough
Cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl; add to the butter mixture and mix just until no streaks of flour remain.
Mix the filling
In a small bowl stir together softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour to form a thick paste.
Assemble
Press two-thirds of the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan. Dollop the filling over the surface and gently spread, leaving a 1 cm border. Top with the remaining dough, flattening it between your palms and patching as necessary to seal.
Bake
Bake 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are deep golden and the center is just set—the top will continue to firm as it cools. Cool in the pan 15 minutes; release the ring and slide the cake (still on parchment) to a rack to cool completely.
Glaze
Whisk icing sugar, crushed brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and milk until pourable yet opaque. Spoon over the cooled cookie cake, letting some drip over the edge. Allow the glaze to set before slicing.

Servings and Timing

Yield	Prep Time	Bake Time	Cooling & Icing	Total Time
12 generous wedges	20 min	25–30 min	60 min	~1 hr 50 min

Variations

Maple upgrade – replace half the milk in the glaze with pure maple syrup.
Chocolate twist – fold 150 g mini chocolate chips into the dough.
Mini format – divide the dough among two 15 cm / 6-inch pans; reduce bake time to 18–20 minutes.
Gluten-free – substitute a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend and add ½ tsp xanthan gum if not already included.

Storage / Reheating

Room temperature: Store slices in an airtight container up to 4 days.
Freezer: Wrap individual pieces tightly; freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
To rewarm: Heat a slice in a 160 °C / 325 °F oven for 5 minutes, or microwave 10–15 seconds, just until the center softens.

FAQs

Can I use salted butter?

Yes. Omit the added salt in the dough to keep the balance right.

Do I have to chill the dough?

No chilling is required; the cornstarch and baking powder keep spreading under control.

My center looks under-baked—should I keep baking?

Remove the cake when the top is lightly golden and the edges are firm; residual heat finishes the middle, preserving a soft, cookie-like interior.

Can I substitute dark brown sugar?

You may, but expect a deeper molasses note and slightly denser crumb.

How do I achieve neat slices?

Allow the glaze to set fully, then use a large, sharp knife wiped clean between cuts.

Could I bake this in a cast-iron skillet?

Absolutely; a 25 cm / 10-inch oven-safe skillet works. Monitor closely, as cast iron may shave 2–3 minutes off bake time.

Is there an egg-free option?

Replace each egg with 45 g unsweetened applesauce plus 1 tsp neutral oil; texture will be a touch cakier.

What if I only have bread flour?

Blend bread flour 50-50 with cake flour (or sift in 2 Tbsp cornstarch per 120 g bread flour) to lower the protein and maintain tenderness.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes—use a 33 × 23 cm / 13 × 9-inch pan, extend baking to 35–38 minutes, and score the glaze before it sets to guide tidy squares.

How do I know the glaze is the right consistency?

It should fall from the spoon in a thick ribbon that disappears after 8–10 seconds; thin with additional milk by the teaspoon, or thicken with a little extra icing sugar.

Conclusion

The Brown Sugar Pop Tart Cookie Cake merges nostalgic breakfast flavor with the satisfaction of a bakery-style cookie in a share-worthy format. Thanks to its straightforward method, pantry ingredients and excellent keeping quality, it will soon become your signature “just-because” bake. Serve it warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream or pack slices for lunchbox treats—either way, expect requests for the recipe.

Brown Sugar Pop Tart Cookie Cake