Vegan Brown Sugar Pop Tart Cookies

Pop-Tarts are an American toaster pastry launched in the 1960s and are still going strong today but only the unfrosted varieties are vegan friendly as the frosting contains gelatin which comes from animal bones. There are many recipes to make copycat versions of the pastries but I thought a simpler way would be to make a cookie with the same taste and nostalgia as the originals. Brown sugar were always my favorite so here’s my vegan cookie version that hopefully brings back all the feels of the original pastries you loved but in an elevated cookie!

Why You Should Try These Cookies!

• Their nostalgic taste will take you back to your childhood! If you’ve missed that pop tart flavor since being vegan then these are for you. These have that delicious brown sugar cinnamon pop tart flavor and look, right down to the shiny glaze.
• These cookies are incredibly tender, thanks to the addition of cornstarch. It makes for a thicker dough, which helps hold in the brown sugar cinnamon filling.
• These are Impressive bakery-style cookies perfect for a party, a holiday cookie swap or bake sale!

What you’ll need to make these.

• Vegan butter. I prefer stick or block style that’s denser and better for baking. There are many brands out there including Country Crock, Earth Balance, Violife and others.
  
• Aquafaba. This is the liquid in the can from chickpeas and acts like an egg white. We’re also mixing in some flax meal for a thicker egg replacer. Use the chickpeas to make my amazing Vegan Roasted Chickpea Tuna Salad! Recipe here.
  
• Cornstarch. This also helps with egg replacement but also tenderizes the cookies and makes them thicker and chewier. You could substitute arrowroot or potato starch but I’ve not tested those.

Tips for success!

• How do I shape these? I used a medium sized retractable ice cream scoop for even sized dough balls then I made an indent with my thumb in the middle and used a small melon baller to scoop a portion of the cinnamon filling to place in the indent. Next, you fold the dough over the cinnamon filling (this prevents is from spilling out), roll into a ball between your palms and then flatten slightly with your fingers.
  
• Can I make some of this in advance? Yes! You can either fills balls of dough then freeze or keep refrigerated doughs in the fridge to assemble when the mood for cookies strikes!
• Do I have to frost these? No! If you prefer not to frost the cookies, I suggest rolling in cinnamon sugar before baking.
• How do I bake these? We want these to be soft and chewy but baked through and since all ovens differ, best to keep watch until there’s just some color to the edges of the cookies. I baked mine for 11 minutes in a convection oven which was perfect but yours may need more or less time. If you know your oven runs hot and there’s the possibility of burning the bottoms of the cookies, I suggest doubling your baking sheets to prevent over-browning. I cool mine for 10 minutes on the sheets then transfer to a wire rack to frost once completely cooled.
  
• How do I frost these? I used a small spoon to drop a tablespoon of the icing onto the top of each cookie then smoothed it out using a small offset spatula. You could go to the edges or even let them drip over the sides. Another method is to dip the cookies into the frosting. It will be delicious any way you do it!
• Can I make these another way? Yes! If you don’t feel like making individual cookies, try making them as a bar cookie! Press half the dough into a 9×9 baking pan or 13×9 sized pan if you want them thinner, then add the brown sugar filling and spread evenly then crumble the rest of the dough on the top and using a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap, press the dough down so it’s flat. Cook for about 25-30 minutes depending on your pan size, cool and frost!

These brown sugar pop tart cookies are the perfect treat. They’re soft, sweet, and satisfying, making them a great choice for a special occasion or an afternoon snack. Try them out and enjoy a bit of nostalgia with every bite! Don’t forget to rate and review if you try them!

Vegan Brown Sugar Pop Tart Cookies

Recipe by Kreg

4.3 from 4 votes

Course: Desserts, RecipesCuisine: American

Servings

24

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

11

minutes

A delicious and nostalgic treat that’s sweet with cinnamon and brown sugar!

Ingredients

• Cookies

• 1 cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed

• 6 tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) plus two tablespoons flax meal, whisk together and let sit for 3-5 minutes

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• Filling

• 5 tablespoons vegan butter, softened

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons flour

• Frosting

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 4 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons agave syrup (can sub brown rice or light corn syrup)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2-3 tablespoons vegan milk or cream

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

• Cookies
• In a large mixing bowl or using a stand mixer, cream together the softened vegan butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. This is an important step so make sure it’s mixed and whipped together well. Having the vegan butter at room temperature is important for it to whip together well. Add the aquafaba and flax mixture and vanilla extract and mix well to combine about a minute making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
• Filling and assembling
• To make the filling, in a small bowl, combine the softened vegan butter, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and flour until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a retractable cookie scoop or large spoon, portion out the chilled dough into balls. Press each dough ball with your thumb to create an indent. Using a melon baller or small spoon, scoop a portion of the filling about 1/4 the size of the cookie dough ball. Place a brown sugar filling ball in the center, and wrap the dough around it, ensuring the filling is completely enclosed. Roll the filled dough into smooth balls between your hands and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart and flatten very slightly with the palm of your hand.
• Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are set and just starting to color. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Frosting
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the frosting ingredients until smooth. Add more milk if needed until icing is smooth and a ribbon of icing that drizzles off the whisk holds its shape for a second or two before dissolving back into the rest of the bowl. Spoon or drizzle over the cooled cookies. I used an offset spatula to spread to the edges. You can also dip the cookies into the frosting if you prefer. Let set for at least an hour for the frosting to set.
• These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated or frozen for longer storage. Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Notes

• If you prefer not to frost these after baking you could roll them in cinnamon sugar before baking or leave them plain.
• You could try making these gluten free using a 1:1 GF flour but I have not tested it.

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