Irresistible Pop Tart Cookie Bars Recipe: Sweet Treat

Pop tart cookie bars blend nostalgic breakfast treats with irresistible dessert innovation.

Sweet memories collide with creative baking techniques in this extraordinary confection.

Childhood favorites reimagine into a delectable masterpiece that elevates traditional snacking experiences.

Crispy edges and soft centers promise a delightful texture adventure for passionate dessert enthusiasts.

Homemade ingredients elevate these bars beyond standard packaged treats, infusing each bite with genuine comfort and excitement.

Bakers of all skill levels can craft this delicious crossover between classic pop tarts and indulgent cookies.

The result marries familiar flavors with unexpected culinary creativity.

Reasons to Bake Pop Tart Cookie Bars

• Burst of Nostalgic Flavor: Capture the beloved childhood taste of Pop Tarts transformed into a delightful homemade cookie bar that sparks sweet memories.
• Layered Textural Delight: Experience a perfect balance of soft, buttery cookie dough hugging a vibrant strawberry preserve center, topped with a glossy vanilla glaze and playful sprinkles.
• Weekend Baking Bliss: Create an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that requires minimal technical skills but delivers maximum wow factor, perfect for lazy weekend baking or casual gatherings with friends and family.

What You’ll Need for Cookie Bars

Main Ingredients:

• Butter: Rich, creamy foundation for tender cookie texture, best when unsalted and at room temperature.
• Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create golden, crisp edges for the cookie bars.
• Eggs: Binds ingredients together and adds moisture to the dough.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall flavor with warm, classic taste, pure vanilla works best.
• Flour: Structural backbone of the cookie dough, all-purpose flour recommended.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and amplifies overall flavor profile.
• Baking Soda: Helps cookie dough rise and creates soft, light texture.

• Strawberry Preserves: Sweet, fruity layer that mimics classic Pop Tart filling, choose high-quality preserves.
• Powdered Sugar: Creates smooth, glossy glaze with delicate sweetness.
• Milk: Thins glaze to perfect drizzling consistency, whole milk preferred.
• Rainbow Sprinkles: Colorful decoration that adds playful, nostalgic touch.

Steps for Making Pop Tart-Inspired Bars

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Station

• Grab an 8×8-inch metal pan
• Line the pan with parchment paper, letting edges hang over
• Preheat oven to 375°F

Tip: Hanging parchment makes removing bars super easy!

Step 2: Create Dreamy Cookie Dough

• Butter
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Baking soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients until just combined. Chill dough in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Build the Cookie Base

Divide cookie dough into two equal portions. Press first portion into pan. Freeze first layer on baking sheet. Return parchment to pan and press second dough layer.

Step 4: Add Fruity Filling

Spread strawberry preserves evenly across dough layer. Carefully place frozen dough layer on top, pressing gently.

Step 5: Bake to Perfection

Slide pan into preheated oven. Bake 25-28 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack.

Step 6: Create Magical Glaze

• Powdered sugar
• Milk
• Vanilla extract

Pour glaze over cooled bars. Sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles.

Step 7: Set and Serve

Let bars sit at room temperature 1-2 hours. Cut into 15 delightful squares. Enjoy your homemade treat!

Tips to Keep Cookie Bars Soft Yet Crispy

• Chill the Dough: Refrigerate cookie dough for 20 minutes to prevent spreading and create a perfectly structured bar with clean edges.
• Layer with Precision: Use an offset spatula to spread preserves and dough evenly, ensuring consistent flavor and texture in every bite.
• Control Moisture: Pat strawberry preserves with paper towels to remove excess liquid, preventing soggy cookie bars.
• Glaze Technique: Allow bars to cool completely before adding glaze to prevent melting and ensure a smooth, beautiful finish.
• Sprinkle Strategically: Add rainbow sprinkles immediately after glazing while the surface is still wet to help them stick perfectly.

How to Store Pop Tart Cookie Bars

• Refrigerate: Store leftover Pop Tart Cookie Bars in an airtight container, layering between parchment paper to prevent sticking. Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for maximum 3 months to maintain optimal texture and flavor.
• Reheat: Warm bars briefly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving. Avoid overheating to prevent glaze from melting completely.

Treat Pairings for Cookie Bars

• Pair with Fruity Smoothie: Blend a vibrant strawberry-banana smoothie to complement the sweet strawberry preserves in the cookie bars. The creamy, refreshing drink will balance the rich, buttery cookie base and add a cool contrast.
• Match with Cold Milk: Serve chilled whole milk alongside these nostalgic pop tart-inspired bars. The classic dairy beverage cuts through the sweetness and provides a classic comfort drink pairing that enhances the dessert's playful nature.
• Serve with Vanilla Chai Tea: Brew a warm vanilla chai tea that echoes the vanilla notes in the cookie bars. The spicy, aromatic tea creates a sophisticated counterpoint to the sugary glaze and sprinkles, offering a grown-up twist to this childhood-inspired treat.
• Combine with Vanilla Ice Cream: Scoop a small portion of vanilla bean ice cream next to the cookie bars. The cold, creamy dessert amplifies the rich flavors and provides a luxurious textural contrast to the soft, glazed cookie base.

Cookie Bar Variation Ideas

• Berry Bliss Bars: Swap strawberry preserves with mixed berry jam for a vibrant, tangy flavor profile that bursts with summer fruit essence.
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Fusion: Replace preserves with a layer of chocolate chips and chopped nuts, creating a decadent cookie bar with rich, crunchy elements.
• Cinnamon Roll Inspired: Spread a mixture of brown sugar and ground cinnamon between cookie layers, topped with cream cheese glaze for a warm, comforting twist.
• Nutella Dream Bars: Layer Nutella between the cookie dough for an indulgent chocolate-hazelnut variation that melts in your mouth.

Pop Tart Cookie Bars Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 40 reviews

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Nostalgic pop tart cookie bars merge childhood breakfast memories with irresistible dessert charm. Layers of buttery pastry, sweet fruit filling, and crumbly streusel create a delightful treat you cannot resist sharing with friends and family.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ⅔ cup strawberry preserves

Seasoning and Leavening Agents:

• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Glaze and Decoration:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 ½–2 tablespoons whole milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Rainbow sprinkles

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Prepare a metal 8×8-inch baking vessel by draping parchment paper inside, ensuring overhang for effortless extraction. Calibrate oven temperature to 375°F.
2. Utilize a stand mixer to thoroughly amalgamate butter and sugar until voluminous and airy, approximately three minutes.
3. Introduce eggs and vanilla essence, blending until harmoniously integrated. Methodically scrape mixer sides to ensure uniform mixture.
4. Gradually incorporate flour, salt, and baking soda, gently mixing until dough coheres.
5. Refrigerate dough for twenty minutes to enhance malleability and firmness.
6. Strategically divide cookie dough into equal portions, pressing one half uniformly across parchment-lined pan’s base.
7. Carefully transfer initial dough layer to freezing surface using parchment paper, allowing rapid chilling.
8. Reposition parchment within pan, then evenly distribute remaining dough layer.
9. Generously distribute strawberry preserves across dough surface.
10. Extract chilled dough segment and position atop preserves, applying gentle pressure to secure layers.
11. Transfer pan to preheated oven, baking for 25-28 minutes until surface achieves golden-brown perfection.
12. Allow bars to completely cool on wire rack within pan.
13. Leverage parchment edges to extract bars, inverting orientation.
14. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla into silky glaze.
15. Cascade glaze over bar surface, embellishing with vibrant rainbow sprinkles.
16. Permit bars to stabilize at ambient temperature, allowing glaze to solidify for 1-2 hours.
17. Slice into fifteen delectable segments and savor.

Notes

• Chill the cookie dough before assembling to prevent sticking and make handling easier.
• Use parchment paper overhang as a foolproof method for smooth pan removal and clean cutting.
• Freezing the first layer of dough helps create distinct layers and prevents mixing of preserves.
• Whisking the glaze until smooth ensures a silky, even coating without lumps.
• Rainbow sprinkles transform these bars from ordinary to festive, adding a playful pop of color.
• Allowing glaze to set completely prevents messy cutting and ensures a pristine presentation.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 250
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 85 mg
• Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 38 g
• Fiber: 0.5 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 35 mg