If you love the nostalgic flavor of cherry Pop-Tarts and want a fun twist that’s soft, chewy, and homemade, these Cherry Pop Tart Cookies are calling your name! They’ve got a buttery sugar cookie base, a cherry jam center that’s sweet and tart, and a vanilla glaze topped with colorful sanding sugar—just like the classic toaster treat. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or whenever you need a little dose of childhood joy.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE COOKIES
Pop-Tart Inspired: All the classic cherry Pop-Tart vibes—but softer, thicker, and made from scratch.
Soft & Chewy Texture: Thanks to a touch of milk and cornstarch in the dough, these bake up pillowy and tender.
Easy & Fun: Made with pantry staples and easy-to-follow steps. A great weekend baking project!
Versatile: Swap out the cherry preserves for other flavors if you’re feeling adventurous!
These cookies are adapted from my Viral Soft Frosted Sugar Cookie Recipe, so you already know they’re going to be melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
RECIPE TIPS
Chill the Jam: Freezing the jam makes it much easier to work with and keeps it from seeping out during baking.
Don’t Overfill: A little over a teaspoon of filling is the sweet spot!
Make-Ahead Dough: You can make the dough the night before and store it in the fridge—just let it sit at room temp for 15 minutes before assembling.
Filling Swaps: Cherry is classic, but raspberry, blueberry, or even a spoonful of Nutella would be delicious!
Sprinkle It Up: Use any fun sprinkles you like—rainbow nonpareils, red sanding sugar, or heart-shaped ones for Valentine’s Day.
WHY THESE COOKIES ARE A MUST-TRY
Whether you’re baking for a weekend treat, hosting a themed party, or just want to make something fun with the kids, these Cherry Pop Tart Cookies are a guaranteed hit. They’re soft, buttery, and packed with jammy goodness—plus that glaze and sprinkle combo? Chef’s kiss.
Perfectly round cookies every time!
Use the cookie cutter swirl trick right out of the oven to make your cookies look bakery-perfect. It’s an easy step that makes a big visual impact, especially if you’re sharing on social media or gifting to friends!
Give them a try and bring a little Pop-Tart magic into your kitchen! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @mymessykitchenn or so I can see your cherry-filled creations!
Cherry Pop Tart Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp whole milk room temperature
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the jam:
- 1 cup store-bought cherry pie filling
- 2 tbsp corn starch
For the icing:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3-5 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- red sanding sugar
- red or pink food dye
Instructions
For the jam:
- Make the jam first to allow the mixture to set. In a small bowl, whisk the jam and corn starch together. I like to scoop out 12 mounded 1 teaspoons of the mixture on a plate lined with ax paper, but you can freeze the whole bowl and scoop the filling as well. Place in the freezer until needed.
For the cookies:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla, almond extract, eggs and milk.
- Mix on low until just incorporated.While the mixer is on low, slowly add in the flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt and mix until everything is just incorporated. Do not over mix.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie) to make dough balls. If the dough feels too soft to work work, refrigerate for 10 minutes before filling.
For assembly:
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Once the jam is set (about 30 minutes) take 1 cookie dough ball at a time and flatten the cookie dough in your hand. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of the jam into the center of the dough. Fold the dough over the jam and seal. Roll to make round and place on the cookie sheet. **If the dough is too sticky, lightly dust hands with flour.
- These cookies will spread so space only 3-4 per cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are set and starting to lightly brown. These cookies stay pretty light so don't wait for them to be golden brown or they will overcook.
- Remove from the oven and place a larger bowl or cookie cutter over the cookie and gently scoot it around to reshape the cookie to be a circle. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cookie rack to cool completely.
For the icing:
- Once the cookies have cooled make the icing. In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency. Add red or pink food dye until it gets to the desired color. Spread the icing on top and top with sanding sugar sprinkles. Serve & enjoy!
Random- could I add almond extract to this? Thank you so much! So excited to try it! I will post after as well
Yes definitely! Originally the recipe had 1/2 tsp of almond extract in addition to the vanilla but with it not being a super common ingredient I omitted it. It tastes great with that addition though 🙂