Over 60 years ago, Kellogg’s released four flavors of a hand-held, cellophane wrapped pastry–strawberry, blueberry, apple-currant and brown sugar cinnamon. Three of those flavors remain to this day, including my favorite–brown sugar cinnamon. Even though Kellogg’s marketed their Pop-Tarts as a breakfast item, Mom didn’t see it the same way. Needless to say, Pop-Tarts remain a special treat on limited occasions until today!
Another special occasion not too long ago was visiting Page, in northern Arizona with The Hubby and Son A. Like those Pop-Tarts, this visit was a trip down memory lane. I grew up in nearby northern Bryce Canyon country. Mom, Pop and I spent a lot of time driving around the Utah red rocks, including the Cottonwood/Paria Road shortcut to Page (in red below). The last time we spent any extended amount of time here was years ago, so sharing this area with Son A was sentimental. (He tolerated my stories!)
People flock to Page to marvel at and hike its breathtaking landscape. Horseshoe Bend is an iconic 270 degree turn on the Colorado River. Boaters fish, waterski and float on Lake Powell in nearby Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
What drove us to Page was hiking Antelope Canyon on the Navajo Nation. Antelope Canyon is the collective name for a series of six iconic slot canyons. Slot canyons are formed from flash floods and erosion over time through a formation called Navajo Sandstone. Its crimson, orange and pink hues are created by the iron oxide in these now solidified sand dunes, formed over 190 million years ago during the Jurassic Period. To access one of these canyons, you must have a hiking permit and guide. Fortunately, several Navajo-owned tour companies gladly assist with this. We used Ken’s Tours to go down into the Lower Antelope Canyon.
Hikers are placed into guided groups departing every 15 minutes. On the surface, the terrain looks like most of the desert southwest region–sandy dry creek beds, interspersed with sagebrush and windswept rock outcroppings.
Getting close to the canyon’s entrance gives one a sense of what’s to come. The gritty trail fades into a series of twisting sandstone formations leading into a steep opening. What lies beneath the surface is truly breathtaking!
At every twist and turn, literally, layers of warm ombre colors stand out as overhead light streams in.
If you know where to look, several formations within the canyon have specific names like The Lion, Seahorse, and the Rocky Mountains.
Getting out of the Canyon is much like going in. After weaving through narrow curves and ducking around protruding walls, you exit up another ladder and emerge again. From the surface, you can’t fully appreciate the beauty below.
So why Brown Sugar Pop Tart Cookies? They’re an iconic favorite, much like the Lower Antelope Canyon is to the U.S. Southwest. Both have layers, and well, why not?!
The dough is a quintessential vanilla and brown-sugar cookie base. Cornstarch in it prevents the dough from spreading too much during the bake time, and creates a softer baked cookie. But it’s the cinnamon filling and icing that send this sweet treat back to childhood. Biting through the tender cookie and into the cinnamon-y center is akin to chomping down on that pastry of the same name. Now your brown sugar cinnamon craving can be satisfied any day or night. If you’re interested, King Arthur Flour has a recipe for a Giant Brown Sugar Cinnamon tart here. Enjoy!
PrintBrown Sugar Pop Tart Cookies
Remember the time when you ran out of cellophane wrapped brown sugar-cinnamon pastries and craved them, but couldn’t get to the store… Now you can make this nostalgic treat as a cookie any time of day, or night!
- Prep Time: 20-30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 11-14 Minutes
- Total Time: About 1-1/2 Hours
- Yield: 10–12 Cookies 1x
Ingredients
For the Dough:
1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1–3/4 c. + 2 T. all-purpose flour
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (table, kosher or sea)
For the Filling:
1/4 c. + 2 T. light brown sugar, packed
2 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
For the Icing:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 T. unsalted. butter, melted
1 T. milk (whole or 2%)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
To Make the Dough:
Using a hand-held or a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, beating well to incorporate. Stir in all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder and soda, and salt. Stir. until. mixture comes together.
Use a #50 scoop (3 T.) to form dough balls. Place on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet. Set aside.*
To Make Filling:
In a medium-sized bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, flour and cinnamon. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to press the mixture together until it becomes a uniformly mixed paste.
To Assemble Cookies:
Flatten each dough ball into a 3-inch wide disk. Spoon about 1 tsp. of filling into the center of each disk. Press the dough up and around the filling. Roll dough into a smooth ball and return to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Refrigerate dough balls for about 1 hour.
Towards the end of the dough’s chill time, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Space dough balls out about 2-inches on the baking sheet. Bake for 11-14 minutes, or until the dough tops appears set and the edges appear golden brown. Cool cookies on a wire rack.
To Make Icing:
Combine all icing ingredients in a small bowl, whisking until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon of icing over the top of each cookie. Icing will set. Cookies can be stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.
Notes
*Cookie dough can be frozen at this point for up 3 months in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. When ready to bake, remove dough from freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before baking.
IMNPB
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