1-First Step: Preparation and Mise en Place Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F. This temperature is ideal for baking the cookie dough through without burning the edges. While the oven heats up, grab a 9×13-inch baking pan. Grease the pan thoroughly with butter or cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal later. Parchment paper is highly recommended as it allows you to lift the entire batch out at once for clean cutting. Chop your 6-8 Pop Tarts into small, bite-sized squares. Keep them relatively uniform in size so they distribute evenly throughout the bars.

2-Second Step: Making the Cookie Dough In a large mixing bowl, cream together the 1 cup softened butter and 1 cup granulated sugar. You want to beat these together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which usually takes about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer. This step incorporates air into the dough, making the final texture lighter. Add in the 1 large egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract, mixing well until fully combined. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until a dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the bars tough. The dough should be soft and pliable.

3-Third Step: Layering the Ingredients Take about half of your cookie dough and press it evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. You can use your hands or the back of a greased spatula to flatten it out. Try to create an even layer so the bars bake uniformly. Once the base is set, scatter the chopped Pop Tarts evenly over the dough. Press them down gently so they adhere to the base layer.

4-Fourth Step: Adding the Top Layer Take the remaining half of the cookie dough. Since it can be sticky to handle, you can flatten it between two pieces of wax paper or parchment paper to create a sheet roughly the size of your pan. Carefully place this sheet of dough over the chopped Pop Tarts. If the dough breaks apart, simply press the pieces together with your fingers to seal the top layer. It does not need to look perfect, as the glaze will cover imperfections, but try to cover as much of the filling as possible.

5-Final Step: Baking and Glazing Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. You are looking for the edges to turn a golden brown color. The center should be set and not jiggly. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan. This is crucial because if you try to cut them while warm, they will crumble. Once cooled, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Drizzle this mixture over the cooled bars. For an extra flair, you can add sprinkles on top of the glaze before it sets. Cut into squares and serve.