Fudge Stripe Cookie Breakfast Pastries
Maybe I’ve always loved Fudge Stripe cookies because of a story my mom used to tell me.
When she was pregnant with me, she kept a package of Fudge Stripe cookies in the freezer and ate two of them every day during her lunch break. Somehow, all these years later, they’ve remained one of my favorite cookies.
So when it came time to create recipe #5 in my Nostalgic Cookie Series, Fudge Stripes felt like the obvious choice.
I knew I wanted to turn them into something that felt a little more special than simply another cookie recipe. Something buttery. Something flaky. Something that looked like it belonged in a bakery display case.
These Fudge Stripe Cookie Breakfast Pastries start with a buttery homemade pastry dough that bakes up beautifully flaky and golden. Inside is a creamy Fudge Stripe cookie butter filling made from real cookies, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and just enough malted milk pastry cream to create a silky texture without overshadowing the cookie flavor. A ribbon of milk chocolate fudge runs through the center, and everything gets finished with a vanilla glaze and plenty of crumbled Fudge Stripe cookies on top.
The result is buttery, flaky, nostalgic, and packed with Fudge Stripe flavor in every bite.
Why You’ll Love These Fudge Stripe Cookie Breakfast Pastries
- Loaded with real Fudge Stripe cookies
- Buttery, flaky homemade pastry
- Creamy cookie butter filling
- Bakery-worthy presentation
- Great for brunch, dessert, or special breakfasts
- Recipe #5 in my Nostalgic Cookie Series
The Star Of The Show: Homemade Fudge Stripe Cookie Butter
The filling is what truly makes these pastries special.
Instead of relying on frosting or a simple cream filling, Fudge Stripe cookies are blended into fine crumbs and transformed into a rich cookie butter spread. A little melted butter, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and cream help create a smooth, spreadable filling that tastes unmistakably like the classic cookie.
To make the texture even creamier, a small amount of vanilla malt pastry cream gets folded in.
The goal isn’t to make the filling taste like pastry cream.
The goal is to make the cookie butter even better.
Every bite should immediately remind you of a Fudge Stripe cookie.
The Secret To Flaky Bakery-Style Pastries
The dough is surprisingly simple, but a few details make a huge difference.
First, don’t overwork the butter. Those larger butter shards throughout the dough are what create the flaky layers during baking.
Second, don’t skip the overnight chill. Not only does the dough become easier to work with, but the final pastry texture improves dramatically.
Finally, keep everything cold.
Freezing the cut pastry rectangles before assembly helps preserve those buttery layers and makes the pastries easier to assemble cleanly.
Make-Ahead Friendly
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that most of the work can be done ahead of time.
The pastry dough and pastry cream are both prepared on Day 1 and chilled overnight.
The next day, all that’s left is rolling, filling, baking, and glazing.
Breaking the recipe into two days makes the process much more manageable and produces the best possible texture.
More Recipes From My Nostalgic Cookie Series
These Fudge Stripe Cookie Breakfast Pastries are recipe #5 in my Nostalgic Cookie Series, where childhood cookie favorites are transformed into bakery-style desserts.
If you loved this recipe, be sure to check out the others in the series:
Oreo Milk Soak Cake
Ultra-soft chocolate cake soaked with blended Oreo cream and topped with fluffy Oreo mousse.
Golden Oreo Goo Bars
Soft vanilla cookie bars packed with Golden Oreos, marshmallow fluff, and creamy Oreo filling.
Frosted Animal Cookie Rolls
Ultra-soft rolls filled with frosted animal cookies and finished with a glossy vanilla icing.
Nutter Butter Deep Dish Cookie
A gooey peanut butter deep dish cookie layered with Nutter Butters and served warm with peanut butter caramel and vanilla ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.
Can I make the pastry cream ahead of time?
Absolutely. The pastry cream can be made the day before and stored in the refrigerator until needed.
Do I have to use the malted milk powder?
No. It adds a subtle nostalgic bakery flavor, but the pastries are still delicious without it.
Can I freeze these?
Yes. For best results, freeze the baked, unglazed pastries for up to 2 months. Thaw and glaze before serving.
Why freeze the pastry rectangles before assembly?
Keeping the dough cold helps create flaky layers and makes assembly much easier.
Can I use store-bought pie dough?
You can, but the homemade pastry is what gives these pastries their signature flaky bakery-style texture.
I think these might be my favorite recipe in the Nostalgic Cookie Series so far.
Maybe it’s because Fudge Stripe cookies have always been one of my favorites. Maybe it’s because of that story about my mom keeping them in the freezer while she was pregnant with me.
Either way, these pastries turned out exactly how I hoped they would.
Flaky homemade pastry. Creamy Fudge Stripe cookie butter filling. A ribbon of chocolate fudge. Thick vanilla glaze. Plenty of cookie crumbs on top.
If you love Fudge Stripe cookies, I think you’re going to love these too.
Fudge Stripe Cookie Breakfast Pastries
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 425 g (3½ cups) all-purpose flour, 28 g (2 tbsp) light brown sugar, and 1½ tsp salt.
- Cut 340 g (1½ cups / 3 sticks) cold unsalted butter into small cubes. Add the butter to the flour mixture and use your hands to work it into the flour until you have pea-sized pieces throughout along with larger flat shards of butter.
- Stir 1½ tsp vanilla extract into 140–150 g (9–10 tbsp) ice water.
- Gradually add the water mixture to the flour mixture, tossing until the dough just begins to hold together when squeezed. Start with 140 g (9 tbsp) water and add more only if needed.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press it into a rough rectangle.
- Fold the top third of the dough down toward the center, then fold the bottom third up over it, like folding a business letter.
- Divide into 2 equal rectangles, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
- Heat 240 g (1 cup) whole milk in a saucepan until steaming.
- In a bowl, whisk together 2 egg yolks, 45 g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) granulated sugar, and 18 g (2 tbsp) cornstarch.
- Slowly whisk the hot milk into the yolk mixture.
- Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in 28 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a very small pinch of malted milk powder.
- Taste before adding additional malted milk powder. A little goes a long way and can easily overpower the Fudge Stripe flavor.
- Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator.
- Roll each dough half slightly larger than 10 x 16 inches.
- Trim each piece into a clean 10 x 16-inch rectangle.
- 4 bottom rectangles measuring 4 x 5 inches
- 4 top rectangles measuring 4 x 5 inches
- 8 rectangles from the first sheet
- 8 rectangles from the second sheet
- 16 pastry rectangles
- 8 finished pastries
- Transfer the rectangles to parchment-lined baking sheets and freeze for 30 minutes while preparing the filling.
- Combine 60 g (⅓ cup chopped) milk chocolate, 45 g (3 tbsp) heavy cream, and a pinch of salt.
- Heat until smooth and glossy.
- Set aside to cool and thicken while preparing the filling.
- Blend 220 g Fudge Stripe cookies (about 20–22 cookies) in a Nutribullet or small blender until finely ground.
- Transfer the crumbs to a bowl.
- Add 28 g (2 tbsp) melted unsalted butter, 40 g (2 tbsp) sweetened condensed milk, 30–45 g (2–3 tbsp) heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
- Mix until smooth and spreadable.
- Add all of the cookie butter to a bowl.
- Fold in about half of the pastry cream.
- Taste and continue adding pastry cream until the filling reaches your preferred consistency and flavor.
- The Fudge Stripe cookie flavor should remain the dominant flavor.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Place 8 bottom pastry rectangles onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Using a 2 tbsp cookie scoop, place 2 scoops of filling onto each pastry rectangle.
- Spread the filling into an even layer, leaving a border around the edges.
- Drizzle a ribbon of the fudge mixture over the filling.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg and 1 tsp water.
- Brush the borders lightly with the egg wash.
- Top with a second pastry rectangle.
- Use your fingers to gently press around the filling, removing any air pockets and sealing the edges.
- Crimp the edges with a small fork.
- Poke a few vent holes into the tops.
- Brush the tops lightly with additional egg wash.
- Bake at 400°F (204°C) for 20–23 minutes, checking at 20 minutes.
- The pastries should be golden brown and flaky.
- Cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
- In a bowl, whisk together 180 g (1½ cups) powdered sugar, 28–36 g (2–2½ tbsp) milk, ¾ tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until thick but spreadable.
- Spoon the glaze over the completely cooled pastries.
- Immediately top with 2–3 crumbled Fudge Stripe cookies.
- Allow the glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- Refrigerating the dough overnight is highly recommended. The dough becomes much easier to roll out and develops a noticeably flakier texture after a long chill.
- Be careful with the malted milk powder. Start with a very small pinch, taste, and add more only if needed. Too much can quickly overpower the Fudge Stripe flavor.
- The Fudge Stripe cookie butter should remain the dominant flavor in the filling. Add the pastry cream gradually until you achieve your preferred balance.
- Freezing the cut pastry rectangles for about 30 minutes before assembly helps keep the dough cold, prevents sticking, and creates flakier layers.
- Rolling each dough half slightly larger than 10 x 16 inches and trimming to a clean 10 x 16-inch rectangle provides enough dough for 8 pastries with clean edges and minimal waste.
- Top with crumbled Fudge Stripe cookies immediately after glazing so the crumbs adhere properly.
Storage
Room Temperature
Store glazed pastries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The pastry will remain flaky, though the glaze may soften slightly over time.Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For the best texture, allow the pastries to come to room temperature before serving.Freezer
Freeze the baked, unglazed pastries in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then glaze and garnish before serving.Make Ahead
Day 1
- Make the pastry dough.
- Make the pastry cream.
Day 2
- Roll and cut the dough.
- Prepare the fudge ribbon.
- Make the cookie butter filling.
- Assemble, bake, glaze, and serve.
