Homemade Pop Tarts

Homemade pop tarts are a fun breakfast treat.  Fill this delicious pastry with your favorite jam and top with a simple glaze.  They look like the original and taste even better.

As a kid, I loved having a Pop-Tart for breakfast or a snack occasionally.  My favorite flavors were frosted strawberry and S'mores.  And in college, I would stock up on Pop-Tarts as an option for an easy breakfast before class.  However, as a mom to two, conscious of what I feed my children and with a passion for baking, I now prefer to make homemade pop tarts.  This recipe easy to make, looks like the original Pop-Tarts, and tastes even better.

Homemade pop tarts begin with my all-butter pie crust.  The pastry is cut into rectangles, chilled, and then filled with your favorite jam.  Once baked and cooled, these pop tarts are topped with a simple glaze, and for an extra fun presentation, topped with sprinkles.

Before you begin

Take out the following baking equipment.

Digital kitchen scale
2 baking sheet pans
Parchment paper
Rolling pin
Knife
2 small bowls
Whisk
Small saucepan
Pastry brush
Spoon
Toothpick, skewer, or chopstick
Fork
Wire cooling rack

Read the recipe through from start to finish.

Understanding Ingredients

These homemade pop tarts begin with my all-butter pie crust.  Using only butter, as opposed to a combination of butter and shortening, creates a pastry that is flaky with a mouthwatering sensation.  Ensure that all of your pastry ingredients are cold (ideally, butter and water should come straight from the refrigerator) when added to the dough.  Doing this will prevent your butter from melting and losing its flakiness.

It's essential to take the time to chill your dough.  First, chill your dough once you mix it, which allows the gluten to relax and for the butter to chill back down.  Then after you cut your dough into rectangles, chill your dough a second time to chill your butter again down.  Finally, after your homemade pop tarts are filled, chill one last time before baking to allow them to rest.  This will also allow the dough to firm up again and prevent the pop tarts from spreading in the oven.

Select your favorite flavor jam for the filling.  It is better to choose a jam over preserves as preserves have large chunks of fruit.  The smoother the consistency for the filling, the more ideal it is for these homemade pop tarts.

How to thicken your filling

When using jam filling, I suggest cooking it before adding to your homemade pop tarts to thicken the consistency.  Doing this will help prevent your mixture from oozing out, and it will add a lovely texture.

Begin with whisking the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl.  Add your favorite jam and cornstarch mixture to a small saucepan and whisk together.  Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool while you prepare the pastry dough.

How to cut your dough

Once your dough has chilled, on a lightly floured work surface, roll it to about 1/8 - 1/4-inch thick.  You should have at least a 9 by 12-inch rectangle.  Using a pastry wheel, knife, or pizza cutter, cut the short end of the dough into three 3-inch strips and the long end into three 4-inch strips to produce 9 rectangles (each measuring 3 by 4-inches).

During the process of rolling your dough and cutting, work quickly and efficiently to prevent your dough from warming up too much.  Doing so will also make it easier to transfer your dough to your prepared baking pans while keeping the perfect rectangle shapes.

Tips and Takeaways

• Use a ruler to measure out your pastry dough for the homemade pop tarts.  It will allow for precision, which will create perfect rectangles.  I love using this ruler for all my baking because it's wide and easy to use.
• Homemade pop tarts freeze well.  Once they are baked and cooled completely to room temperature, you can store them in a freezer bag and place in the freezer for up to 2 months.  To serve, thaw overnight and reheat in a 350°F/177°C oven for 10 minutes.
• If you love chocolate, you can omit the fruit filling and fill with Nutella as a delicious option.  Alternatively, you can use the chocolate filling from my chocolate brioche as another option.

More breakfast recipes

• Cinnamon roll coffee cake
• Chocolate brioche
• Homemade cinnamon rolls
• Strawberry rhubarb brioche

Make sure to tag me @thesweetoccasion on Instagram and leave me a review below if you make these Homemade Pop Tarts. I'd love to see your creations and read your feedback.  And if you would like to make this recipe later, be sure to pin this recipe using the button on any of these images. Let's make every occasion a sweet occasion!

Homemade Pop Tarts

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• Author: Maria
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 9 pop tarts 1x

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Description

Homemade pop tarts are a fun breakfast treat.  Fill this delicious pastry with your favorite jam and top with a simple glaze.  They look like the original and taste even better.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the pastry

• 1 recipe All-butter pie crust
• 140 g (1/2 cup) fruit jam
• 4.5 g (1 1/2 teaspoons) cornstarch
• 8.4 g (1 1/2 teaspoons) water
• 50 g (1 large) egg
• 9.5. g (2 teaspoons) milk

For the glaze

• 90 g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar
• 30 g (2 tablespoon) heavy cream or milk
• (1/2 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract

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Instructions

For the pastry

1. Follow the directions for the all-butter pie crust recipe.  Line two baking sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper and set aside.
2. Remove one of the the chilled dough discs from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10-15 mintues.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle.  Using a pastry wheel or knife, cut the dough into 9 rectangles, each measuring 3 by 4-inches.
3. Gently transfer the cut dough to one of the prepared baking sheet pans leaving 2-inches between each pastry.  Place the baking sheet pan into the refrigerator and remove the second dough disc.  Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the second dough.  Transfer the rectangles to the second baking sheet pan and place in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the filling.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water together.  Add the jam and cornstarch mixture to a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and allow the mixture to simmer for about 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
5. In a small bowl whisk the egg and milk together.  Set aside.
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator.  Brush one tray of pastry with the egg wash mixture and spoon 1 teaspoon of the filling onto the center of the rectangles.  Spread jam leaving a 1-inch border around. Using a toothpick, skewer, or chopstick, poke holes in the remaining rectangles to allow the steam to escape during baking.  Place these rectangles ontop of the jam pastries.  Crimp the edges with a fork to seal.  Refrigerate the filled pop tarts for 30 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C.  After the chilling period, brush the tops of the pastries with the remaining egg wash.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pop tarts are golden brown.  Allow to cool 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the glaze

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla.  Spoon the glaze over each pop tart.

Notes

1. Stoarge:  Store pop tarts in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Breakfast