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Easy Homemade Pop Tarts

three pop tarts on a cooling rack, one of the frosted

Perfectly iced and stuffed with strawberry filling, these homemade pop tarts are a major upgrade from the store-bought version. Made with real ingredients, they’re the perfect sweet breakfast idea or afternoon treat.

four homemade poptarts on a cooling rack, one of them frosted

Homemade Pop Tart Ingredients

If your kids are anything like mine, they love pop tarts, and if you’re anything like me, you hate the long list of processed ingredients. After scanning my son’s packaged snack in frustration one day, I decided to make my own healthier version, including:

  • strawberries
  • sugar
  • honey
  • pie dough
  • milk
  • egg white
  • powdered sugar
  • vanilla extract 
closeup of two homemade pop tarts on a baking rack, the top on frosted

How to Make Pop Tarts

Now, you may be asking yourself, “How is it even possible to make pop tarts from scratch?” While it may seem intimidating, the process uses ready-made pie crust and takes only 30 minutes to finish.

  1. Preheat
    Turn your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper while it heats.
  2. Combine
    In a 2-3 quart saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, and honey with a splash of water
  3. Simmer
    Let the mixture simmer on medium heat for ~10 minutes or until it reaches a jam-like consistency.
  4. Roll
    While the filling is cooling, roll the pie dough to ⅛ inch thick.
  5. Cut
    Cut the dough into 12 rectangles 3X4-inches in size.
  6. Fill
    Use ~1 tablespoon of the jam to fill the center of half of the rectangle dough pieces.
  7. Seal
    Brush milk along the dough’s edge, and place a second rectangle on top of the first to seal the pop tart. Then, press a fork along the edges to make sure they are pressed down and cut 3-4 small slits on top of the pop tart.
  8. Bake
    Bake the pastries for about 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown.
  9. Frost
    Once cooled, ice the pop tarts, and enjoy!

Easy, right? I’ll be honest. Some of my pop tarts came out a bit “sloppy,” with filling oozing out from the edge. Some of the dough I didn’t roll to the same consistency. They were not perfect. The perfectionist in me was very upset at first, but my taste buds won. The imperfections in my homemade pop tarts made them, well perfect. I’m sure after making them, you’ll see why too!

How to Make Pop Tart Icing

While it’s easy to buy icing from the store, the homemade version tastes so much better. Plus, it’s super quick! All you need to is:

Beat
Using a mixer, beat the egg whites on a medium speed until stiff peaks begin to form.

Mix
Add the powdered sugar and continue to mix. Then, add the vanilla, make sure it is evenly mixed, and enjoy!

Best Fruit Filling for Homemade Pop Tarts

Feel free to get creative with your filling! Personally, I think strawberry filling is the best for homemade pop tarts. However, use whatever fruit you like best. If using a store-bought jam, it’s a good option to look for low-sugar varieties made with little to no processed ingredients.

More Homemade Pop Tart Fillings

Not a fruit fan? No problem! Get the kids involved, and turn your homemade pop tarts into a fun dessert. Here are a few more filling option ideas to swap out with the classic recipe shared below. Or, you can try one of these ideas with my gluten-free pop tart recipe.

  • S’mores Pop Tarts
  • PB&J
  • Nutella (or homemade nutella!)

Freezing Homemade Pop Tarts

When kept in an airtight container, these homemade pop tarts can last up to 6 months in the freezer. They’re the perfect meal prep recipe for busy weekday mornings! All you have to do is pull one out of the freezer the night before or pop it in the toaster for a delicious on-the-go meal in minutes.

Print

Homemade Pop Tarts

three pop tarts on a cooling rack, one of the frosted
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Easy homemade pop tarts stuffed with strawberries and topped with the most amazing homemade glaze. 

  • Author: MOMables.com
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6-7 poptarts
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Dessert

Ingredients

Units

For Homemade PopTarts:

  • 1 ½ cups strawberries, chopped
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1–2 tablespoons honey
  • Homemade or store-bought pie dough
  • 2–3 tablespoons milk

For Icing:

  • 1 egg white (from pasteurized eggs)
  • 1 ¼ cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a small 2-3 quart saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, and honey with a splash of water. Heat over medium heat, bringing the mixture to a simmer for about 10 minutes until it’s the consistency of jam. Once the strawberries have broken down, remove from the heat, and allow it to cool completely. You can skip this step, and use your favorite jam or fresh fruit instead.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll your pie dough to ⅛-inch thick. Cut the dough into 12, 3×4-inch, rectangles.You will need two rectangles per poptart and more than likely, you’ll need to re-shape and recut dough as you go along.
  4. Fill a small dish with milk and set it next to your baking sheet. Place one row of rectangles onto the lined baking sheet. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of strawberry filling onto the center of each rectangle, making sure the filling doesn’t get too close to the edges. Carefully, with a pastry brush or your finger, brush milk onto the edges of the dough.
  5. Top each bottom rectangle with a second piece of rectangular dough. Using your fingers, press down the edges. Then, with a fork, lightly press down to seal the edges of the dough all around. With a sharp knife, cut a 3 or 4 small slits in the top of each poptart (about ½ inch each).
  6. Bake the pastries in the preheated oven, until golden brown, for about 25 to 30 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
  8. To make icing, beat the egg white on medium-high speed until peaks form. Add the powdered sugar, mixing gradually, and add the vanilla toward the end. Once the frosting is finished, spread onto each poptart and enjoy!

Equipment

Clean Treats Cookbook

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The Best Homemade Kid’s Snacks on the Planet

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Notes

MOM Tip: Make “mini” poptarts with the leftover filling and dough scraps.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 pop tart
  • Calories: 437
  • Sugar: 34.8g
  • Sodium: 278.5mg
  • Fat: 16.9g
  • Saturated Fat: 6.3g
  • Carbohydrates: 69.6g
  • Fiber: 1.8g
  • Protein: 2.8g
  • Cholesterol: 0.4mg

Did you make this recipe?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Karen

    July 01, 2015 at 8:10 am

    ate there any safe sugar substitutes that would work like Stevia or something similar- not Splenda or aspartame

    Reply
    • MOMables

      July 01, 2015 at 8:58 am

      I have not tried making these with a sugar replacement. If you use stevia successfully, please let us know of the outcome. Thank you!

      Reply
  2. erin

    March 29, 2014 at 10:03 am

    I am finally going to try this today! We’ve decided that Nutella and bananas will be our filling. Thanks for an awesome, easy, healthier alternative to the store bought ones! Will definitely let you know how they turn out!

    Reply
  3. Makena

    February 01, 2014 at 9:09 pm

    Yum!!! Mine just came out of the oven, super satisfied with the results. (;

    Reply
  4. Mia

    December 10, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    How would I freeze and thaw these for future use?

    Reply
    • Michelle

      December 11, 2013 at 9:24 am

      Mia, make the poptarts as above (only without the frosting), put in the freezer for later use and then heat them in the toaster when you are ready to use them!

      Reply
  5. Lauree Kramer

    December 07, 2013 at 6:30 pm

    I have a sister whose three children are, in her own words, addicted to Pop Tarts and I want to show her how easy it is to make her own. I already have homemade strawberry jam from this summer and am going to use that with store bought dough for now because we have had a long weekend of funerals and traveling and I just want to get it done as quick as possible so they can be done when she’s ready to head home.

    Reply
    • MOMables

      December 08, 2013 at 9:24 pm

      you are a great sister Lauree! make sure you don’t over fill them with the homemade jam and that you press around the edges well to seal them. enjoy!

      Reply
      • Lauree Kramer

        December 12, 2013 at 12:59 pm

        They turned out great! My sister called me the next day so the kids could thank me. I ended up making four batches so we had some for own use. I frosted the ones I sent home with my sister (since that’s what her kids are used to) but we had ours just plain and loved them. My husband did have a blond moment and wasn’t thinking about how hot they’d be coming out of the toaster and gave himself a finger blister. I think he learned his lesson.

        Reply
        • Michelle

          December 12, 2013 at 9:21 pm

          Lauree, I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them! And hopefully your husband’s finger is better lol :)

          Reply
        • MOMables

          December 12, 2013 at 10:56 pm

          so glad everyone loved them!!

          Reply
  6. Jill B

    November 25, 2013 at 5:59 pm

    Made these this morning and used frozen organic strawberries. SOO delicious. Will never buy anymore again. Thanks so much, our 4 kids loved these.

    Reply
    • Michelle

      November 26, 2013 at 4:36 pm

      I’m so glad to hear that Jill! We love them too. I actually should make some more! :)

      Reply
  7. Megan

    October 24, 2013 at 7:39 am

    Can you use frozen fruit to make the filling?

    Reply
    • MOMables

      October 24, 2013 at 11:10 am

      yes, but you must thaw it and drain out the defrosted “juices” first… otherwise it will run out of the pastry. :)

      Reply
  8. Lee Anne

    October 11, 2013 at 6:48 pm

    In regards to being able to reheat them in the toaster…can I expect much of a problem with the filling seeping out, or does it stay contained for the most part? I have not seen any other recipes that allot for putting them in the toaster so this strikes my curiosity. Other than that, I LOVE that you are making homemade fillings and not using all that processed junk from a jar!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      October 15, 2013 at 5:22 pm

      Lee Anne, if you make them properly (unlike my photos ;)) the filling should not seep out. My poptarts were a bit messy, but I honestly didn’t have trouble heating them up. However if you make sure the filling is in the middle, and seal the edges with the fork you should be fine!

      Reply
  9. Christine

    October 06, 2013 at 8:03 am

    Hi, loving these! Raw egg whites for the icing? Am I reading that correctly?

    Reply
    • MOMables

      October 06, 2013 at 5:17 pm

      Hi Christine! Yes, it’s called “royal icing”. If you are not comfortable, make a traditional icing of powdered sugar and milk. Check out this video by Alton Brown where he explains it.

      Reply
  10. Allison

    September 24, 2013 at 4:58 pm

    I just made these with the homemade pie crust!! Super Yummy. Didn’t have enough strawberries so I added a couple of slices of peach in. Thanks for the awesome recipe!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      October 07, 2013 at 6:54 pm

      That sounds delicious with the peaches! yum!

      Reply
  11. Jessica P.

    September 23, 2013 at 6:22 am

    I am so excited to try this!! Just have one question…. If I am unable to get organic strawberries , would store bought organic pie filling work?? Also, that way have a couple different flavors… Thanks… :)

    Reply
    • MOMables

      September 23, 2013 at 2:30 pm

      you can mix and match your fruits and fillings as you want. the recipe is super (super) flexible in terms of what you fill it with.

      Reply
  12. Kim M

    September 09, 2013 at 10:08 am

    How do you store these out of the freezer, and how long do you think they’re good for?

    Reply
    • MOMables

      September 09, 2013 at 10:22 am

      Once baked, I store them in an airtight container or zip bag. Good for about 3 days. If you are not able to eat them fresh, store in fridge and toast.

      Reply
  13. suzi

    August 22, 2013 at 11:44 am

    Can these be frozen?

    Reply
    • Michelle

      August 22, 2013 at 4:34 pm

      Suzi, they can be frozen and reheated in a toaster without the frosting :)

      Reply

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