Easy Homemade Pop Tarts

Name: Homemade Pop Tarts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: 1½ cups strawberries, chopped; 1/3 cup sugar; 1-2 tablespoons honey; Homemade or store-bought pie dough; 2-3 tablespoons milk; 1 egg white (from pasteurized eggs); 1¼ cups sifted powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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.

Preheat
Turn your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper while it heats.
Combine
In a 2-3 quart saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, and honey with a splash of water
Simmer
Let the mixture simmer on medium heat for ~10 minutes or until it reaches a jam-like consistency.
Roll
While the filling is cooling, roll the pie dough to ⅛ inch thick.
Cut
Cut the dough into 12 rectangles 3X4-inches in size.
Fill
Use ~1 tablespoon of the jam to fill the center of half of the rectangle dough pieces.
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.
Bake
Bake the pastries for about 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown.
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.

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.

Homemade Pop Tarts

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

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 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Oven
Cuisine: Dessert

Ingredients

Scale

For Homemade PopTarts:

1½ 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)
1¼ cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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.
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.
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.
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).
Bake the pastries in the preheated oven, until golden brown, for about 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
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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