Homemade Pop Tarts

These Homemade Pop Tarts buttery, flaky, and filled with sweet strawberry jam — a major upgrade on the store-bought kind! Drizzle them with a pink vanilla glaze and add a few sprinkles to complete the look. In a hurry? Use pre-made pie crust and store-bought jam for a lightning-fast breakfast treat!

Making your own pop-tarts from scratch at home may seem overly fussy or complicated, but believe me when I say it is worth it. Homemade is always better, especially when it comes to any type of pastry dough. This homemade pop tarts recipe makes the best breakfast treat or after-school snack, but you don't have to stop there. Serve them warm with a little whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for a melty, berries-and-cream-inspired summer dessert. So good!

Why You'll Love These Homemade Pop Tarts

• Completely homemade. Store-bought pop tarts are delicious in their own right, but nothing compares to homemade pie crust and jam made with fresh berries. The flavor doesn't even compare! These are so much better than the real thing, and you only need a handful of basic ingredients. Easy!
• Special breakfast treat. If you want to serve a breakfast your family will remember forever, these homemade strawberry pop tarts are such a special treat! They're great for special occasions, like birthdays or holidays, or to wow your guests at a special Mother's Day brunch or Valentine's Day feast. 
• Easy to adapt. Think of this as your standard pop tart recipe and adapt it as needed. Change the fruit in the jam, use storebought jam, make your own pie crust, or buy some from the store...there are lots of ways to make it your own. 

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Homemade Pop Tarts, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

strawberry jam - we made homemade strawberry jam using fresh strawberries, white sugar, and lemon juice. You can also substitute these ingredients for storebought jam.

• pie crusts - use either homemade or store-bought pie crust.
• egg - mix this with water to make an egg wash.
• confectioners' sugar - powdered sugar will thicken the glaze and add a little extra sweetness.
• heavy cream - for the glaze. Regular milk or half and half work well, too. 
• vanilla extract - for flavor. 
• liquid food colouring - we use pink food coloring to make the glaze pink, but you can substitute with any color that you like.
• sprinkles - white or rainbow look best with the pink glaze.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, a large pan, potato masher, candy thermometer, heat-proof bowl, plastic wrap, baking sheet, parchment paper, rolling pin, tape measure, sharp knife, whisk, pastry brush, and fork.

How to Make the Best Homemade Pop Tarts

First, make the jam filling.

1. Boil. Place the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice into a medium to large size pot over medium-high heat. Stir together and bring to a boil. 
2. Simmer. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, then allow the jam to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
3. Mash. After 10 minutes, use a potato masher to mash the berries up. Allow the mashed berries to continue simmering until thick and jammy, about 5-10 more minutes, or until the jam reaches 220F on a candy thermometer.
4. Cool. Transfer the jam to a heat-proof bowl, cover with plastic cling wrap, and place in the fridge to fully cool, at least 4 to 5 hours, or preferably overnight.

Next, assemble the pop tarts.

1. Prep. When jam is cold, preheat the oven to 400F, and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Roll pie crust. Prepare your pie crusts by rolling both pie crusts into about 13x9-inch rectangles each.
3. Cut pie dough. Cut each rectangle into 8 equal rectangles (4 rectangles across x 2 rectangles high), creating 16 total rectangles.

4. Make egg wash. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together egg with 1 teaspoon water.
5. Assemble the pop tarts. Add about 1 tablespoon of cold jam into the center of half of the rectangles. Brush the perimeter of the filled rectangles with egg wash, then place the plain rectangles on top of the jam-topped rectangles. 

6. Seal edges. Use your fingers to firmly press the dough down around the filling, then use the tines of a fork to seal the edges of each pop tart. Use the fork to also prick the top of each pop-tart.

7. Bake. Carefully transfer the pop tarts onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the top of your pop tarts with the remaining egg wash. Place into the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack, and allow to cool fully to room temperature before glazing.

Finally, glaze the pop tarts.

1. Make glaze. When fully cooled, add confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and pink food colouring to a medium mixing bowl, then whisk together until smooth. 
2. Add glaze. Use a spoon to spread the glaze onto each cooled pop tart.
3. Add sprinkles. Immediately, top with sprinkles. Allow the glaze to fully set before enjoying.

How to Serve

These Strawberry Pop Tarts are delicious served on their own for breakfast, or paired with some other kid-friendly morning recipes including:

• Best Old Fashioned Pancakes
• Egg Muffins
• Hash Browns
• Oat Porridge
• Almond Cranberry Granola Bars
• Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

For more recipes, see our 45+ Breakfast Ideas for Kids.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Once baked, store pop tarts in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

How to Reheat

These homemade pop-tarts are best served still slightly warm from the oven. If you have extras, pop them in a toaster oven or air fryer to warm up at 350 F for a few minutes. 

How to Freeze

The pop tarts can be frozen before or after baking. To freeze and bake later, freeze them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, then transfer them to an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap. Bake from frozen. Leftover baked pop tarts can also be frozen and then rewarmed in a toaster oven. 

FAQ

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