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These Homemade Pop Tarts buttery, flaky, and filled with sweet strawberry jam with a pink vanilla glaze on top — a major upgrade on the store-bought kind! | aheadofthyme.com

Homemade Pop Tarts


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  • Author: Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme
  • Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

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! 


Ingredients

For the jam filling*:

  • 2/3 pound (302 grams) strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 6 tablespoon (75 grams) white sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

* or use 1/2 cup fruit jam

For the pop tarts:

  • 2 pie crusts, homemade or store-bought
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 3/4 cup (90 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream (or milk)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-2 drops liquid pink food colouring
  • 1-2 tablespoons sprinkles, white or rainbow

Instructions

Make the jam filling:

  1. 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. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, then allow the jam to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. 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. 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.

Assemble the pop tarts:

  1. When jam is cold, preheat the oven to 400F, and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Prepare your pie crusts by rolling both pie crusts into about 13x9-inch rectangles each.
  3. Cut each rectangle into 8 equal rectangles (4 rectangles across x 2 rectangles high), creating 16 total rectangles.
  4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together egg with 1 teaspoon water.
  5. 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. Use your fingers to firmly press the dough down around the filling, then use a fork to seal the edges of each pop tart. Use the fork to also prick the top of each pop-tart.
  7. Carefully transfer the pop tarts onto the prepared baking sheet and brush each with the remaining egg wash. Place into the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a cooling rack, and allow to cool fully before glazing.

Glaze the pop tarts:

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

Notes

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

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Rest Time: 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American