Homemade Pop Tarts: A Delicious Baking Adventure

Make these quick and easy homemade pop tarts in your own kitchen with just a handful of ingredients! Top them with colorful sprinkles to make them extra fun and extra adorable.

Frosted homemade pop tarts next to a glass of milk.

Every once in a while, I find myself in a nostalgic mood, yearning to recreate childhood treats. This sentiment has led me to make a variety of favorites, including homemade orange Julius and oatmeal cream pies. Now, it’s time to share my take on homemade pop tarts.

Despite the simplicity of this recipe, I spent quite a bit of time refining it to ensure that you could easily make eight delightful pop tarts without any filling leaks. After testing several times, my youngest was thrilled with all the iterations, expressing her deep affection for these little pastries. Honestly, I could whip up a batch weekly, they’re just that easy!

Think of these as upgraded pop tarts. The pastry has a delightful flakiness, the filling a richer flavor, and to top it all off, they’re simply cuter. They epitomize what we wished our childhood boxed ones could have been!

How to make homemade pop tarts

These homemade pop tarts are so quick and easy to make. You can have them assembled and in the oven in about 10 minutes.

Ingredients you’ll need

There are a couple of ways to tackle making these pop tarts, but I’m firmly in the pie crust camp. While some prefer puff pastry, which results in delightful turnovers, I favor a classic pie crust for this recipe.

Ingredients for homemade pop tarts arranged on a beige countertop.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Pie crust for a 9-inch double-crust pie: You can use homemade pie crust, although I find that refrigerated crust mimics pop tart texture perfectly.
  • ⅓ cup of jam: Choose your favorite flavor! I recommend using homemade jam (like strawberry freezer jam or homemade peach jam) or a high-quality store-bought one. Bonne Maman is a family favorite.
  • 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon of water: This creates the egg wash for sealing the edges.
  • 1 cup powdered sugar: For the glaze.
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons milk: For thinning out the glaze.
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract: For that perfect hint of vanilla flavor.
  • 1 ½ teaspoons light corn syrup: This helps the glaze set nicely.
  • Sprinkles: Optional, but they add an adorable touch! I favor rainbow jimmies.

Making this recipe

Begin by rolling out your pie crust into an 8×24 inch rectangle. If using refrigerated crusts, you can create this rectangle by slightly overlapping two circles and folding in the curved edges before rolling.

Pie dough rolled into a long rectangle and cut into strips.

Next, cut the dough into eight smaller rectangles, each measuring 8×3 inches. I find a pizza cutter or dough blade works wonders for this.

Spread about 2 teaspoons of your chosen jam on the bottom half of each rectangle, ensuring a ¼-inch border along the edges. Brush the egg wash along the edges, then fold the pastry rectangles in half to meet the shorter edges.

Raspberry jam spread on half of pie dough rectangles.

You should have eight packets measuring 4×3 inches. Crimp around the edges with a fork to seal them securely, then place them on a lined baking sheet.

Next, poke a few holes in the tops with a fork, brush the tops lightly with egg wash, and bake at 400°F for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Unbaked homemade pop tarts on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Baked homemade pop tarts on a parchment lined baking sheet.

After baking, let the homemade pop tarts cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

While they cool, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Spoon the glaze over each pop tart and sprinkle while the glaze is wet. Let the frosting set before indulging.

Glaze for homemade pop tarts next to a small bowl of rainbow sprinkles.
Homemade pop tarts on a wire rack, topped with glaze and rainbow sprinkles.

Storage options

These homemade pop tarts will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For those who like to prep ahead, you can freeze them after assembling but before baking.

Simply follow the assembly instructions up to the point of poking the tops with a fork — skipping the egg wash step. Place the lined baking sheet in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until the pastries are frozen solid, then transfer to an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag for 1-2 months.

When you’re ready to bake, just place the frozen pastries on a lined baking sheet. Bake as directed, optionally brushing with fresh egg wash, and add a couple of minutes to the baking time if needed.

Frosted homemade pop tarts scattered on a piece of parchment paper.

Flavor variations

In our family, we love experimenting with different jams. With so many varieties available, you could prepare this recipe weekly with a new and exciting flavor!

However, if you’re looking for options beyond fruit fillings, possibilities abound! From chocolate to nut butters, get creative!

Homemade pop tart cut in half to show the raspberry jam filling.
Ingredient Amount
Pie crust for a 9-inch double-crust pie 1
Jams of your choice ⅓ cup
Large egg 1 + 1 tbsp water
Powdered sugar 1 cup
Milk 1 tbsp + 2 tsp
Vanilla extract ¼ tsp
Light corn syrup 1 ½ tsp
Sprinkles to taste

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