If there is one thing I have always wanted to duplicate from the store-bought version, it’s the irresistible toaster pastries known as Pop Tarts. There is just something about them that is so good and the fact that they are such an easy snack or breakfast solution makes them very desirable. The hand-held pastry is a staple that most of us grew up with one way or another. But as amazing as Pop Tarts are, there is definitely room to improve upon them, which is why homemade Pop Tarts recipe is so exciting.
You can have the unique fruit stuffed pastry at home, just the way you like it with any modifications you deem necessary. Among those alterations is the thickness. Why settle for a flat pastry that fits in the toaster, when you can plump it up with a customized version that is so thick it puts pie to shame. That’s just an idea, and it’s the type of thing you can run with when you are making homemade versions of your favorite snacks like Pop Tarts.
Homemade Pop Tarts are just the type of thing that you know will only be better than the original. Once you know how to do it, you can be creative and come up with even more flavors inspired by the other things you like best.
The best part is that Homemade Pop Tarts are so easy to make. They only require you to break down the pastry’s anatomy and go from there. Homemade Pop Tarts are an art form and a science, so use the following recipe and be creative to make your version the ultimate DIY toaster pastry.
What Makes A Pop Tart – A Pop Tart
Breaking down a Pop Tart into its individual parts is essential to understanding how homemade Pop Tarts worked. You need to follow separate recipes to complete each singular task that leads to one complete component that contributes to the whole pastry. The way a Pop Tart breaks down is into three parts. You make each part on its own and then pull them all together for the final round. These parts are the dough, the filling, and the frosting. Each one of these parts is crucial to making a satisfying version of homemade Pop Tarts.
The Dough/Crust
The Dough is the first part you need to attack in order to get these homemade Pop Tarts done right. You need to get the sizing aspect to be perfect. The ratio for the rectangles is 4:3 Roll out a flat sheet of dough and then cut a grid to create rectangles 4 inches long by 3 inches wide. This will be just the right size for the framework of these delicious homemade Pop tarts.
The Fruit Filling
The next thing to make is the filling. The filling is obviously important, both to the flavor and to the overall combination of textures in the finished product. You can pretty much use whatever fresh fruit strikes your fancy. Berries of all kinds are the best. The two secret ingredients to making the flavor of these Pop Tarts pop are the bright taste of citrus from lemon and the corn starch that helps to thicken the filling for the firmness you need in this iconic pastry.
The Frosting
Finally, enter the frosting. Do you ever eat your Pop Tarts upside down because you love that smooth iced enamel? Nothing is better than crunching through that thin brittle shell on the top of a Pop Tart. Homemade Pop Tarts do it even better. This frosting is excessively simple and it brings the entire toaster pastry together.
The Art of Making Homemade Pop Tarts
Making homemade Pop Tarts is a lot of fun! You get to create your favorite concoction and design the outside as well. Try to make it as close as you can to the original or think outside the box. Decorating the Pop Tarts is only half the fun. It’s also enjoyable to come up with new types of filling and decide exactly how thick you want your stuffed pastry to be. When you make a batch you can get creative with individual pieces, but It’s best to make all of the pastries as uniform as possible so when you bake them they cook evenly.
Make sure you refrigerate the icing prior to applying it to the Pop Tarts. The Pop Tarts should be cooled completely before you frost them. If you frost them too early, they could thin out the frosting and make it runny. This is another opportunity to get creative because playing with the thickness of the frosting can give your homemade version a more personal touch that you are going to love. The artistry of these pastries will come from experience and experimentation.
Can You Pop Homemade Pop Tarts?
Pop Tarts are not just a name, the onomatopoeia says much more. The pop of the pastry as it ejects from the metal casing of your toaster is the Pavlovian trigger we all respond to when it comes to this hot yummy treat. But these so-called Pop Tarts are baked! Can they be made in a toaster? No, you do have to bake them. If you put them into the toaster all doughy it would result in a gloppy mess.
Once you have already made them, cooled them and frosted them you may be able to toast them in the toaster, but that depends on how you made them to begin with. For best results you should toast these in a toaster oven. They won’t pop up in that enjoyable familiar way, but they will taste the same and you don’t have to worry about sticky fruit filling oozing out or the residual smell of burnt sugar from frosting remnants you can never get out of the toaster after it’s melted everywhere.
Ingredients to Make Homemade Pop Tarts
- Butter, softened
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Fresh fruit
- Lemon juice
- Water
- Corn starch
- Egg white, beaten
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
(Actual measurements are listed in the recipe card below.)
How to Make Homemade Pop Tarts
To make the dough:
- In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar and beat until fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time.
- Next, add vanilla and mix until well combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the dough is formed.
- Transfer to a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes.
- Cover dough with a clean cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough in half and roll each half out into a ¼ in thick rectangle.
- Cut each rectangle into 4×3 in rectangles.
To make the filling:
- Add fresh fruit, sugar, and lemon juice into a small sauce pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together water and corn starch. Set aside.
- Cook over low medium heat, continuously stirring.
- Once fruit mixture starts boiling, add in corn starch and water mixture.
- Continue cooking and stirring for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Save 1 tablespoon of filling for the frosting.
To make the frosting:
- In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, fruit filling, and milk until icing is smooth.
- Place frosting in refrigerate until pop tarts are removed from oven and cooled.
To make pop tarts:
- Take the 4×3 rectangles and add a spoonful of filling into the center.
- Brush the edges of dough with the egg white and place another 4×3 rectangle of dough over top.
- Using a fork, seal the edges of the pop tart together.
- Poke the top 3-4 times with a fork and place on baking sheet.
- Brush top of pop tarts with the remaining egg white.
- Bake 20-24 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once cooled, top with frosting and candied sprinkles, if desired.
Try this delicious recipe today
Here are a few more recipes that you can find on the blog:
Homemade Pop Tarts
Homemade Pop Tarts are a healthier and homemade version of pop tarts that are made with a fresh fruit filling and a delicious glaze on top.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2½ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups fresh fruit
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 egg white, beaten
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp milk
Instructions
To make the dough:
-
In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Mix until fluffy and well combined.
-
Add in the eggs, one at a time.
-
Next, add vanilla and mix until combined.
-
In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
-
Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until the dough is formed.
-
Transfer to a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes.
-
Cover dough with a clean cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
-
Divide the dough in half and roll each half out into a ¼ in. thick rectangle.
-
Cut each rectangle into 4×3 inch rectangles.
To make the filling:
-
Add fresh fruit, sugar, and lemon juice into a small saucepan.
-
In a small bowl, mix together water and corn starch. Set aside.
-
Cook over low medium heat, continuously stirring.
-
Once fruit mixture starts boiling, add in corn starch and water mixture.
-
Continue cooking and stirring for 8-10 minutes.
-
Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
-
Save 1 tablespoon of filling for the frosting.
To make the frosting:
-
In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, fruit filling, and milk until icing is smooth.
-
Place frosting in refrigerator until pop tarts have cooled completely.
To make pop tarts:
-
Take the 4×3 rectangles and add a spoonful of filling into the center.
-
Brush the edges of the dough with egg white and place another 4×3 rectangle of dough over the top.
-
Using a fork, seal the edges of the pop tarts together.
-
Poke the top 3-4 times with a fork and place on baking sheet.
-
Brush top of each pop tart with the remaining egg white.
-
Bake for 20-24 minutes or until golden brown.
-
Once cooled, top with frosting and candied sprinkles, if desired.
Notes
Dough recipe adapted from Blue Jean Chef’s Air Fryer Genius cookbook, pg 260
Here are a few pics that are the perfect size for pinning to Pinterest.
Enjoy, Terri
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