Homemade Pop Tarts with Pie Crust
If you went to school in the 90s, you probably remember trading one of those foil wrapped pastries across the lunch table. I still think about that little rectangle with the jam center and the frosting that cracked the second you bit into it.
This recipe brings that memory straight back to my kitchen, and it does it with a shortcut that keeps the whole thing simple: store bought refrigerated pie crust and a jar of strawberry jam.
I call these almost homemade pop tarts, and that is the entire charm. You are not rolling dough from scratch. You are not chilling butter or worrying about laminated layers. You unroll, cut, fill, seal, and bake. That is the whole list.
Because the method is so forgiving, this is a wonderful recipe to make with kids. A young baker can press the fork into the edges, poke the steam holes, and spoon the icing over the top.
My own kids argue over who gets to shake the sprinkles, and the counter looks like a craft project by the end. I have made my peace with that.
For Valentine’s Day I cut hearts with a heart shaped cookie cutter instead of the traditional rectangle, and they turn out adorable. Any shape works, so use what you already own. A circle, a star, or even a plain rectangle cut with a pizza cutter all work beautifully.
These pastries fit almost any moment in the day. Serve them slightly warm for breakfast, tuck them into a lunchbox as an after school snack, or set them on a holiday tray next to a plate of cherry chocolate chip cookies. They look like you spent hours on them, and only you will know you did not.
The crust does the heavy lifting here. Your only real jobs are filling, sealing, and baking.
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Homemade Pop Tarts Ingredients
The shopping list is short, which is exactly why this recipe works on a busy morning. You need two refrigerated premade pie crusts, which usually come two to a box, and both should be at room temperature before you start.
From there you need strawberry jam for the filling, one egg for the egg wash, and a handful of pantry items for the icing: confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. A single drop of red or pink food coloring gives the icing its color, and sprinkles finish the top.
How to make homemade pop tarts
Everything comes together from three simple pieces: premade pie crust, jam, and an egg. If you happen to have homemade pie crust in the freezer, that works too, but the refrigerated kind is what makes this quick.
Preheat the oven to 400°F first so it is fully hot when the tray goes in.
Unroll the pie crust on a baker’s mat, a sheet of parchment paper, or a counter dusted with flour. A mat is my favorite because cleanup takes ten seconds.
Now cut your shapes. I use a heart cookie cutter, and I rotate it as I go to squeeze as many cuts as possible out of each crust. Place the cut pieces on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
You will end up with scraps. Do not toss them. Knead them together, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thick, and cut more hearts. This is how you get to the full yield of 10 pop tarts.
Next, fill half of the hearts. Spoon one tablespoon of jam into the center of each one. It does not need to be spread evenly, because it levels out on its own in the oven. Strawberry is the classic choice here.
Beat an egg in a small bowl to make the egg wash. Brush it along the inside edges of the filled hearts. The egg wash is the glue that holds everything together.
Place a second heart on top of each filled one. Press the edges together with your finger first, then go around the whole shape with a fork to crimp it closed. That crimped edge is what keeps the jam from escaping.
Use the same fork to poke a few holes in the top of each pop tart. Those little holes let steam escape so the pastry does not puff up into a bubble.
Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash. This is what gives them that shiny, golden finish.
Bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Then move them to a wire rack and let them cool for 10 to 15 minutes before you ice them.
That cooling step matters more than you would think. Icing a hot pop tart turns frosting into a puddle. Give them those few minutes and the icing sits up nicely.
Tip: keep the egg wash nearby. You brush it twice, once along the inside edges and once over the tops.
How to make pop tart icing
Make the icing while the pop tarts cool, so it is ready the moment they are. Whisk together 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until the mixture is completely smooth. Then stir in one drop of red food coloring.
One drop is enough to turn it a soft pink, which is exactly the look I want on a Valentine’s tray.
If your icing feels too thick to spoon, add milk a tiny splash at a time. If it feels runny, whisk in a little more confectioners sugar. Either way, you will know it is right when it ribbons off the whisk and settles back into the bowl.
Spoon the icing onto each cooled pop tart and smooth it with the back of the spoon or a small spatula. Finish with red and pink sprinkles while the icing is still wet, so they stick.
How to store homemade pop tarts
Keep the finished pop tarts in an airtight container at room temperature, where they stay fresh for up to 3 days. In my house they never last that long. Ours are usually gone within a day, and I have stopped pretending otherwise.
Homemade pop tart filling ideas
Strawberry jam is the classic, but the filling is where you can play. Any of these work just as well, and they all go in the same way, one tablespoon in the center of each heart.
- Nutella
- Raspberry jam
- Brown sugar
- Cherry jam
- Lemon curd
- Apple butter
Ingredients
| Component | Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Main | Refrigerated premade pie crusts, at room temperature | 2 |
| Main | Strawberry jam | 1 tablespoon per pop tart |
| Main | Egg | 1 |
| Icing | Confectioners sugar | 1/2 cup |
| Icing | Milk | 2 tablespoons |
| Icing | Vanilla extract | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Icing | Red food coloring | 1 drop |
| Icing | Sprinkles | As needed |
This makes 10 pop tarts. Prep takes about 15 minutes, and the pastries bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Unroll the premade pie crust on a baker’s mat, a sheet of parchment paper, or a counter dusted with flour.
- Cut heart shapes with a heart cookie cutter and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Rotate the cutter as you go to get as many cuts as possible from each crust. Knead the leftover crust, roll it out to about 1/8 inch thick, and cut the remaining hearts.
- Place one tablespoon of jam in the center of half the hearts. It does not need to be spread perfectly, since it evens out while baking.
- Beat the egg in a small bowl for the egg wash. Brush it along the inside edges of the filled hearts.
- Place a second heart on top. Seal the edges together with your finger, then press a fork all the way around to crimp them closed.
- Poke a few holes in the top of each pop tart with the fork to release steam. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash.
- Bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes.
- While they cool, whisk the confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth, then add one drop of red food coloring.
- Spoon the icing over each pop tart, smooth it with the back of the spoon or a small spatula, and top with red and pink sprinkles.
Notes
You can switch up the shape with any cookie cutter you have on hand, or cut classic rectangles by using an index card as a guide and running a pizza cutter along the edge. The filling and the bake time stay the same either way.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Ours never last that long, so consider this friendly advice rather than a promise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make homemade pop tarts with pie crust?
To make homemade pop tarts, start by preheating your oven to 400°F. Unroll a refrigerated premade pie crust and cut it into desired shapes, such as hearts or rectangles. Place 1 tablespoon of strawberry jam on half of the cutouts, brush the edges with egg wash, place the remaining cutouts on top, and crimp the edges with a fork. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden, then cool before adding a simple icing made from confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.
What is the best way to seal homemade pop tarts so they don’t leak?
To prevent filling from leaking, first brush the inside edges of the bottom crust with egg wash. Place the top crust over the filling and press the edges together firmly with your fingers. Then, use a fork to crimp the edges all around, creating a tight seal. Finally, poke several small holes in the top of each pop tart with the fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
Can you freeze homemade pop tarts with pie crust?
Yes, you can freeze homemade pop tarts for longer storage. Bake them as directed but do not add the icing. Place the baked, un-iced pop tarts in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to three months. When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature, reheat in a toaster or oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes, and then add the icing and sprinkles.
What fillings can I use instead of strawberry jam for homemade pop tarts?
Strawberry jam is a classic choice, but many other fillings work well in homemade pop tarts. Popular alternatives include raspberry jam, cherry jam, Nutella, lemon curd, apple butter, or a simple mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. If using a thinner filling like lemon curd, you can stir in a small amount of cornstarch to prevent excessive spreading during baking. Use about 1 tablespoon of filling per pop tart.
What is the best way to seal homemade pop tarts so they don't leak?
To prevent filling from leaking, first brush the inside edges of the bottom crust with egg wash. Place the top crust over the filling and press the edges together firmly with your fingers. Then, use a fork to crimp the edges all around, creating a tight seal. Finally, poke several small holes in the top of each pop tart with the fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
Homemade Pop Tarts
Homemade Pop Tarts with Pie Crust If you went to school in the 90s, you probably remember trading one of those foil wrapped pastries across the lunch table. I still think about that little rectangle with the jam center and the frosting that cracked the second you bit into it.
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 10 1x
Ingredients
Main
2 Refrigerated Premade Pie Crusts, at room temperature
Strawberry Jam
1 Egg
Icing
1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
2 tbsp Milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 drop Red Food Coloring
Sprinkles
Instructions
1-Preheat oven to 400°F: Preheat oven to 400°F
2-On a bakers mat, parchment paper or: On a bakers mat, parchment paper or a counter with flour unroll the premade pie crust.
3-Using a heart cookie cutter start cutting: Using a heart cookie cutter start cutting heart shaped pieces and place them onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. You will want to rotate your cookie cutter to get as many cuts as possible out of your pie crust. Knead remaining pie crust and roll it out to about 1/8 inch thick and cut the remaining hearts.
4-On half the hearts place one tablespoon: On half the hearts place one tablespoon of jam in the center of the heart. It does not need to be perfectly spread. It will even out when baking.
5-In a small bowl beat an egg: In a small bowl beat an egg for your egg wash. Brush the inside edges of your heart.
6-Place a heart cut out on top: Place a heart cut out on top. Now seal the edges together with your finger. Then use a fork and press down to crimp the edges around the whole heart.
7-Use the fork to poke some holes: Use the fork to poke some holes into the top of the pop tart to release steam. Brush the pop tarts with the egg wash.
8-Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes: Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes
9-Cool on a wire rack: Cool on a wire rack.
10-While cooling make the icing: While cooling make the icing. Whisk together confectioner’s sugar, milk and vanilla. Once the consistency is smooth add one drop of red food coloring.
11-Using a spoon add icing to the: Using a spoon add icing to the top of the pop tart. Use the back of the spoon or a small spatular to smooth it out. Top with red and pink sprinkles.
Last Step:
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- Cook Time: 10 min
- Method: bake
