Strawberry Pop Tarts
These strawberry pop tarts are absolutely amazing. The dough is really flaky and the filling is the perfect addition to these pop tarts. The glaze with sprinkles on top makes these look just like traditional store bought pop tarts, but you don’t have to worry about any artificial ingredients!
I love to eat pop tarts and so do my kiddos. I figured, if I can make strawberry pop tarts from scratch, they would be way healthier than the store bought version and probably even tastier.
Since I am on a strawberry kick these days with an abundance of local strawberries at my fingertips, the obvious choice was to make strawberry pop tarts! If you love strawberry desserts and treats, you should definitely check out these strawberry shortbread cookies and this strawberry flan.
These strawberry pop tarts make a great snack for the kids too. They are really filling and perfect for any time of the day, even breakfast!
Why This Recipe Works
- The homemade strawberry filling really elevates the flavor in these strawberry pop tarts.
- The dough is so easy to make and really flavorful.
- These pop tarts have less processed ingredients and icky additives than the store bought version.
Ingredients
The crust is made up of flour, sugar, salt butter and Greek yogurt. When all of these are mixed together you get the best dough base for these strawberry pop tarts. The dough is very flaky and flavorful but not sweet or overpowering.
The filling consists of sugar, cornstarch, fresh strawberries, lemon juice and butter. They are all mixed together and create a jam like consistency which is perfect for these strawberry pop tarts. The filling is the perfect amount of sweetness for the dough.
The glaze is made like a traditional glaze with confectioners sugar, milk, corn syrup, vanilla extract and colored sprinkles for a fun decoration. While the glaze is made up of sugar, the flavor is very light and pairs perfectly with the whole strawberry pop tart.
Variations
- You can use non-pareils instead of sprinkles.
- You can use a different fruit base for the filling like blueberries or raspberries.
- If you want a smaller serving size, you can cut the dough rectangles even smaller to get more from the recipe.
- Instead of a glaze, you can do a chocolate drizzle on top.
Instructions
For the Strawberry Pop Tart dough:
Combine Flour, sugar and salt in a food processor.
Add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
Add Greek yogurt and pulse until the flour is absorbed and the mixture is beginning to cling together.
Remove dough from the food processor and transfer to a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a ball then flatten into a disk. Chill for at least 30-60 minutes before rolling out.
For the Strawberry Pop Tart Filling:
Combine Sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan and whisk together until combined.
Add berries and lemon juice and stir to combine.
Stir while the mixture bubbles and cook until it begins to thicken and begins to approach a jam like consistency. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
Add the butter and stir until incorporated.
Make the egg wash by whisking the egg and water thoroughly.
Once the dough has chilled and filling has cooled, preheat oven to 400F. Transfer pie crust to a clean lightly floured surface and dust with flour as needed.
Foll dough into a rectangle about 1/8 to 1/4″ thick then cut into 2 5″x4″ rectangles.
Place them onto a lined sheet pan.
Storage
Brush the surface with egg wash.
Drop a rounded tablespoon of strawberry filling into the center, then top with another rectangle of dough.
Use a fork to crimp the sides to seal.
Brush the rectangles with the egg wash.
Using a toothpick, poke holes into the tops of the pop tart to allow to vent.
Repeat the steps above and then transfer your tray to a preheated 400F oven and bake for 15-17 minutes. The tops should be golden brown in color.
For the icing, combine sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, corn syrup and vanilla extracted whisk until combined. If the mixture is too thick, add remaining milk as needed.
Icing has reached ideal consistency when you lift the spoon from the icing and the ribbon that drizzles off the spoon holds its shape for several seconds before dissolving back in the bowl.
Drizzle icing over the center of the pop tarts and top with sprinkles, ifusing. Allow frosting to harden before serving and enjoying.
If using sprinkles, put these on before the icing starts to harden or they will not stick to the surface of the strawberry pop tarts.
Hint: These are super easy to make but you have to use very cold butter for the dough. This is what gives the strawberry pop tarts their flakiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
These strawberry pop tarts are so delicious and fun to make. If you want to do a fun spin on the store bought variety, this recipe is it. The kiddos will absolutely love these and they are the perfect snack for any time of the day!
Strawberry Pop Tarts
Equipment
- 1 kitchen aid
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter cubed, very cold
- ½ cup Greek Yogurt Full fat
For the Filling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 8 ounces Strawberries fresh, quartered
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon butter unsalted
Egg Wash
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoon water
For the Glaze
- 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
For the Crust
- Combine flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
- Add Greek yogurt and pulse to incorporate until the flour is absorbed and the mixture is beginning to cling together (it will form a ball when squeezed together with your hand).
- Remove dough from food processor and transfer to a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a ball then flatten into a disc. Chill for at least 30-60 minutes before rolling out. In the meantime prepare your filling.
For the filling
- Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan and whisk together until combined.
- Add berries and lemon juice and stir to combine.
- Transfer saucepan to stovetop over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the berries release their juices and begin to soften. Mash them with a potato masheror large fork until no large pieces remain.
- Stir while the mixture bubbles and cook until it begins to thicken and begins to approach a jam-like consistency. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Once the filling begins to thicken, remove fromheat and stir in butter until completely combined. Set aside and allow to cool completely before filling pastry (you can speed up the process by placing the filling in the refrigerator).
Assembly
- Once dough has chilled and filling has cooled, preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare egg wash by thoroughly whisking together egg and water.
- Transfer pie crust to a clean, lightly floured surface and dust with additional flour as needed. Roll dough into a rectangle about ⅛-¼” thick then cut into 2.5”x4” (6x10cm) rectangles (I use a rectangular cookie cutter to do this, but you can just use a sharp knife or a pizza wheel!).
- Place one rectangle on prepared baking sheet and lightly brush the surface with egg wash. Drop a rounded Tablespoon of strawberry filling into the center, then top with another rectangle of dough. Use a fork to crimp the sides to seal, then brush the surface of the dough with egg wash. Use a toothpick or wooden skewer to poke 6-8 holes in the surface of the poptart to allow it to vent.
- Repeat steps above until you have formed all of your pop tarts, then transfer to 400F oven and bake 15-17 minutes and beginning to turn golden brown. Allow pop tarts to cool on baking sheet before decorating with icing.
Icing
- Combine sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. If mixture is too thick, add remaining milk as needed until smooth (if icing becomes too thin, you can always thicken it with a bit more powdered sugar). Icing has reached ideal consistency when you lift the spoon from the icing and the ribbon that drizzles off the spoon holds its shape for several seconds before dissolving back in the bowl.
- Drizzle icing over the center of the pop tarts and top with sprinkles, ifusing. Allow frosting to harden before serving and enjoying.