Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts
I told my husband earlier this week that I need to cool it with the treats. Ugh my sweet tooth is both my favorite thing (because it leads to really awesome at home bakes + a larger number of evenings that end with cake) and the bane of my existence because I just LIVE for a sweet treat. I’ve been so good and not indulged in major desserts the past week - I mean a couple night of popcorn never hurt nobody - & I was saving it all for these Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts.
I love a Pop Tart. Legitimately have not eaten one since i was probably in middle school, but the taste of that crust, crunch of the icing, and thin layer of jammy filling is like permanently embedded in my tastebuds. Particularly that buttery crust. I kind of love it in all it’s plain-ness. The little pieces of thee crust that you could just break off the side before getting into the heart of the Pop Tart - that was always my favorite way to eat one. So in making my own version, I was looking for a solid crust around the edge that I could break off just like I did when I was like 10. & these were great! I obviously went for a circle shape, but made sure to do what I’m calling a definitive crimp on the edges. Made for the perfect hand held pastry and some!
I think the key to a Pop Tart at home is fresh fruit. Like as much of it as you can stuff between two disks of pie dough. & berries are so easy. Cut them up, toss with sugar, and as they bake they get juicy & saucey & develop that pie filling consistency. So essentially you’re left with a nice jammy filling without having to dive to far into the realm of prepping or cooking ahead of time. I went with strawberries since juicy, organic strawberries are always pretty easy to come by at our local market, and they go so well with that traditional pop I was going for.
So here’s the important things to know about a homemade pop tart:
Easy to prep the dough ahead of time. I actually made the pie dough with my morning coffee two days prior to this recipe, and it was as easy as throwing it all in a food processor and letting the machine do the work for me. The dough needs to refrigerate so that it’s firm before even attempting to roll it out, so making it a day or two ahead of time when you’ve got a second is highly recommended. I very much enjoyed going from workout to Pop Tart making with my ready to use dough.
Go for a small dice + hefty filling. By having a pretty small dice, you can really pack in more fruit. You can put a good couple of tablespoons of the filling onto the base pie layer & lightly stretch the top piece of dough so that it not only covers the filling, but is large enough to give you something to work with when it comes to crimping the edges. It’ll maybe look like too much, but don’t overthink it. Go for 2 heaping tablespoons to start, and you won’t regret it.
Keep it fresh. I didn’t add any sugar to my dough, & very little to my filling. I wanted it be to somewhat guilt free, which I know sounds stupid since there is 2 pie dough disks involved. A total sugar bomb in the pastry itself wasn’t what I wanted. A sweet cream cheese glaze over the top adds just enough sugar and sweet flavor that you don’t need to go crazy with the filling.
Again, haven’t had a Pop Tart in probably 20 years, but I just have been stuck on making something of the sort. So hello Sunday brunch! & hello going from Peloton-ing to Pop Tarting on a cozy Sunday at-home. That’s the kinda balance that makes a morning at-home home pretty damn fun.
For the dough
1 stick of cold butter - cut into small cubes
1 1/4 c. flour
pinch of salt
3-5 tbsp of ice cold water
For the tarts
1 to 1-1/2 c. fresh strawberries, diced
1 tbsp sugar, plus more for dusting
1 egg
1/2 c. cream cheese
1/4 c. powdered sugar
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
pinch of salt
Sprinkles (just for fun)
Add the butter, flour, & salt for the dough to a food processor. Pulse to combine, and stop when you get a sand like consistency. Add in 3 tbsp of water to begin, pulsing to combine. You want the dough to come together, and once a ball forms in the food processor you know you’re done. If that doesn’t happen with 3 tbsp of water, add in an additional tablespoon one at a time until this happens. The dough will be just wet enough that it sticks together, but dry enough to handle without it sticking to your hands. Take the dough from the processor, form into a disk, and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for an hour (or 2 days like me!).
Make your filling: stir the strawberries and sugar in a large bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out so it’s fairly thin - like 1/8th of an inch. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out 8 circles. Place half of the circles on a parchment lined baking sheet, topping each with 2 heaping tbsp of the strawberries. In a ramekin, whisk 1 egg with a tablespoon of water. Use your finger to brush the edge of the base pie dough with the egg wash. Take the remain pie dough disks, and lay over the strawberry filling, lightly stretching the top layer by gently pressing on the dough (starting in the center) so it stretches. Crimp the edges of the dough with a fork to seal. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Slit the top of each pie. Bake for 22-25 minutes.
As they bake, whisk together the cream cheese & powdered sugar. Add in the milk + lemon juice, continuing to whisk until all the lumps are gone (they will go away!).
Remove the pies from the oven, and let them cool on the pan for about 15 minutes. Top with a dollop of the cream cheese glaze and a pinch of sprinkles. Serve alongside any extra berries, and you’re set!