Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts

Here is a way to save money on groceries yet still enjoy the taste of store-bought treats. Try this recipe for homemade strawberry pop tarts that you can make from scratch.

Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts

This copycat pastry that tastes like strawberry pop tarts is actually made for vegans to enjoy. That’s because it uses no animal products at all yet still tastes like the breakfast treat you know and love. So vegan or not, you’ll love making these pop tart pastries from scratch at home.

Ingredients

Directions

Even though this recipe does not have many ingredients in it, it does involve three separate steps for making these homemade strawberry pop tarts:

• Crust
• Filling
• Icing

I’ve broken out the steps below.

Crust Directions

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine oil with ice cold water. No need to try to stir them together.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to evenly distribute.

Pour the oil and water into the flour mix. Stir to incorporate, mixing until the ingredients are just holding together. Some crumbles may still exist. If the dough does not hold together, add 1-2 tablespoons of additional cold water. Do not over mix.

Pull dough together and divide into equal pieces. Form pieces into rectangles and wrap in plastic wrap. Leave to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Filling Directions

• In a large saucepan, combine the strawberries — save for one strawberry that you’ll reserve to make the icing — sugar and lemon juice over medium heat.
• Cook for 5-7 minutes, swirling regularly, until the strawberries are very soft. Break them up with a spoon — or blitz with an immersion blender — until mostly smooth.
• Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring regularly for 7-10 minutes at a low boil until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
• Remove from heat and pour into a separate bowl. Set in the fridge to cool.

Assemble Directions

Line two baking sheets, sheet pans or large cutting boards with parchment paper. Working with one rectangle of dough at a time, roll out the dough to approximately one-quarter-inch thick between two layers of parchment. Try to maintain the rectangular shape. Cut out even rectangles of approximately three inches by five inches. You can make a template if necessary and use it.

Place half the pieces on one of the prepared baking sheets. Scoop one tablespoon of the filling mixture into the center of each piece. Brush the edges of the dough (around the filling) with a little bit of water.

Place another cut piece of dough on top of the filling, lining up the edges. Press gently to remove any trapped air and make sure there are no jam leakages. Use a fork to seal the edges all around. Use a knife to create a small hole in the top to let out steam. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and freeze.

Repeat assembly with the other half of the dough. Freeze for at least 1 hour. Once frozen, you can transfer the filled dough pastry to freezer bags or airtight containers to freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 month before baking.

Baking Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 F about 10 minutes before ready to bake.
• Place frozen homemade strawberry pop tarts on a lined baking sheet. Try to space them at least one inch apart.
• Bake for 24-27 minutes or until golden brown on edges.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Icing Directions

Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl or pouring measuring cup. In another bowl, take the remaining frozen strawberry that you’ve thawed and press with the back of a spoon to release the liquid. Pour into powdered sugar.

Add two tablespoons of lemon juice and stir. This will create a thick icing. However, if it is still too thick or sticky, add a few more drops of lemon juice or, if you’re out, a few drops of water. Now it’s time to frost the homemade pastries.

Place the baked pop tarts on a cooling rack or a sheet of parchment paper and pour a little frosting over each one. Allow to harden before eating.

Notes

Baked pop tarts can be stored uniced in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before frosting.

Once iced, you can store pop tarts in an airtight container in the fridge for two days. However, the icing will get sticky and not be as smooth as when you first iced them.

To save time, you can skip the homemade pastry dough and buy the refrigerated version already made from the store. Look for rolled pie crust or puff pastry that you can use instead of making the dough from scratch.

You may be able to get up to 12 pop tarts (2 sets of 12 pieces of dough) out of the dough depending on shape when rolled out, but it is not a dough that can be rerolled. It gets very tough as soon as you start reworking it.