Homemade Pop Tarts

9 copycat flavors of pop tarts, that are even better fresh from the oven!

These recipes will be mixed and matched to create different flavors of pop tarts.

Original Crust:

(used for Strawberry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Wild Berry, and Brown Sugar Cinnamon)

2 2/3 c. Flour

3/4 c. Cold butter

2 Tbsp Confectioners sugar

2 Egg Yolks

4 Tbsp ice cold water

1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate Crust:

(used for Chocolate Strawberry, Cookies and Cream, Hot Fudge Sundae, and chocolate Fudge)

2 2/3 c. Flour

3/4 c. Cold Butter

3 Tbsp Confectioners sugar

1/3 c. cocoa powder

2 Egg Yolks

4 Tbsp ice cold water

1/4 tsp salt

For Strawberry, Blueberry, and Raspberry, you'll just need jelly of that flavor

For Wild Berry, the filling is 3 parts strawberry jelly, 3 parts raspberry jelly, and 2 parts blueberry jelly

Brown Sugar Cinnamon:

5 Tbsp Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Flour

3/4 tsp cinnamon

Chocolate Filling:

1/4 c. Cocoa powder

1/3 c. Brown Sugar

2/3 c. Milk

1/4 tsp salt

6 oz chocolate of your choice (pop tarts are closer to milk chocolate, but I prefer semisweet)

2 tbsp butter

2 tsp vanilla

Vanilla Filling:

3 Tbsp Flour

1/2 c. Milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar

Chocolate Frosting:

1 c. confectioners sugar

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp cream (can use milk)

1 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla Frosting:

1 c. confectioners sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tbsp cream (or milk)

** The cinnamon frosting is just the vanilla frosting with 1 tsp of cinnamon added. The Wild Berry frosting is vanilla, but dyed purple and blue

Both crusts are made the same way.

Add the dry ingredients to a food processor. Add in your butter, and pulse until there are no more large pieces.

Next, add your egg yolks, and water. Continue pulsing until you have a crumbly mixture. Don't over mix! Your dough should not come together in your processor.

If you don't have a food processor, you can cut the butter in with a pastry blender or fork. You can also work the butter in using your hands, but work quickly with this method so you don't melt your butter!

After the ingredients are mixed, press them together into a ball, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Don't knead the dough!

Now this goes into the fridge to rest for a full 30 minutes. This lets the dough relax, and makes it much easier to roll out later.

Chocolate:

Combine your cocoa powder, brown sugar, and milk in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and allow to cook until all the sugar has dissolved (about 3 minutes after reaching a simmer)

Remove from the heat, and add the salt, chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Mix well until everything is evenly combined.

Transfer to a new bowl, and cover with plastic wrap - making sure to touch the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Vanilla:

Over medium heat, mix your flour and milk. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick. It should be able to stay on your whisk without falling off. Transfer this mixture to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap - making sure to touch the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Allow this to cool completely.

Once the flour mixture has cooled, cream together your butter and sugar. Make sure to mix really well, to make sure your end product isn't grainy. (seriously, at least 8 minutes)

Add your vanilla and salt. Then, add your flour mixture in 4 parts, making sure to scrape down your bowl when needed (nobody wants a mouthful of flour!). If you were using this frosting for a cake, you'd want to mix it until it became nice and fluffy - but for the pop tarts, you just want everything combined. The frosting will melt in the oven, and you don't want your pop tarts left empty

Brown Sugar Cinnamon:

Combine all your ingredients and mix well

Roll your dough out to about 1/4" thick.

Cut an even number of rectangles for your pop tarts (or whatever shape you want them)

Carefully add your fillings, making sure to leave space around the outside for the top crust to stick.

Fill, top, and seal your pop tarts one at a time - the more liquidy fillings will begin to ooze out under the weight of the top crust!

(optional) Mix 1 egg yolk and 1 Tbsp of water. Brush each pop tart with the egg wash. This will make them brown better and come out nice and glossy.

Poke holes in the tops to prevent exploding while baking (I used a toothpick - a fork is a little too aggressive and was crushing the pop tarts)

Bake at 400°F for 15 - 20 minutes, or until just starting to become golden brown.

Let cool briefly, and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

The frostings are pretty simple, just mix all of the ingredients together until well combined.

You can add more cream until you get it to the right consistency. Remember, you want it thin enough to spread, but thick enough not to run off the top.

The brown sugar cinnamon frosting is just the vanilla with some cinnamon added.

The Wild Berry frosting is just dyed vanilla.

The frosting on the Chocolate Strawberry is half vanilla and half chocolate mixed together to make a nice, light chocolate frosting.

Blueberry:

Original Crust + Blueberry Jelly + Vanilla Frosting

Chocolate Fudge:

Chocolate Crust + Chocolate Filling + Chocolate Frosting

Brown Sugar Cinnamon:

Original Crust + Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling + Cinnamon Frosting

Chocolate Strawberry:

Chocolate Crust + Strawberry Jelly + 1/2 Vanilla Frosting mixed with 1/2 Chocolate Frosting

Wild Berry:

Original Crust + Wild Berry jelly mixture + dyed Vanilla Frosting

Cookies and Cream:

Chocolate Crust + Vanilla Filling + Vanilla Frosting (with cookie crumbs)

Strawberry:

Original Crust + Strawberry Jelly + Vanilla Frosting

Hot Fudge Sundae:

Chocolate Crust + Vanilla Filling + Vanilla Frosting with Chocolate Drizzle (and sprinkles)

Raspberry:

Original Crust + Raspberry Jelly + Vanilla Frosting