Homemade Strawberry Pop-Tarts

When the nostalgia hits, turn to these Homemade Strawberry Pop-Tarts. A yummy treat, they’re easy to make and packed with fresh jam and a buttery crust.

What a classic treat!

Store-bought pop-tarts made for the best breakfast or after school snack as kids. In fact, we would be lucky to get our hands on them. Packed with loads of artificial ingredients and sugar, who can blame our parents for keeping them away?

Thankfully, we can rejoice by making our own Homemade Strawberry Pop-Tarts! Filled with sweet strawberry preserves, surrounded by a buttery crust, and topped with a raspberry glaze, you won’t even miss the store-bought version. I’ve made each step so easy that anyone can conquer this recipe!

Great For Any Occasion

Homemade Strawberry Pop-Tarts are fresh and buttery, and are great at any time of day or for any occasion. 

If you don’t know what to get your mom for Mother’s Day, why not create some memories instead? Baking pretty pink pop-tarts can bring anyone closer together. In fact, bring the whole family in on the fun! Mom can roll the dough, your sister can cut out the circles, have the kids scoop the jam, and everyone can form the pop tarts. How much fun would that be?

Another great aspect of this recipe is that after the pop tarts are put together, they’ll need to sit in the freezer before being baked. If you ever need fresh pastries in a pinch, simply keep a batch in the freezer for up to one week and pop them in the oven whenever needed. It’s the perfect plan for when guests show up unexpectedly or your sweet tooth hits.

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How To Make Easy Pie Crust

No, this is not like a regular pie crust! It’s super easy and only takes a handful of steps to complete. A food processor was my secret weapon, but it’s not necessary. 

1. To begin, pulse the dry ingredients in the food processor, then add in cold butter. If you don’t own a food processor, use a pastry blender or fork to mix the butter into the dough. We need the butter to be cold for the crust to turn out flaky and delicious, so be sure to add it as soon as it’s removed from the fridge. Pulse or blend a few times with a tablespoon or two of water until everything is incorporated and a dough forms.
2. The dough is done when it resembles a coarse meal. Remove it from the processor, and form a ball of dough. Cut the ball in half, and wrap each half in cellophane and refrigerate. Giving the dough time in the fridge will help to retain its texture and keep the butter cold until it melts into the pastry as it cooks.

If you’re making this recipe with your friends or family, I would recommend making the dough ahead of time. This way it’s ready to go at a moments notice, and all you need to do is roll it out on a clean, floured surface, cut out circles, and finish the pop tarts.

Putting the Homemade Strawberry Pop-Tarts Together

I formed my pop tarts as circles, but you can shape them as squares or any other way you like. I used a round cookie cutter to cut the dough, but a wide, round water glass will work just as well. Whatever you use, lightly flour the cutter to prevent sticking.

For the filling, I used Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves. Using high quality, the store-bought jam will save you time without sacrificing flavor. A lower quality alternative will fill the pop tarts with artificial sweeteners and flavor, which will clash with the fresh pie crust. 

Here’s what I did:

1. Arrange all the circles of dough evenly apart on a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Scoop a small spoonful of jam evenly in the center of each circle, leaving about a ½” rim all around the edges. 
3. Add another dough circle on top and seal the edges with your fingertips, then reseal with a fork. 
4. To help release steam, cut an X or poke holes with a toothpick in the center of each pop tart. Cover and transfer to the freezer to chill for at least 2 hours or up to one week.

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How To Decorate Homemade Strawberry Pop-Tarts

The simple frosting in this recipe is so easy and sets just like on a store-bought pop tart. Similar to royal icing, the glaze hardens once it’s poured onto the finished pop tarts. Make sure the cooked pop-tarts are completely cool before decorating so the glaze or decorations do not melt and have time to set properly.

I decided to use a mix of half and half and fresh raspberry juice to give the glaze a light and creamy flavor, not to mention the most beautiful shade of pink. I love to serve these for Easter brunch not only because they’re the most perfect colour, but Cherry Blossoms are in season and their pedals look so beautiful as a finishing touch. It helps that they’re edible too! If flowers aren’t your style, use pink or white sprinkles, freeze dried strawberries, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

More Pretty In Pink Recipes

Strut into spring and summer on the right foot with these and other pink and tasty treats:

• Fresh Fruit Galette Or Savory Quiche
• Pretty Pink Rhubarb + Elderflower Cocktails
• Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

If you give my Homemade Strawberry Pop-Tarts a try, let me know what you think and what you served them with! Leave a comment and don’t forget to take a picture, tag it with #lenaskitchenblog on Instagram. I love seeing what you come up with!