Grownup as I may be, Pop Tarts still call my name in the grocery store. Those icing-topped, sprinkled pastries are as irresistible as they always have been. Flaky pastry, sweet fruit filling. That perfectly crisp, sugared icing.
And while my heart yearns to pop ‘em in my cart, my head says: “Girl, you know better.” I’ve been steering clear of pre-made foods. So those cardboard boxes of toaster pastries are officially off the menu.
But only the storebought pops. Homemade version? Entirely on the menu.
But only the store bought pops. Homemade version? Entirely on the menu. Because when you make them homemade, there are lots of easy little tweaks that can elevate this treat into a rather elegant piece of pastry.
Let’s start with the filling.
Most store bought Pop Tarts are stuffed with small amounts of some gluey fruit center. A little like jam, not a lot like actual fruit. We’ve nixed that slim, sugar center and added instead: fresh raspberries, raw honey, real ginger. And that’s basically it. A bit of cornstarch to thicken, but otherwise, this fruit filling is really... well... real fruit filling. It bakes up with golden sweetness and a kiss of tart around the edges. Plus, so much all-natural color, you’ll feel like you’ve struck gold. Except it’s raspberry red, crimson, ruby perfection.
Now for the pastry. Boxed Pop Tarts crusts are a little bit blah. Were you one of those kids that ate the frosting and filling, but left the crimped crust on your plate?(Oh, hey! That was me.)
So, we’re going to completely upgrade this baby with truly beautiful, flaky pie crust. Look for prepared, frozen crust at the grocery store. Or make your own. Either way, using a good pie crust is the secret to irresistible homemade Pop Tarts. Buttery, flaky and beautiful.
And finally, the icing. We’ve stirred matcha into ours. The color and flavor pair beautifully with the ginger-raspberry filling. Added bonus: no artificial color required. Just pure, perfect matcha. Making a bright green crown for these pretty little homemade poptarts.
Once the parts and pieces are mixed together, it’s time to assemble and bake.
I used the oversized Wilton Aluminum Performance Pan, and was so glad to have it in my kitchen. It fit six Pop Tarts perfectly, with plenty of space for them to bake and puff slightly. The pan was lined with a Fox Run SIlicone Baking Mat - a step you won’t want to miss, since the filling can run a bit while baking.
Total baking time for the batch was just about 20 minutes. I set my adorable Fox Run Retro Timer, put a pot of coffee on brew and mixed icing while waiting for the “ding."
As soon as the Pop Tarts came out of the oven, they were drizzled with icing. Frosting while warm lets the icing melt a bit, giving the poptarts a beautifully glossy topping. We added lime green sprinkles, but I wished I’d had some white nonpareils. Wouldn’t they look lovely with the green and red?!
I sit with a plate of homemade Pop Tart crumbs on my lap as I type. This recipe is ridiculously fun to make, and so nice to enjoy. Not quite as sweet as original Pop Tarts. So much prettier. Plus, matcha ginger and fresh raspberries. What’s not to love?
Surprisingly simple to make, this is the perfect recipe for your next round of Sunday morning baking.
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