There’s a cozy coffee shop a short walk from my house that sells petite homemade pop tarts, and whenever I’m nearby I can’t resist picking one up. But some days I don’t feel like making the trip, so I started making them at home. Anissa created a mixed berry version that rivals the ones from that café—flaky pastry, jammy berry filling, and a sweet glaze. They’re simple to prepare, and once you try them you’ll probably prefer the homemade version.
Ingredients for Pop Tarts
- 2 boxes of refrigerated pie crusts
- 2 (12 oz) bags mixed berries, frozen or fresh
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
You can swap the mixed berries for any filling you like—apple, cherry, chocolate-hazelnut, or lemon curd all work well.
Ingredients for Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons half-and-half (or milk)
- Gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Thaw the pie crusts according to package directions, then roll each sheet slightly and cut into rectangles. From one pie crust sheet you should be able to cut four rectangles; with two boxes you’ll have about 16 rectangles total. Keep them even so you have matching tops and bottoms.
3. Make the filling: in a medium saucepan combine the mixed berries, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and becomes jam-like—about 8–12 minutes depending on whether your berries are frozen or fresh. Remove from heat and refrigerate the filling for about 20 minutes to cool and firm up.
4. While the filling cools, whisk the egg with the tablespoon of water to make an egg wash.
5. Arrange eight rectangle bottoms on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon roughly two tablespoons of the cooled filling onto the center of each bottom rectangle, leaving a border around the edges.
6. Top each filled rectangle with a matching pastry rectangle. Press the edges together gently, then crimp with a fork all the way around to seal.
7. Brush the tops of the pop tarts with the egg wash to encourage browning in the oven.
8. Bake at 450°F for 8 minutes. Then remove the sheet from the oven and tent foil just over the edges if they’re browning faster than the centers; return to the oven for an additional 2 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the pastry is cooked through.
9. Transfer pop tarts to a cooling rack to cool completely. While they cool, whisk together powdered sugar and half-and-half to make the glaze—adjust the consistency with more powdered sugar or milk as needed. Add gel coloring if desired.
10. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled pop tarts and, if you like, add sprinkles. Let the glaze set before serving.
These pop tarts stay fresh for a couple of days stored in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage, refrigerate them—warm briefly before serving to refresh the pastry. The recipe is flexible: try different fruit fillings, use a lemon glaze for a tart contrast, or add cinnamon to the filling for warmth.
Recipe by Anissa Saxton
Photography and styling by Brittni Mehlhoff
Are you a fan of homemade pop tarts? What’s your favorite filling?