Baking

Homemade Pop Tarts: Store-Bought Could Never

3 min

Cube the butter and put it back in the fridge while you whisk the dry stuff, because warm butter is the one thing that turns this crust greasy instead of flaky. You're working a full cup of it into two and a half cups of flour, so cut it in only until you see pea-sized lumps and stop there. The cornstarch mixed into the jam matters more than it looks like it should. Without it the filling boils, thins out, and leaks through the seams while everything bakes.

By Nora Calloway

A little backstory

Pop-Tarts came out of Kellogg's in 1964. Frosting came a little later, which is its own small irony given how many of the originals scorched in the toaster slot. A homemade one skips the toaster entirely and just gets glazed by hand once it's cool.

Pop Tarts lied to us. They said a dry, crumbly rectangle was fine. It was never fine.

These homemade Pop Tarts are the truth. Buttery, flaky crust. A thick layer of real jam. And a vanilla glaze that cracks when you bite into it. Make a batch. Watch them vanish.

Ingredients

Makes 8 Pop Tarts.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the Crust

Whisk flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until pea-sized crumbs form.

Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough comes together.

Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.

Roll & Fill

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Roll each disk into a 9×12-inch rectangle. Cut into 8 rectangles (about 3×4 inches each).

Mix jam with cornstarch. Spoon 1 tablespoon onto the center of 8 rectangles.

Top with remaining rectangles. Seal edges with a fork.

Bake

Poke a few holes in the top of each Pop Tart with a fork.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Glaze & Sprinkles

Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.

Drizzle glaze over cooled Pop Tarts.

Add sprinkles before the glaze sets. Wait 15 minutes. Devour.

Summary

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Chill Time: 1 hour | Bake Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 8 Pop Tarts | Difficulty: Medium

Storage Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, pop in a toaster oven or air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes. Microwave works but kills the flaky vibe.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

30 minutes

Cook

25 minutes

Yield

8 Pop Tarts

For the Crust:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter, cubed
6-8 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling:

½ cup strawberry jam (or any flavor)
1 tablespoon cornstarch (to thicken)

For the Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Sprinkles (non-negotiable)

Instructions

1
Make the Crust. Make the Crust. Whisk flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until pea-sized crumbs form. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough comes together. Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap, and chill for 1 hour. 2 2
2
Roll & Fill. Roll & Fill. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Roll each disk into a 9×12-inch rectangle. Cut into 8 rectangles (about 3×4 inches each). Mix jam with cornstarch. Spoon 1 tablespoon onto the center of 8 rectangles. Top with remaining rectangles. Seal edges with a fork. 3 3
3
Bake. Bake. Poke a few holes in the top of each Pop Tart with a fork. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. 4 4
4
Glaze & Sprinkles. Glaze & Sprinkles. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled Pop Tarts. Add sprinkles before the glaze sets. Wait 15 minutes. Devour

Swaps & Substitutions

Salted butter → use it, but cut the 1 teaspoon salt down to about half so the crust isn't sharp
Strawberry jam → any thick jam or preserves works; keep the cornstarch so a runnier brand doesn't leak
Dairy-free → swap a cold plant-based block butter for the cubed butter and use any non-dairy milk in the glaze
Gluten-free → a 1:1 GF flour blend with xanthan gum holds, but chill the disks the full hour or the dough cracks when rolled
Vanilla extract → almond extract is good here, or leave it out and the glaze is still fine
No sprinkles → skip them; just glaze and let it set for the 15 minutes

Questions & Answers

Can I make these ahead?

Yes. Assemble and fill them, then freeze unbaked on the sheet. Bake straight from frozen and add a couple of minutes to the time.

Why did my filling leak out?

Either you overfilled past the one tablespoon, the edges weren't sealed tight with the fork, or you forgot the cornstarch. All three let hot jam find a gap.

How do I store the baked ones?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for about three days. The glaze stays best uncovered for the first hour so it can fully set.

Do I have to poke holes in the tops?

Poke them. The holes let steam escape so the tops stay flat instead of puffing up and splitting open in the oven.

My dough is crumbly and won't come together. What now?

Add ice water one tablespoon at a time past the six you've used; some flour just needs the full eight. Press a handful together, and if it holds it's ready to chill.

Homemade Pop Tarts: Store-Bought Could Never

Ingredients