Homemade Pop Tarts are so EASY to make! Pie crust filled with warm spices, topped with a mouthwatering cinnamon glaze, and baked to perfection. Your kids will go crazy for these homemade brown sugar and cinnamon pop tarts!
Let’s just get this out of the way right now: Mornings are hard.
Even if you are a true “morning person,” there are still those other people who live in your house with you. If some of the members of your family are teenagers, I guarantee you do not live in a house full of morning people!
I know there is research out there that shows that teens function better when they can sleep later, but that just doesn’t change the fact that school and work starts way closer to sun up than sun down!
Mornings are hard. But breakfast doesn’t have to be!
When it’s difficult to get everyone up and going in the morning, sometimes the only choice you have for breakfast is to throw something quick at the kids on the way out the door. That’s how pop tarts became so popular, right? They are self contained and easy to eat on the go — no utensils required.
But when you take a look at these popular breakfast pastries, you’ll see lots of crazy preservatives and artificial colors are used to make them, and I love to stay away from those when I can. So, I started experimenting with making my own homemade pop tarts, and I’m excited to report that it is so easy to do!
Brown sugar cinnamon is one of the top-selling flavors of pop tarts, and it’s definitely a favorite in my house. So I’m bringing you a brown sugar and cinnamon filling for this easy pop tart recipe! If you prefer fruit-flavored homemade pop tarts, feel free to use any flavor of preserves or jam as the filling — strawberry, raspberry, grape, etc. Either way, these pop tarts are — dare I say it? — way better than the stuff in the box! The tender, flaky, fresh pastry doesn’t even compare.
HOW TO MAKE POP TARTS?
You guys, I was surprised at how quickly these homemade brown sugar cinnamon poptarts come together! The secret is to use ready-made, refrigerated pie crusts. This shortcut keeps you from having to mix up and roll out the dough.
I chose to make these in a bite-size version, rather than a larger hand pie. I find these are easier for younger kids to eat, and the smaller size makes them easier to handle when you’re making them. My trick to easy bite-size treats is to shape them in the wells of an ice cube tray!
HOW LONG DO HOMEMADE POP TARTS KEEP?
This easy pop tart recipe will keep for three days in an airtight container at room temperature, or you can store them in the refrigerator for up to one week. Be sure to cool these brown sugar pop tarts completely before you store, to prevent them from becoming soggy.
HOW TO HEAT UP POP TARTS?
It is easy and quick to heat up these breakfast treats. You can reheat a handful in the microwave by heating for about 20 seconds. Or place the whole batch on a cookie sheet and reheat in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.
Homemade Pop Tarts
Ingredients
- 2 ready-made pie crusts
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp water
Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp milk plus more as needed
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking sheet.
- Unroll one pie crust, and press or roll out to an 11-inch circle. Gently press the pie crust into an ice cube tray, creating deep wells.
- In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup brown sugar, cinnamon and the flour to create the pop tart filling.
- Spoon the filling into the pie crust wells, dividing evenly. You may need to press the filling down gently.
- Unroll the second pie crust, and repeat the process of pressing or rolling out to an 11-inch circle. Carefully drape the second pie crust on top of the filled ice cube tray. Press around all edges and between the wells to seal the pie crusts together.
- Trim pie dough with kitchen shears, leaving a ½-inch border around the ice cube tray. Fold and roll edges to seal.
- Invert the ice cube tray onto the prepared baking sheet. Cut the mini pop tarts apart (a pizza cutter works great for this step!).
- Using a fork, quickly press around the edges of each pop tart to seal the filling inside.
- Make an egg wash by combine egg and water in a small bowl, whisking until pale and frothy. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash onto the pie dough.
- Bake the homemade pop tarts 18 to 20 minutes, until golden on the bottoms. Let cool for five minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the pop tart glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, ⅓ cup brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 25 to 30 seconds, then stir until smooth.
- Frost the tops of your pop tarts, and serve (after ensuring that the filling is not too hot to eat), or let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
I can’t even express how absolutely incredible these homemade pop tarts are! I feel like a kids again.