These homemade Pop Tarts (or hand pies, really) are made from scratch with juicy peaches and a creamy icing for a fun, delicious, kid-friendly snack. Real flavor. Real peaches and cream.
Do note that these babies are large, so if feeding to your (big) babies as a snack, I’d recommend making them smaller or giving smaller portions.
Why You’ll Love These Homemade Poptarts
The pastry – no, wait – the filling, no – the frosting, ah, just all of it! The pastry uses a 50-50 combination of butter and all-vegetable shortening to achieve the perfect mix between soft, tender, and flaky. The filling is real peaches, made with beautifully ripe peaches and honey. I use pectin to thicken mine and give it a texture I feel resembles the snack I remember as a kid. Its thickness also helps prevent leaks. You can use other thickeners (see Recipe notes).
Ingredients You’ll Need
Pop Tart pastry
- Flour
- Butter
- Shortening
- Sugar
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Water
Peach filling
- Peaches
- Honey (or sugar)
- Lemon
- Pectin (or other thickener)
Cream icing (frosting)
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla (optional)
How to Make these Homemade Pop Tarts (Step-by-Step)
1. Make the Pop Tart pastry dough
A 50-50 butter and shortening pie dough that gives you a tender, somewhat crumbly, slightly flaky pastry. If you have a food processor, you can throw everything in there to make the dough. Easy!
2. Prepare the Peach filling
Cook the peach filling until thickened.
I am using real, ripe peaches and minimal added sweetener. I like using honey (and honey powder, in particular. Because I am using minimal added sugar, I use a citrus-based pectin to thicken my filling. I found it at my local Sprouts, but you can get it here on Amazon. Alternative thickener options are in the recipe notes. I find pectin gives it that coarse paste-like texture in the original Pop Tart and minimizes leaks, but it’s just a personal preference.
3. Fill and Seal the Pop Tarts
Roll and cut out the Pop Tart pastry (template provided below). Then just spread the Peach filling and seal!
4. Bake until tender and crumbly
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for just 25 minutes to get that perfect, pale pastry that is still tender.
5. Cool and cover with Cream icing (frosting)
Let the Pop Tarts cool before icing them with the Cream icing, made with powdered sugar and heavy cream.
Tips for Perfect Homemade Pop Tarts
- A mixture of shortening and butter gives you the ideal Pop Tart texture
- Keep dough cold; refrigerate it if it gets too warm
- Don’t overfill to prevent leaks
- Use super ripe peaches if you can
- Use a bench scraper/dough card to keep your Pop Tarts neat with clean edges and squared corners
Make Ahead and Storage
You can make the pastry ahead of time. Refrigerate for two to three days or freeze for up to 6 months. If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight. The peach filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks if using citrus-based pectin.
Store baked Pop Tarts for up to 3 days at room temperature, or up to a week in the refrigerator.
Homemade Pop Tarts with Peaches and Cream
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Equipment
- Food Processor optional
- Pastry Cutter optional
Ingredients
Poptart
- 300 g flour
- 126 g butter chilled
- 90 g all-vegetable shortening like Crisco, chilled
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2-4 tbsp water ice cold
Peach Filling
- 250 g peaches extra ripe, peeled and chopped. See notes
- 2 tbsp honey or sugar; I used honey powder. If you want it sweeter or your peaches aren't as ripe, use more.
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ tsp pectin citrus-based, low sugar; otherwise see notes
- 1 tsp calcium water if using low sugar pectin; otherwise follow instructions for standard pectin; see notes
- 2 tbsp flour for gluing the pastry
- 2-3 tsp water for gluing the pastry
Cream Icing (Frosting)
- 90 g powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk powder optional, adds to the milky/creamy taste
- 2-4 tbsp heavy cream
- ¼ tsp vanilla optional
- milk optional, to thin frosting as needed
Extra
- 45 g turbinado sugar optional, for sprinkles (or use sprinkles of choice)
Instructions
Make the Pop Tart Pastry
- In a food processor, add all of the ingredients except for the vinegar and water. Pulse until it resembles coarse sand. Add the vinegar, pulse again, and then add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing just until the dough forms a ball around the blades.
- If you don't have a food processor: Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl until well combined, then use a pastry cutter or your fingers to incorporate the butter and shortening into the flour, rubbing the mixture between your palms until it resembles coarse sand. Add the vinegar and then the water 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough forms a ball.
- Tip the dough out onto your counter and divide into two. Form each into a rectangle and then cover each in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
Make the Peach filling
- For a smoother filling, blend the peaches first (or use an immersion blender later). Add peaches, honey or sugar and lemon juice to a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. If you didn't blend your peaches, you can use a potato masher to mash the peaches or use an immersion blender. Note: If using another thickener besides pectin, check instructions to see if it should be added before mixture is brought to a boil (like cornstarch).
- If using pectin: Once boiling, add the pectin and calcium water, if needed. Cook for about 4-5 minutes to ensure the filling is firmer than a jam.
- Pour into a bowl or baking tray to completely cool at room temperature. Refrigerate if you'd like it firmer for handling (or if making ahead).
Make the Pop Tarts
- Prepare two 9×13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper. Have your peach filling ready. Mix the flour and water together to form a thick but spreadable paste.
- Take one rectangle of pastry out of the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, quickly roll it out into a 10½ by 10-inch rectangle, about ⅛ inch thick. Cut out 6 rectangles, each 3½ inches wide and 5 inches long. See image. You can re-roll scraps if you can't get the exact number of rectangles at first.
- Arrange three rectangles on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon about 1½ to 2 tablespoons of filling into the center of each, spreading it gently with the back of a spoon while leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Brush the exposed edges with the flour-water paste.
- Lay the plain rectangles over the filled ones, pressing the edges together to seal. Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge and chill again. Repeat this process with the second half of the pastry and chill in the refrigerator once done. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350℉ (176℃).
- Once the oven is preheated, remove the Pop Tarts from the fridge and prick the tops all over with a toothpick or fork to let steam escape. Bake for 25 minutes for a lighter pastry, or up to 28 minutes for deeper color and a firmer texture. They’ll feel soft when they first come out.
- Cool on a baking tray for 10-15 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely. They will firm up.
Make the Cream Frosting and Frost the Pop Tarts!
- Once the Pop Tarts are cooled, whisk the powdered sugar, milk powder and vanilla, if using, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to start.Continue to add more heavy cream, half a tablespoon at a time until it is a spreadable glaze/frosting. You can also add milk to thin it out a bit more.
- Spread or pipe the frosting on the Pop Tarts to your liking. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pie thickener (like this product from King Arthur)
- Cornstarch
- Agar-agar
- Gelatin
Had some peaches I had to use and made these (quick peach filling version so more runny) but absolutely beautiful!