Homemade Pop Tarts

Growing up my Mom would make the 4 kids in my family breakfast every morning.  We would sit around the table at 7am and eat breakfast together.  It is one of my most favorite childhood memories.  And although I loved homemade breakfast, my favorite day of the week was Saturday because that was the day that we got to eat cold cereal, and pop tarts.  My Mom would buy each of us our favorite cold cereal and if we were lucky our pop tarts.  It was glorious waking up on Saturday and knowing that you got your box of cereal to eat in front of Saturday morning cartoons.  I will never forget how delicious those fresh out of the toaster pop tarts were either.  I loved the strawberry filling and yummy pastry crust.  It was like a deliciously warm, buttery, and melty cookie.  Because of my love for these little treats I was determined to make a more "grown-up" version of the regular old pop-tart.  I have to admit that as I grew up they just didn't taste as great, but I found myself still buying them because I had that memory in my head.  So to satisfy my craving I have come up with a homemade strawberry pop-tart recipe that I think you will all enjoy!

Strawberry Pop Tart

Ingredients
for the Pastry Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks, or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk

for the Strawberry Filling
¾ cup strawberry jam (or whatever flavor you’d like)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

1 egg beaten (to brush on the top of the pastry crust)

Directions
Make the strawberry filling.  Prepare by whisking together the cornstarch and water, and then combine with the jam in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool.

To make the crust, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, work in the butter until it is the size of peas and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it. Whisk together the egg and milk and add to the dough. Mix together with a fork until everything is evenly moistened. Knead briefly on a floured surface, if necessary, until the dough comes together.

Strawberry Pop Tart

Divide the dough in half. (At this point you can wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.) If you refrigerate the dough, let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before rolling out. Roll out one piece of dough to about 1/8-inch thick, in a 9½ by 12½ rectangle. Using a sharp knife, trim the rectangle to 9×12 inches. Cut the sheet of dough into nine 3×4 rectangles. Using a spatula, transfer the rectangles to a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.  Brush the lightly beaten egg on each of the rectangles. Spoon a tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, leaving a ½-inch of space around the edges.

Roll out and cut the second piece of dough in the exact same manner as you did the first. One at a time, place a second rectangle of dough on top of the nine assembled ones. Using your fingers, press around the seams of the dough to make sure they are sealed. Press the tines of a fork around the edges of the rectangles. Prick the tops of the rectangles in multiple spots to allow steam to escape.

Nutella Pop Tart

Refrigerate the pan with the pastries (you don’t need to cover them) for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving. Store pastries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Nutella Pop Tart

*Tip* You can also replace the strawberry filling with Nutella for more of a dessert pop tart.  You know how much I love Nutella, and this is a great recipe to use it with!