These homemade pop tarts with strawberries are one of my favorite treats to make when I want something nostalgic but completely homemade. The flaky pastry is filled with a sweet strawberry jam made from scratch and topped with a smooth chocolate glaze.
These delicious hand pies are perfect for any occasion, including breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack, and are a great way to surprise your darling with something special. You only need a few ingredients. If you love fruity pastries, you should definitely try my Mini Caramel Apple Pies.
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Try These Homemade Pop Tarts with Strawberries
If you've never made your own homemade strawberry pop tarts before, this recipe is the perfect place to start. I love how much better these taste than the boxed version. The buttery pastry, homemade strawberry filling, and rich chocolate topping work so well together.
This homemade pop tart recipe is also a lot of fun to make with kids, especially when it comes time to fill, seal, and decorate the pastries. Once you make these from scratch, it's hard to go back to store-bought pop tarts.
Why You'll Love It
- From start to finish: Made completely from scratch with simple ingredients.
- Perfect texture: The flaky pop tarts with pie crust are buttery and tender.
- Simply delicious: The homemade strawberry filling gives you an irresistible flavor.
- Family time project: It makes a perfect baking project for kids and families.
- Customizable: These homemade strawberry pop tarts are easy to customize with different fillings and various toppings.
Ingredients
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries create the sweet filling that makes these homemade pop tarts with strawberries so delicious. You can swap them for other berries if you like, but strawberries are my favorite.
- Butter: Cold butter is the reason you get a flaky pastry. I always make sure it's straight from the fridge because warm butter won't give you those beautiful layers.
- Sour Cream: This helps create a rich, tender dough that stays soft but still manages to become flaky.
- Chocolate: The chocolate glaze adds some sweetness and gives these pastries a bakery-style finish.
How to Make Homemade Pop Tarts with Strawberries
1. For the strawberry filling, puree the strawberries with a hand blender until smooth.
2. Place a fine-mesh strainer on top of a medium-sized saucepan. Then pour the strawberries into the strainer. Use a spatula or spoon to push the fruit and liquid through the sieve and discard the solids.
3. Add the sugar and orange juice and simmer the mixture over medium heat for about 10 minutes until it has a jam-like consistency. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature for about 1 hour.
4. For the pie crust, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it is crumbly and large, pea-sized butter flakes are still visible.
5. Add the sour cream and fold it into the mixture with a rubber spatula. Knead the dough a few times just until it comes together, but be careful not to overwork it so the butter flakes are still visible.
6. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Then roll out the dough into an 8x10" (20x25cm) rectangle and fold it in thirds like a business letter. Rotate the dough by 90°. Repeat rolling out and folding one more time. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and freeze for about 10 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
8. Roll out the chilled dough into a rectangle about ⅛" (3mm) thick and trim the sides. The rectangle should be big enough to cut into 18 rectangles (making 9 pop tarts). Transfer half of the rectangles to the prepared baking sheet.
9. Place a heaping tablespoon of strawberry jam in the center of each bottom pie crust rectangle and place the remaining dough rectangles on top.
10. Seal the edges with the tines of a fork. Pierce the top 4-5 times with the tip of a sharp knife or a toothpick so that the steam can escape during baking.
11. Brush the tops evenly with the egg. Bake for about 22-24 minutes or until golden brown. Then transfer to a wire rack and let cool down to room temperature.
12. For the chocolate glaze, place the chocolate and oil in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted. Stir every 20 seconds to avoid overheating. Let it sit for a few minutes, until thick enough to spoon it onto the hand pies.
13. Spoon the chocolate over the pop tarts and spread evenly. Let dry at room temperature for about 1 hour. You can add some sprinkles or whatever you like on top.
14. Serve and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Recipe Tips
- I always make sure the strawberry filling has thickened properly before using it. If it's too runny, it can leak during baking.
- Use cold butter for the pie crust and don't overwork the dough. You want pea-sized butter flakes in the dough for an ultra-flaky texture.
- Don't overfill the pastries. A little filling goes a long way and helps keep everything sealed. Also, seal the edges completely, otherwise the filling will run out during baking. Also, be sure to pierce the tops a few times so the steam can escape without breaking the pie crust.
- If you like a sweeter filling, you can stir in a little honey after cooking the jam.
What Can You Serve With This?
- Fresh strawberries
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla yogurt
- Coffee
- Tea
- A glass of milk
FAQs
Yes! This recipe works really well with both pie crust and puff pastry. I personally love the texture of pop tarts with pie crust, but either option works well.
Absolutely. When I'm short on time, I use store-bought jam and still get great results.
Yes. I often prepare the dough and filling a day ahead, then assemble and bake the next day.
Recipe
Homemade Pop Tarts With Strawberries
Ingredients
Strawberry filling
- 1 heaping cup chopped strawberries
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Pie crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold (cut into small pieces)
- ½ cup sour cream, cold
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten (for brushing)
Chocolate glaze
- 6 oz semi-sweet or milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil or coconut oil
Instructions
Strawberry filling
- Puree the strawberries with a hand blender until smooth.
- Place a fine-mesh strainer on top of a medium-sized saucepan. Then pour the strawberries into the strainer. Use a spatula or spoon to push the fruit and liquid through the sieve and discard the solids.
- Add the sugar and orange juice and simmer the mixture over medium heat for about 10 minutes until it has a jam-like consistency. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature for about 1 hour.
Pie crust
- Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it is crumbly and large, pea-sized butter flakes are still visible.
- Add the sour cream and fold it into the mixture with a rubber spatula. Knead the dough a few times just until it comes together, but be careful not to overwork it so the butter flakes are still visible.
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Then roll out the dough into an 8x10" (20x25cm) rectangle and fold it in thirds like a business letter. Rotate the dough by 90°. Repeat rolling out and folding one more time. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and freeze for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll out the chilled dough into a rectangle about ⅛" (3mm) thick and trim the sides. The rectangle should be big enough to cut into 18 rectangles (making 9 pop tarts). Transfer half of the rectangles to the prepared baking sheet.
- Place a heaping tablespoon of strawberry jam in the center of each bottom pie crust rectangle and place the remaining dough rectangles on top. Seal the edges with the tins of a fork. Pierce the top 4-5 times with the tip of a sharp knife or a toothpick so that the steam can escape during baking. Brush the tops evenly with the egg.
- Bake for about 22-24 minutes or until golden brown. Then transfer to a wire rack and let cool down to room temperature.
Chocolate glaze
- Place the chocolate and oil in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted. Stir every 20 seconds to avoid overheating. Let sit for a few minutes, until thick enough to spoon it onto the hand pies.
- Spoon the chocolate over the pop tarts and spread evenly. Let dry at room temperature for about 1 hour. Serve and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
Cooking Time and Temperature
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22–24 minutes.Taste & Texture
These homemade strawberry pop tarts are buttery, flaky, crispy around the edges, and filled with a sweet jammy center. The chocolate glaze adds richness while the strawberry filling brings bright fruity flavor.Storage, Freezing & Reheating
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: Freeze baked or unbaked pop tarts for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Microwave for 10–20 seconds if desired.
Serving Recommendations
I love serving these homemade strawberry pop tarts with a hot coffee in the morning or alongside fresh fruit for an afternoon treat.Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Use blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, or peaches instead of strawberries.
- Replace the chocolate glaze with vanilla icing.
- Add a drizzle of honey to the filling for extra sweetness.
- Use puff pastry instead of pie crust.
- Turn this homemade pop tart recipe into different flavors using your favorite fruit jam.
Proper Storage Tips
- Let the pop tarts cool completely before storing.
- Keep them in an airtight container.
- Freeze individually wrapped pastries for easy serving.
Pro Tips
- Cook the strawberry filling until thick.
- Use very cold butter.
- Don't overfill the pastries.
- Seal the edges completely.
- Pierce the tops before baking.
- Allow the glaze to fully set before storing.
Video
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amy
Looks so yummy!
Sabine
Thank you so much!
Neta Livne
Never thought of making homemade pop tarts.... what a brilliant idea!!
Sabine
Thank you so much! It's very easy to make and should definitely give it a try.
Coley
These look incredible Sabine! I'd love to see more German and European recipes. My husband's family is German and I'd love to surprise them with something authentic and delicious! Can't wait to see what you have in store. Happy new Year!
Sabine
Thank you so much for your feedback, Coley. I will let you know when I share some German classics. Have a great 2018 with lots of love, joy, and health!