Homemade Mini Pop Tarts: A Delicious & Fun Treat!
Indulge in a nostalgic treat with these delightful Homemade Mini Pop Tarts! These bite-sized versions of the classic pastry are not only delicious but also a fun baking project for any occasion, especially Valentine’s Day! Ditch the store-bought variety and create your own with fresh ingredients and endless flavor possibilities. Get ready to impress your friends and family with these adorable and tasty mini pop tarts.
Growing up, I had a serious sweet tooth. Like many kids of the late 70s, I was raised on a mix of traditional Filipino cuisine and the latest American food trends. Think TV dinners and the dawn of the “Low Fat” era – a golden age of processed food!
And in that world, Pop Tarts reigned supreme. They were these brightly colored, sugary beacons of pure indulgence. I devoured them.
As I got older, my tastes matured, and my brain and stomach got a little wiser. I honestly can’t remember the last time I actually bought a box of Pop Tarts.
But sometimes, it’s okay to give in to those nostalgic cravings, right? Especially when you can recreate a childhood favorite at home, using better ingredients and skipping all the artificial chemicals and preservatives!
Homemade Mini Pop Tarts: A Step-By-Step Guide
Making these Homemade Mini Pop Tarts is surprisingly simple, although it does take a bit of time and patience. If you’re looking to speed things up, you can definitely make larger pop tarts. A lot of the effort goes into cutting, filling, and crimping the individual mini treats, after all!
Full recipe instructions are included below. Here’s a visual guide to the process of making your own homemade mini pop tarts, with a few helpful tips sprinkled throughout the photos:
Aren’t they adorable? I’m absolutely in love with how these turned out!
And the best part is, there’s no need to aim for “perfect” looking pop tarts. Just drizzle or pour the royal icing onto each baked tart, and it magically spreads out a bit over the edges, giving it a cool, rustic look. Effortless charm!
Top them off with colorful sprinkles, or simply leave them with just the sugar coating. Either way, they’re guaranteed to be a hit!
Mini Pop Tarts: Flavor Ideas
I used a classic strawberry jelly for my mini pop tarts, but the flavor possibilities are endless! Here are a few other flavor combinations to try:
- Blueberry: A sweet and tangy classic.
- Raspberry: A vibrant and fruity choice.
- Marionberry/Blackberry: A deeper, richer berry flavor.
- Hazelnut Mocha: Use Nutella filling with a coffee-flavored royal icing. The perfect treat for coffee lovers!
- Apple Cinnamon: Use apple pie filling with a cinnamon sugar topping. A warm and comforting option, especially during the fall.
Mini Pop Tarts: Full of Flavor and Fun
These Mini Pop Tarts – or, as I like to call them, mini (lolli)-pop tarts – are incredibly fun to serve at parties. I’ve served them at New Year’s Eve/Day parties, kids’ sleepovers, and birthday parties. They’re also the perfect sweet treat for Valentine’s Day!
And without the lollipop sticks, these mini pop tarts make wonderful indulgent snacks for a weekend brunch or afternoon tea.
Mini Pop Tarts Recipe
Marlynn Schotland
20 mins
15 mins
35 mins
16
pop tarts
Ingredients
-
1
package pre-made pie crust,
or your own homemade pie crust, if you prefer -
Fruit jelly,
raspberry, strawberry, or marionberry/blackberry work well! -
1
egg with 1 teaspoon water,
lightly beaten together -
1
cup
powdered sugar -
1
tablespoon
water + more as needed -
food coloring -
colored baking sprinkles
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a sheet of parchment paper over two baking pans.
-
Thaw pie crust according to package directions.
-
Roll out and cut into even strips, then cut into evenly-sized rectangles. *note: to get the scalloped edges, I used a pastry roller cutter with a scalloped edge
-
Place half of the rectangles onto baking sheets covered with parchment paper.
-
Place one lollipop stick on top of each rectangle, toward the bottom center. (Optional)
-
Top each rectangle with a small teaspoonful of jelly. Just put enough jelly to cover the middle, leaving room around the sides; you want a little bit to ooze out of the sides, but you don’t want a big globby mess when they are done baking!
-
Place another rectangle on top of each jellied rectangle, then gently press all sides down to seal. Use the tines of a fork to help secure the pieces together and also create a pattern around the edges.
-
Brush each rectangle lightly with egg wash.
-
Using the tips of the fork tines, gently poke a few holes at the top of each pop tart.
-
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, just until the tops are lightly brown. Allow to cool at room temperature.
Make the icing
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and water until blended into a smooth icing consistency. If needed, slowly add more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until you get your desired consistency.
-
Slowly add your choice of food coloring. Start with just one drop and then add more as needed to get your desired icing color.
-
Spread icing over each mini pop tart.
-
Sprinkle immediately with colored baking sprinkles.
-
Let set for about 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories:
82
kcal
,
Carbohydrates:
13
g
,
Protein:
1
g
,
Fat:
3
g
,
Saturated Fat:
1
g
,
Polyunsaturated Fat:
1
g
,
Monounsaturated Fat:
1
g
,
Trans Fat:
1
g
,
Cholesterol:
10
mg
,
Sodium:
48
mg
,
Potassium:
14