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Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts
5 from 56 votes

Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts

Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts feature a flaky, tender pastry crust filled with a sweet, slightly thickened strawberry filling. These hand pies are brushed with an egg wash for color and finished with a glaze made from powdered sugar and milk, optionally decorated with sprinkles. The pop tarts balance tartness from strawberries with a sugary crust and soft glaze, mimicking classic store-bought versions but fresher and customizable.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings: 10 pop tarts
Calories: 421 kcal
Course: Dessert, Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Crust
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup butter cubed and very cold, unsalted
  • ½ cup sour cream (may substitute plain full-fat Greek yogurt)
For the Filling
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 8 oz strawberries quartered (see note to use different fruit)
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • ½ Tablespoon butter salted or unsalted
Egg Wash
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 teaspoon water
For the Glaze
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup see note
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • nonpareils sprinkles, or coarse sanding sugar for decorating, optional

Instructions

For Crust
    Cup of Yum
  1. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in the basin of a food processor.
  2. Scatter butter pieces evenly over the surface of the flour mixture and pulse until the butter is cut into the mixture and your mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You should still see some pieces of butter remaining, some may be as large as chocolate chips, this is fine!
  3. Add sour cream and pulse until sour cream is incorporated, flour is absorbed, and mixture is beginning to cling together.
  4. Remove dough from food processor (be careful of the blade!) and transfer to a piece of plastic wrap. Form into a ball then flatten into a disk. Chill for at least 30-60 minutes before rolling out. In the meantime, prepare your filling.
For Filling
  1. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan and whisk together until combined.
  2. Add berries and lemon juice and stir to combine.
  3. Transfer saucepan to stovetop over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the berries release their juices and begin to soften. Mash them with a potato masher or large fork until no large pieces remain.
  4. Stir while the mixture bubbles and cook until it begins to thicken and begins to approach a jelly-like consistency. Note that the filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
  5. Once the filling begins to thicken, remove from heat and stir in butter until completely combined. Set aside and allow to cool completely before filling pastry (you can speed up the process by placing the filling in the refrigerator).
Assembly
  1. Once dough has chilled and filling has cooled, preheat oven to 400F (205C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Prepare egg wash by thoroughly whisking together egg and water.
  3. Transfer pie crust to a clean, lightly floured surface and dust with additional flour as needed. Roll dough into a rectangle about ⅛-¼” thick then cut into 2.5”x4” (6x10cm) rectangles (I use a rectangular cookie cutter to do this, but you can just use a sharp knife or a pizza wheel!).
  4. Place one rectangle on prepared baking sheet and lightly brush the surface with egg wash. Drop a rounded Tablespoon of strawberry filling into the center, then top with another rectangle of dough. Use a fork to crimp the sides to seal, then brush the surface of the dough with egg wash. Use a toothpick or wooden skewer to poke 6-8 holes in the surface of the pop tart to allow it to vent.
  5. Repeat steps above until you have formed all of your pop tarts, then transfer to 400F (205C) oven and bake 15-17 minutes and beginning to turn golden brown. Allow pop tarts to cool on baking sheet before decorating with icing.
Icing
  1. Combine sugar, 1 Tablespoon of milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. If mixture is too thick, add remaining milk as needed until smooth (if icing becomes too thin, you can always thicken it with a bit more powdered sugar). Icing has reached ideal consistency when you lift the spoon from the icing and the ribbon that drizzles off the spoon holds its shape for several seconds before dissolving back in the bowl.
  2. Drizzle icing over the center of the pop tarts and top with sprinkles, if using. Allow frosting to harden before serving and enjoying.

Notes

  • A food processor simplifies crust preparation, but a pastry cutter and manual mixing work with some extra effort.
  • Other berries or mixed fruits can replace strawberries; frozen fruit may need extra water for consistency.
  • You can omit corn syrup in the glaze; this reduces shine and firmness, so add slightly more milk to adjust texture.
  • Store finished pop tarts airtight at room temperature for 2-3 days or freeze for longer storage.
  • Make the pie crust up to 3 days in advance; prepare the filling 1-2 days before assembly.
  • Prepare glaze fresh before glazing to ensure proper consistency and appearance.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1pop tart Calories 421kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 52g (17%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 14g (70%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 6g (30%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 73mg (24%) Sodium 143mg (6%) Potassium 102mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 27g (54%) Vitamin A 688IU (14%) Vitamin C 14mg (16%) Calcium 33mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 pop tarts

Amount Per Serving

Calories 421

% Daily Value*

Serving 1pop tart
Calories 421kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 52g 17%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 73mg 24%
Sodium 143mg 6%
Potassium 102mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 27g 54%
Vitamin A 688IU 14%
Vitamin C 14mg 16%
Calcium 33mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.