Brown Sugar Pop Tarts

For more yummy recipes like these Brown Sugar Pop-Tarts, be sure to try my Pecan Pie Cookies , my Pumpkin Pie Bars , or this Peach Galette . Since pop tarts are made with a pie-like dough, all of these recipes have that pie-vibe going on! 😋

I’ve wanted to make homemade pop tarts for YEARS. I am not quite sure what took me so long to finally just say “I’m making pop tarts today” but the other day I woke up and the motivation hit me. I had to start with a personal favorite – brown sugar. If I am being honest, the real deal pop tarts aren’t great. They’re crumbly and dry and lacking flavor. I said what I said 🙈 So making them at home is a total game changer – a buttery, flaky pastry, a rich brown sugar filling, and a yummy brown sugar glaze on top. Skip store-bought and making these little pockets of joy at home!

Ingredient Notes

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below).

• Pie dough: the base of this recipe is essentially pie dough. I am using all-purpose flour, both butter, and shortening (or you can use all butter if you prefer), a little sugar, salt, and ice-cold water. That’s it!
• Filling : you’ll need dark brown sugar, some melted butter, flour, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract .
• Glaze : powdered sugar, milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract , brown sugar, and light corn syrup will help to set the glaze.

Step by Step Directions

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below).

Make the dough

It’s so easy! It comes together in a food processor in minutes.

Cut into rectangles

Use a cookie cutter, or just use an index card as a guide to cut ~3×5 inch rectangles.

Fill & crimp!

Careful not to add too much brown sugar filling, it can ooze out. Just about 1 Tbsp. is plenty. Seal the sides well and then crimp with a fork.

Bake & glaze

How fun is this?!

YUM!

Enjoy every single bite 😍

Success Tips

• Use this rectangle cookie cutter for perfect clean cuts in the dough (and it makes the process much easier!)
• Keep it cold: When making the dough, keep the butter and shortening very cold before you use it. It’s key for a flaky dough.
• Seal the edges: the filling can ooze out of the edges aren’t sealed properly. Use the egg wash as a binder and then the fork along the edges to not only make the design but to seal the top and bottom together.
• Chill before baking : once the pop tarts are assembled, chill them again before baking to help the pop tarts maintain their shape as they bake.
• Don’t overfill : I have this strong urge to add a lot of filling in my pop tarts 🤪 but this can cause the filling to ooze out and the pastry to crack. About 1 Tbsp. is plenty.
• Leave a border : to prevent the filling from oozing out, be sure to leave a border between the filling to the edge of the pie dough.
• Change the filling: fill with jams or preserves (strawberry, raspberry, apricot, blueberry, etc.) Just make sure it’s thick to avoid it running/oozing during baking. Or fill with chocolate, hazelnut spread, lemon curd, or chocolate ganache.

Storage

• Store at room temperature for up to 2 days in a air-tight container, refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze for 2-3 months.
• For reheating, if the pop tarts are glazed, you’ll need to be careful so the glaze doesn’t melt. The oven just briefly. For unglazed pop tarts, I like to use the toaster oven or microwave.

More recipes you’ll love

Apple Pie Bars Recipe

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

Apple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Icing

Carrot Cake Cookies

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📸 Photos by Megan McKeehan of The Broke

Brown Sugar Pop Tarts

Ingredients

For the dough

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar (optional)
• 2 tsp. kosher salt or 1 tsp. fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes, cold
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cut into cubes, cold or you can use 1/2 cup more butter in place of the shortening
• 6-8 Tbsp. ice cold water

For the filling

• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. kosher salt or 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. fine salt
• 3-4 Tbsp. melted butter, unsalted
• splash vanilla extract
• 1 egg, whisked with a splash of milk or water this is for the egg wash

For the glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1-2 Tbsp. whole milk
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

Dough:

• Pulse the dry ingredients in a food processor. Pulse in the cold butter cubes and cold shortening. Slowly drizzle in the ice cold water, 1 Tbsp. at a time. It should be able to form into what feels like dough when pressed between your fingers. 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar (optional), 2 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes, cold, 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cut into cubes, cold, 6-8 Tbsp. ice cold water
• Turn out the dough on a clean cutting board or work surface and bring the dough together into a disk. Divide in half, and form into disks. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, overnight, or up to 2 days.
• When ready, remove one disk from the fridge and allow to sit 5-10 minutes on the counter so it’s easier to roll out.
• Roll the dough into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface, about 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut the dough into ~3.5 inch x 4.75 inch rectangles. You can use a 3x5 index card for a guide or I like to use this cookie cutter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and put in the fridge. Rework the dough and continue to cut out more rectangles. Repeat steps with other half of dough and place them in the fridge too on a separate baking sheet.

Filling:

• Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, salt, butter, and vanilla in a bowl. It should be like a paste like consistency. 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1 1/2 Tbsp. all purpose flour, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 3-4 Tbsp. melted butter, unsalted, splash vanilla extract
• In another bowl, whisk together the egg and milk for the egg wash and set aside. 1 egg, whisked with a splash of milk or water

Assembly:

• Remove one baking sheet of the rectangles from the fridge.
• Lightly brush egg wash over each rectangle.
• Spread ~1 Tbsp. of the filling on half of the rectangles, spreading and gently pressing down but leaving at least a 1/4 - 1/2 inch border. The border is key so none of the filling oozes out.
• Place the other rectangle on top, egg wash side down, and gently press the edges together. Place these in the fridge and repeat the process with the others.
• Chill the assembled pop tarts for 30-60 minutes to ensure they keep their shape when baking.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove pop tarts from the fridge. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and poke ~6-8 holes in the tops using a toothpick or something similar.
• Bake for ~20 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown. Cool for 5-10 min, and then transfer to cooling rack.

Glaze

• Once cooled, whisk together all the icing ingredients. It should be thick. Spread on top. Let it set 1 hour so it can harden. 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup, 1-2 Tbsp. whole milk, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Enjoy. Finally!

Video

Notes

• Use a packaged rolled pie crust for convenience if you’re short on time.

Nutrition