Homemade Pop Tarts are a healthy alternative to store bought. These healthy pop tarts are filling, natural and without all the junk ingredients.
These homemade pop tarts are a healthy alternative to store bought type
When I was a kid I always reached for the pop tarts if they were in the pantry (ok, I'm kidding, I still do). I would grab a pack when I headed out to school, and a pack when I got home from school as a snack.
At some point, I realized that, although delicious, store-bought pop tarts aren't the healthiest treats. I really should make my own homemade healthy pop tarts.
Could that be done? Is it possible to make a healthy version of pop tarts?
YES! I've figured it out with this recipe! And since I hate keeping things to myself, here it is for you.
My healthy pop tart recipe is such a treat that you'll love for breakfast or brunch.
What is a pop tart made of?
First, let's look at what a pop tart actually is. When you buy it from a store, you get a thin pastry that has a sugary jammy filling inside, and (usually) a spread of icing on top.
For this homemade pop tart recipe, I use a flakey, buttery pastry. Then I fill it with a strawberry chia jam and top it with icing.
Are pop tarts healthy?
In short, store-bought pop tarts are not healthy! They are loaded with sugar, calories, and fat. And they contain very little fiber and protein for the amount of calories in a pop tart.
But the very good news is that if you make homemade pop tarts, you can make them healthy!
How are these homemade pop tart healthy?
These pop tarts may look like a store-bought pop tart in shape, but there are some key differences that make these a healthy alternative.
First, I use spelt flour instead of all purpose flour
Spelt flour comes from an ancient grain and naturally has more nutrients than regular flour. Spelt is full of a variety of vitamin B2, manganese, niacin, copper, phosphorus, protein, and fiber.
Another benefit of spelt flour is that it is more easily digestible than regular flour, and may be friendlier to those with a gluten intolerance. But do keep in mind that spelt flour is not gluten-free.
Different types of spelt flour
Just like regular flour, spelt comes in white and whole. White spelt is simply without the bran and germ.
For this recipe, I use a white spelt flour, as opposed to a whole wheat spelt. It keeps this pastry light enough. I wouldn't recommend whole wheat spelt for this recipe because you might find it a bit too healthy tasting.
Can you use whole wheat flour for this homemade pop tart?
In case you are wondering if you can just use whole wheat flour for this recipe, I haven't tried it specifically. I would recommend using a whole wheat pastry flour if you go that route though, as it might be easier to find than white spelt flour.
But I do generally prefer spelt flour in pastries because because it's not as strong tasting. Instead, it just adds a bit of a rustic flavor that is slightly nuttier that all-purpose flour.
If you have trouble finding white spelt flour in your local store, you can easily order unbleached organic white spelt flour on Amazon.
There you go. That's how the crust of these pop tarts are healthier.
Second, the jam filling inside is made of a strawberry chia jam
To keep with the healthy pop tart, I use this strawberry chia seed jam inside as a filling. Strawberry chia jam is easy to make, and so much healthier than regular jam.
You can make your own strawberry chia jam with this recipe, or you can:
- easily buy it on Amazon,
- likely find strawberry chia jam in your local health food store, or
- use this Easy Blueberry Chia Seed Jam recipe instead.
How to make homemade pop tarts
This breakfast recipe is a bit more complicated from other ones I normally share on The Worktop. But once you taste the buttery flakey crust on this homemade pop tart, you'll be glad you made it!
Ingredients needed for this homemade pop tart recipe
Ingredients for crust
- white spelt flour
- granulated sugar
- sea salt
- unsalted butter
- eggs
- milk
If you have trouble finding white spelt flour in your local store, you can easily order unbleached organic white spelt flour on Amazon.
Ingredients for jam
If you use my strawberry chia jam recipe, you'll need:
- strawberries
- chia seeds
- honey
- lemon zest
Alternatively, you can:
- use this strawberry chia jam from Amazon,
- find strawberry chia jam in your local health food store, or
- use this Easy Blueberry Chia Seed Jam recipe instead.
1. The first steps is to make the pastry dough
I take the method from this Serious Eats post on Easy Pie Dough Recipe, but make adaptions based on this Flour cookbook.
Making the dough requires a food processor, but with that piece of equipment, it takes literally 5 minutes to make the crust.
- Add two thirds of the dry ingredients into the food processor and spread on butter chunks.
- Whizz it.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients.
- Whizz it.
- Beat the milk and eggs together, then pour into the food processor.
- Whizz it.
- Take the dough out, and press it together until it comes together.
- Divide it in half then refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Second step is to roll out the pastry dough
Take the dough packets out of the fridge about 10 minutes before you are ready to roll.
Generously dust a surface with flour. Unwrap one piece of dough, then using a rolling pin, roll it into a long rectangle that is about 8 by 15 inches, and about ⅛ inch thick.
Then, you'll cut that dough into 10 pieces. First cut in half lengthwise. Then evenly cut across 4 times horizontally so you end up with 10 rectangles.
3. Third step is to fill the pop tart pastry and bake it
Once you have the 10 rectangles cut, brush the entire surface (all 10 rectangles) with the remaining egg whites. This is to help the chia jam stick to the pastry when it bakes.
Then, working lengthwise, spoon on 1 tablespoon of jam across one side of your rectangle. You'll spoon jam on 5 of the pastry rectangles.
Carefully using a spatula, fold the pastry rectangle without jam over the side with the jam filling. Gently press around the edges to seal it it with your fingers.
Using the spatula, transfer the 5 pop tarts onto a baking tray. Take a fork and lightly press around the edges again to give it the pop of design.
Repeat with the other half of the dough for a total of 10 homemade pop tarts.
Pop the tray in a preheated oven and bake for about 35 minutes.
My biggest tip on quickly rolling and filling the pop tarts
My biggest tip is to make 5 pop tarts at a time with each half of the crust batter.
You might see other recipes that tell you roll out one piece of dough, cut, then top all 10 pieces with jam. Then use the second rolled out pastry as the top of the pop tart. I don't like it this way because it requires too much moving around the dough.
And another method might ask you to roll out the entire pastry then lightly score it and drop the jam evenly spaced on the pastry. Then you press down around the jam mounds to seal it, then cut it into individual pop tarts.
(Essentially you are making it like a ravioli.) I don't like this way because it takes so much more precision.
So, the quickest way I have found is to roll it into a long rectangle then make 5 at a time.
4. The fourth step is to frost the homemade pop tarts after baking
Once the pop tart is out of the oven and cooled, you'll make a quick frosting. Simply mix together powdered sugar, a pinch of salt and milk to make the quick glaze.
The biggest tip here is to add the milk very slowly, and to mix well between each addition. Once you add too much milk, it will take a lot of powdered sugar to fix the frosting so it is not too runny.
Love this acrylic stand? So do I! I've had mine for 4 years, so I can't find the exact one anymore, but here's one that looks even better.
Questions about homemade pop tart recipes
Just in case you are wondering these things about these healthy pop tarts...
How do I store these homemade pop tarts?
These pop tarts are so good you might be tempted to eat them all at once! But if you are lucky enough to have a few to save, pop them in an air tight container and store them on the countertop for no more than 2 days.
You can also store them in the refrigerator a few days, or wrap them individually and freeze them for a few weeks.
Can I toast these pop tarts in the toaster?
If you frost these homemade pop tarts, do not heat these up in a toaster! Instead, I've found the best is to microwave the pop tarts for about 10 seconds. Any longer and the frosting starts to melt.
If you don't frost these homemade pop tarts, you can lightly heat them up in a toaster oven.
A delicious pop tart recipe that is worthy of breakfast
I really hope this homemade healthy pop tart recipe becomes a favorite weekend treat for your family. Any questions on how to make this recipe, feel free to let me know in the comments below.
Things that might help you with this recipe
Nature's Legacy VitaSpelt Organic White (Unbleached) Spelt Flour
Carrington Farms Organic Chia Seeds4 Tier Round Acrylic Display Stand
Homemade Pop Tarts - Healthy Recipe
Print Recipe Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 ¾ - 2 cups white spelt flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter - cut into ¼ inch pieces
- 2 medium eggs - separated (yolks will go in the pastry crust, whites will be used for brushing on the pop tarts later)
- 3 tablespoons cold milk
- 10 tablespoons strawberry chia jam (you can use regular jam, but it will be sweeter)
For the pop tart frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½-2 ½ tablespoons milk
- 1 pinch salt
- sprinkles - as desired
Instructions
Make the pastry crust
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and milk. Set aside. Cover and set the egg white aside. If you are making the pop tarts after the dough chills for 1 hour, you can leave the egg whites covered on the counter. Otherwise, cover the egg whites and store the bowl in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll out and make the pop tarts.
- Combine ⅔ of the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor by pulsing twice to mix. Evenly spread the butter chunks on top. Pulse about 25 times, until no dry flour remains and the dough begins to clump. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and spread the dough around evenly. Sprinkle on the remaining flour. Pulse about 5 times, until the flour is just mixed in and the dough is crumbly.
- Pour in the milk and egg mixture. Pulse about 20 times, until the dough has come together. The dough will be a bit sticky, but if you find that it is not coming together, add a bit more flour. Use a spatula and fold and press the dough a few times.
- Transfer the dough out to a large cutting board. Divide it in half (each half will weigh be about 260 grams). Flatten each half into a rectangle. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before rolling and baking.
Make the pop tarts
- When the dough is ready, take the dough out from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before you are ready to start rolling. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 176°C. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Get a large cutting surface clean and dusted with flour. Dust your hands and a rolling pin in flour. Unwrap one piece of the dough and roll it out until it is a rectangle about 8-inches x 15-inches.
- Next, using a knife, cut the dough into 10 pieces. To do so, cut the dough in half lengthwise. Then evenly cut the dough 4 times across so you have 10 rectangular pieces total (in a 2x5 grid).
- Brush the entire surface of the dough with the egg whites. Working lengthwise, drop a tablespoon of strawberry chia jam onto 5 of the pop tart rectangles.
- Using a spatula to help, fold over the other side of the pop tart rectangle so the egg wash is on the inside. Use your fingers and gently push around the sides of each pop tart so it is sealed. Brush egg on the tops of each pop tart.
- Using a spatula, transfer each pop tart to the pan, leaving about 1-inch between them. Using the tines of a fork, gently push down around the pop tart edges. Prick the top of each tart several times, so that steam can escape while they are baking.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for at least 30 minutes.
Make the pop tart frosting
- In a large bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, salt and 1 tablespoons of milk. Slowly add more milk as needed to get a thick, but spreadable frosting. Spread the frosting on completely cooled tarts. Immediately add on sprinkles.
Natasha Aster says
This looks so good! I can’t wait to try this, but do you think this would work with just white flour or whole wheat flour?
Verónica says
This seems like such a delicious recipe to try! Do you think it'll work with almond flour?
Tina Jui says
I think almond flour would bake quite differently, but I haven't tried it with this recipe before.
Gail says
Mine turned out amazingly ugly (partially my own fault and partially baking with a 4yo) but SO delicious! Great recipe! Can’t wait to use the rest of the dough to make more (actually appealing looking ones) in the morning!
Tina Jui says
Haha! I know exactly what you mean baking with a little one. I had to kick mine out of the house for those in the photo. BUT, he does love to make the jam with me, do the icing, and of course the sprinkles.
Rebecca says
Such a cool recipe!
Have you considered trying to do healthy versions of the chocolatw flavors? Maybe a chocolate date filling? So excited to see this recipe!
Tina Jui says
Hi Rebecca, I was always the strawberry pop tart type, ha! Though I sometimes ventured to the brown sugar variety. A chocolate date filling sounds so delicious though.
Chelsey says
This is a great recipe and I love all the explanation with it on the choice of ingredients. Quick question do you substitute spelt flour in your baking regularly or is there anything to consider when substituting for regular flour? I’m always looking for ways to make my kids food more nutrient rich, so I’d like to incorporate it into more of my baking if possible. Thanks!
Tina Jui says
Hi Chelsey, I tend to always use white spelt flour for all-purpose flour at home, especially when cooking for the little one. I use whole spelt flour too, but only when I don't mind it tasting a bit healthier (sometimes I use 50/50 white and whole spelt). White spelt works for pancakes, muffins, waffles, cookies, banana breads, etc. Usually 1-1 sub works fine, but it's not exactly the same. Hope this helps!