Homemade Pop Tarts

My friend forwarded me a recipe for homemade Pop Tarts.

Yes, I do really like Pop-Tarts…

In December 2008, on the day my husband and I moved into a new house… and the kids were off at Grandma’s house and couldn’t tell on me… we snuck to the store and bought TWO BOXES of Pop-Tarts. Yum… We were going to splurge. I mean, what woman could make homemade, soaked oatmeal with healthy ingredients when she’s surrounded with moving boxes and has no idea where the pots are? So we brought those Pop-Tarts home… yes, two packages for two people, LOL…

We tore into some of our stacked-up boxes, desperately looking for the cookie sheets. Eureka! We found them! Then we laid out ALL the Pop-Tarts on two cookie sheets and baked them in our oven. We were like two little kids, snipping the corner off the frosting packets and making designs all over the top. No kids around to share them with. Ahhh… We sank our teeth into them and dunked them in our coffee…

Knock, knock… someone’s at the door…

It was my friend! Oh, no! She knows I’m an author and have a health website! Quick, hide the evidence!

It was too late! But thankfully, she thought it was funny. Funny enough to send me a link to homemade Pop-Tarts tonight. Is she trying to tell me something?????

So with great honor, I will share the recipe for homemade Pop-Tarts that are loaded with sugar… but at least there’s no MSG, like in the ones we ate that December day surrounded by moving boxes.

Enjoy…

Homemade Pop Tarts

Pastry:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups cold butter (3 1/2 sticks!!)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup very cold water

Add flour, butter, sugar, and salt to a large bowl. Mix flour and butter with a pastry cutter until it looks nice and crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, egg, and water. Add to the flour mixture, stirring in till well-moistened. Stick your hands in there and shape it into a ball. (Don’t over handle.) Divide dough into equal halves. Wrap each half with plastic and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before using. (You can also prep your pastry a few days ahead and refrigerate till Homemade Pop-Tart-making day.)

Rolling Out the Pastry:

After dough is chilled, roll out in two long strips six inches wide.
Cut into three-inch sections.

Your mileage will vary depending on how thin you roll the pastry, but you should come out with 8 to 10 big, full-size, rectangular Pop-Tart pieces per strip. (You could also cut into smaller pieces for “Pop-Tart sticks” instead, or cut into triangles, or use a big cookie-cutter to make circles, etc. The world is your PopTart! Think outside the rectangle!)

Place filling in the middle of the strips for the bottom layer.

Filling:

Use a couple teaspoons jam of your choice. (Use homemade jam, and you’ll know your kids are getting real fruit when they’re snacking on their Pop Tarts!)

Or, for brown sugar ‘n’ cinnamon PopTarts, melt 3 tablespoons butter and combine 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush melted butter on each piece then sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture.

Using the other strip, place tops on Pop Tart pieces, pinching all the way around the sides to seal. Press a fork all around the sides then prick the centers to vent. Transfer to a greased baking sheet using a spatula.

Bake at 400-degrees approximately 15 minutes, switching oven racks halfway through baking. (Note: Start baking on the top rack, then move the pan to the bottom rack after about 8 minutes.)

Cool and top with icing (and candy sprinkles if desired). For brown sugar ‘n’ cinnamon Pop Tarts, I add a dash of cinnamon to the icing.

Powdered Sugar Icing:

Combine 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and enough milk (one to two teaspoons) for drizzling consistency.

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