A favorite childhood breakfast treat gets a much-needed makeover. Skip the packaged pop tarts because this homemade sophisticated version is way better. These toaster pastries are made with a buttery, flaky pie crust filled with a tart yet sweet and juicy apple cinnamon mixture and topped with a sweet caramel-like brown sugar icing. No high fructose corn syrup and no weird preservatives, just real ingredients. Similar to a hand pie, these pop tarts are like dessert served for breakfast.
Makes 8-10
Ingredients
Pop Tart Crust
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, cold
¼ cup full-fat buttermilk, cold
1 large egg
1 Tbsp water
Apple Cinnamon Pop Tart Filling
2¼ cups Cortland apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
⅛ cup granulated sugar
½ Tbsp ground cinnamon
½ Tbsp cornstarch
⅛ tsp salt
Brown Sugar Icing
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
3 Tbsp whole milk
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions
Pop Tart Crust
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and sugar together. Then cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the dough becomes crumbly and the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add a little buttermilk, about a tablespoon at a time, until the dough can be formed into a ball and the crumbly texture is gone. The dough should be smooth and consistent throughout. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
While the dough is chilling, make the apple filling.
Once the dough has chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle ⅛-inch thick. Cut the dough into 3" x 5” rectangles. Press and knead together the scraps and re-roll the dough until you use up all the dough and end up with an even number of rectangles (half will be bottoms, half will be tops).
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to create an egg wash. Set aside.
Apple Cinnamon Pop Tart Filling
Place the chopped apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine until the sugar dissolves. Allow the mixture to simmer until the apples are soft and tender, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before filling the pop tarts.
Once cooled, spoon a rounded 2 tablespoons of apple cinnamon filling into the center of half of the rectangles. Spread the filling leaving a clean edge. Lightly brush the egg wash along the edge. Place the remaining rectangles on top of the filled rectangles. Line up the edges of the top and bottom pieces, then press the edges together and use a fork to make a crimp pattern. Be careful not to overfill the pop tarts. After the pop tarts have been sealed, use a toothpick or fork to prick the surface of each one for the steam to escape.
Place the pop tarts on the prepared baking sheets and freeze for about 1 hour until solid.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Let sit on the baking sheets for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool to room temperature before glazing.
Brown Sugar Icing
Melt the butter in a saucepan, and then mix in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in half of the confectioners’ sugar. Once smooth, beat in the remaining confectioners’ sugar. Let cool slightly, and then whisk in the vanilla.
Use a spoon or offset spatula to glaze the top of each pop tart. Work quickly because the glaze will harden fast.
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