Apple Pop Tarts

an apple pop tart with a bite out of it propped on top of another one.

Apple Pop Tarts have a buttery, flaky pie crust that is filled with a tart cinnamon apple filling and topped with a sweet cinnamon glaze. This homemade pop tart recipe is a perfect fall breakfast, brunch, or just a sweet treat!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Resting Time 2

Total Time 2 55

Servings pop tarts

Calories 375kcal

Author Ellie Haley

Ingredients

For Pie Dough:

1 ¼ cup (158 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons (127 grams) unsalted butter cold and cubed
¼ cup ice water

For Apple Filling:

1 ½ apples diced
¼ cup (53 grams) light brown sugar
½ tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or apple pie spice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For Glaze:

½ cup (106 grams) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or apple pie spice
1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream

Instructions

For Pie Dough:

In a medium bowl combine the flour and salt.
Add the cold butter. Using clean hands work it into the flour until the texture is like breadcrumbs. There can be a few large chunks left.
Slowly drizzle the cold water in a little at a time, working it into the dough. When the dough begins to clump together stop adding water.
Turn the dough out onto a clean and floured surface and bring the dough together until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
Form the dough into a disc shape and cover. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F). Flour a clean surface to roll your dough out on.
Roll the dough out to about ⅛ of an inch thick. Cut the dough into rectangles about 3 inches wide and 4 inches long. You should be able to cut at least 10 squares out of the dough.
You want the dough to stay cold, so place the rectangles on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and place them in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

For Apple Filling:

In a medium bowl add the diced apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon or apple pie spice. Toss until the apples are fully coated. Allow to sit for five minutes.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the apples and all of the juices that have released from the apples.
Cook the apples for about 10 minutes or until the apples are tender.

Assemble Apple Pop Tarts:

Spoon about 1 or 2 tablespoons of the apple filling into the center of one of the pieces of dough and spread it out, leaving the edges of the rectangle empty.
Using your finger brush a small amount of water around the edges of the rectangle, this will help the other piece of dough seal together.
Using a clean fork dipped in flour, press the edges of the dough together. Be sure they are actually sealed together or the filling will leak out. Poke three holes in the center of the dough.
Place the pop-tarts back in the fridge for ten minutes before baking.
Bake the pop-tarts for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you prepare the vanilla glaze for the pop-tarts.

For Cinnamon Glaze:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Spread the glaze over the top of the cooled Pop Tarts.

Notes

Work the dough as little as possible. Don’t knead the dough, just work it gently so that it comes together.

Keep the dough cold. The butter in the dough needs to stay cold in order for the pie crust to be flaky. So rest the dough in the fridge as often as possible.

Don’t add too much water.Adding too much water to your dough will create a sticky and tough dough instead of a flaky one. Stop adding water as soon as the dough starts clumping up. Then add small amounts as necessary.
The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.

Nutrition