Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts

Make the Pastry

1. Sift the flour, powdered sugar, and salt into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low for about 10-15 seconds until combined.
2. Then add your cold, cubed butter and mix on low for 10-15 seconds or until a crumbly texture. It’s okay to leave some larger chunks of butter- this will help make it flakier later on. (See “Pro Pastry Tip” note below for how to achieve a truly puffy and flaky pastry!)
3. Add your 2 eggs and mix on medium-low until JUST combined (15-20 seconds max, it may even still be a little sticky).
4. On a lightly floured surface, shape/knead your crumbly dough in a disc, careful not to overwork it (just enough until it forms the disc without falling apart).
5. Cover the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Make the Filling

1. Bring your strawberry jam to a simmer in a small sauce pan.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together your corn starch and water.
3. Then add it to your simmering jam and whisk until fully combined. Simmer for about 3 minutes or until jam thickens.
4. Take off the heat and let jam filling cool completely.

Assemble the Pop Tarts

1. Cut your dough in half. Leave one half wrapped tightly in the fridge while you work with the other.
2. Prep a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Roll out one half of the dough on a lightly-floured surface into a large rectangle, ~1/4-1/8 in. thick.
   1. You may need to keep adding bits of flour to your surface and dough to keep it from sticking.
4. Using a knife or pastry cutter, cut out 3x5in. rectangles (re-use the scraps to make more). Place your rectangles on your cookie sheet lined with parchment.
5. Repeat this process with the second half of your dough.
   1. I can usually get around 12 good rectangles, for a total of 6 pop tarts.
6. On half of your rectangles, apply a light egg wash (1 egg whisked) on all 4 sides.
   1. Cover the leftover egg wash and place in fridge for later.
7. Fill the middles with your strawberry jam filling (1 1/2-2 tablespoons or however you can evenly distribute the filling between all pop tarts), leaving at least an inch border.
8. Place the other halves of your rectangles on top of the ones you’ve just prepared, pressing down gently on all 4 sides with your fingers to seal the edges.
9. Using the tip of a fork, press down gently on the border of your pop tarts to “crimp” them (See “Pop Tart Crimping” note below and images above).
10. Poke 3-4 rows of holes in the tops of each pop tart to help release steam during the bake. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes OR the freezer for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Baking the Pop Tarts

1. Pull the prepared pop tarts out of your fridge or freezer.
2. Apply a generous amount of your leftover egg wash to the tops and sides of each pop tart.
3. Bake them at 375°F for 20-25 minutes.
   1. This timing just depends on your oven! Essentially, bake them until they’re a deep golden brown.
4. Let cool on their sheets for 10 minutes. Then transfer to some racks to cool completely before making the glaze

Making/Adding the Glaze

1. Sift your powdered sugar into a medium bowl.
2. Then add your vanilla extract, whole milk, and one drop of pink food coloring gel (optional). Mix until fully combined using a silicone spatula (preferred) or whisk.
   1. Want a thicker glaze? Add more sifted powdered sugar! Thinner? Add more milk!
3. Working one pop-tart at a time: pour a spoonful of glaze over the top, spreading it evenly with the back of your spoon, and then add your sprinkles.
   1. Working one at a time ensures you have time to add the sprinkles before your glaze sets!
4. ENJOY!

These are best enjoyed day-of, but will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.