These homemade pop tarts have a flaky all-butter crust that is filled with homemade strawberry rhubarb jam! This homemade version of a childhood favorite is a sweet and tart treat that’s perfect for sharing for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
After my pop-tart cookie bars went viral, I knew it was time for another twist on a traditional pop-tart!
This recipe is where a classic strawberry pop tart meets my peach strawberry pie. I replaced the peach with rhubarb, encased it in flaky pie crust, and topped it with a sweet vanilla glaze.
If you love sweets for breakfast, you must try my French Toast Brioche Casserole, Baked Chocolate Donuts, and Snickerdoodle Inspired Coffee Cake.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
- I’m sharing my best-kept pastry chef’s secret to the easiest and flakiest buttery pie crust. It’s the same trick I use when making my sour cream and onion biscuits!
- This recipe is super versatile. You can use any kind of homemade or store-bought jam!
- This recipe is perfect for summertime, Valentine’s Day, or any other occasion. It’s a perfect way to use up fresh strawberries, like my strawberry sweet rolls!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Strawberries: You can use frozen or fresh strawberries.
Rhubarb: You can use fresh or frozen rhubarb.
Sprinkles: For the classic pop tart look, you can sprinkle the top with rainbow sprinkles. Feel free to use different colors for the holidays or any other occasion!
Pie dough: For the best flavor, I highly recommend making the pastry dough from scratch. If you don’t have time or prefer not to, store-bought or frozen pie dough will work. I recommend an all-butter pie dough if you can find it.
Vanilla bean paste: While optional, this gives the dough a vanilla flavor!
Apple cider vinegar: While this ingredient may sound strange, it serves as a tenderizer and gluten-inhibitor, keeping your pie crust soft and tender. It also keeps the dough from turning grey if you choose to make it ahead of time. Don’t worry you won’t taste it after baking!
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Grate the butter. Rub the frozen butter against the largest grating surface of a box grater, catching it in a bowl or plate.
Place the butter back in the freezer to keep it cold until ready to use.
Step 2: Make the strawberry rhubarb jam. In a pot, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, granulated sugar, and lemon juice.
Cook over medium heat, stirring and mashing the fruit occasionally, for 22-26 minutes, until the jam is thick and a dark red color. Set aside. You should have about 3/4 cup of jam.
Step 3: Make the pie dough. In a stand mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, and frozen shredded butter until the butter is coated.
Then drizzle in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to clump together.
Step 4: Portion the dough. Split the pie dough in half and wrap each half loosely in plastic wrap.
Use a rolling pin to flatten each one into a square disc. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 5 days before using.
Step 5: Roll out the dough. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 9″x12″ inches and 1/8″ thick. Cut it into fourths, then in half. You will have eight 3″x4″ rectangles.
Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet and brush each one with egg wash. Then roll out the second disc of dough.
Step 6: Brush with egg wash. Brush half of the squares with egg wash over the entire surface. This will help glue the tops on!
Step 7: Layer the strawberry jam. Dollop the strawberry rhubarb jam in the center of the dough, and lightly spread it to fill the center, leaving the border edges clean.
Pushing the jam too far to the edge will spill out the sides.
Step 8: Crimp the edges. Carefully transfer the tops of the pop tarts on top of the jam.
Then use a large fork to indent the edges and top of the dough.
The holes on top will allow the tops to get nice and flaky!
Step 9: Bake! Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
Before baking the pop tarts, brush the tops with more egg wash. Then bake for 22-26 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
Step 10: Glaze and enjoy! Spoon the glaze on top of the pop tarts, then immediately top them with sprinkles. Enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the “metric” button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card. If you do not have a scale, use a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup.
- Use cold ingredients. For the pie dough to be flaky, you must make sure everything is cold. This is why you should keep the butter in the freezer and use ice water. If the butter is too warm and starts to soften and melt, the pastry will not puff up or bake flaky.
- Let the dough rest. Once the pie dough is made, it must rest before you use it. Otherwise, it will resist rolling because the gluten is not relaxed.
- Use a different jam flavor. If you don’t care for the filling flavor, feel free to use your favorite! Blueberry jam, grape jam, or raspberry jam would be delicious.
Storage and Freezing
Store the frosted strawberry pop tarts in an airtight container. If stacking, make sure there is parchment paper or something in between so they don’t stick to each other.
You can easily make this recipe and then freeze it for later! Once assembled, let them freeze completely on a baking tray. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1 month. You can bake them straight from the freezer.
You can make the pie dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. It may need to sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling if it’s too cold.
FAQs
While I have not tested it myself, I think it would work just fine! The baking time may need to be adjusted.
You can use store-bought pie dough with no problem! However, I do strongly recommend making it yourself because it will give your pop-tarts the BEST flavor!
Overworking the pie dough can develop too much gluten and, therefore, prevent the dough from rising properly in the oven. This can make the pop-tarts dense and even tough.
Sure! You can use any flavor of store-bought jam or make your own of a different flavor.
Yes! You can use either fresh or frozen rhubarb and strawberries, even a combination if you need to. The jam may cook a little differently, so keep that in mind!
More Strawberry Desserts
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Strawberry Rhubarb Pop Tarts
Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams!Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, frozen
- 2 ½ cups + 2 tbsp cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 lightly beaten egg, for egg wash
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- 1 1/4 cup rhubarb, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered
- ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp reserved strawberry rhubarb jam, from above
- white sprinkles
Instructions
- Freeze the butter until frozen solid, about 1 hour. You can also do this the night before.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- Then rub the butter against the largest grating surface on a box grater or cheese grater, catching the butter in a bowl or plate. Place the butter back in the freezer while you measure the rest of the ingredients.
- In a stand mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the pie dough.2 ½ cups + 2 tbsp cups (334 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Then add the frozen shredded butter. Mix with the paddle attachment until the butter is coated in flour.
- Measure the water and vinegar into a bowl and then add ice. Stir to melt some of the ice so that the water is super cold.½ cup water, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- With the mixer running on low, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of the ice water at a time. You will need about 12-15 tbsp. Stop adding water when the dough comes together easily and forms large clumps. The dough should feel moist and a little sticky, but not feel overly wet. Do not add more water than you need to!
- Portion the dough in half, about 330 grams each. Wrap each half loosely in plastic wrap, then use a rolling pin to roll each into a flat square disc. Chill the pie dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 5 days before using.
Make the Jam
- Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a pot. Cook over medium heat for 22-25 minutes, stirring and mashing occasionally, until the jam has reduced and thickened. It will be a dark red color when it's ready. You should have about 3/4 cup of jam.1 1/4 cup (150 g) rhubarb, 1 cup (132 g) strawberries, ¼ cups (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- Transfer the jam to a bowl to cool completely before using. Reserve 1 tbsp of the jam for the icing.
Assembly
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Take one disc of dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Lightly dust the top of the dough and your rolling pin with flour.
- Start from the center and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go. Between passes of the rolling pin, rotate the pie crust and even flip it, to make sure it’s not sticking to your work surface. Sprinkle on a little more flour if it’s sticking.
- Roll it into a rectangle about 1/8" thick and 9"×12" in size. Trim the sides as needed. Always be gentle with your pastry dough so you don't tear it. Cut the dough into fourths and then in half. You will end up with 8 rectangles, each measuring about 3"×4". Use a ruler to help make this process easier and more accurate!
- Place each of the 8 rectangles onto the prepared baking sheet. The pop-tarts will not spread in the oven much, so you may place them relatively near one another. Place the baking sheet in the fridge. Roll the second disc out into a rectangle and cut it into 8 even rectangles as you did with the first half of the dough. These 8 rectangles will be the tops of your homemade pop-tarts.
- Remove the baking sheet of rectangles from the refrigerator. Brush egg wash over the entire surface of each rectangle. These will be the bottoms of your pop-tarts and the egg wash will help glue the top on. Place a heaping tablespoon of the strawberry rhubarb filling into the center of each rectangle, and spread it around, leaving some space on the edges. Then place the other half of the rectangles on top of the filling-topped rectangles. Use your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of the filling, sealing the dough well on all sides.1 lightly beaten egg
- Poke holes in the tops of each filled pastry to allow the steam to escape. This helps get your pop-tart pastry nice and flaky. Seal the edges by crimping or indenting with a fork, to prevent the sides from opening as the pop-tarts bake. I like to stick a fork straight into the dough but you can also keep the fork flat for a traditional crimped edge!
- Freeze the filled pop-tarts uncovered for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour. This chilling let the pop-tarts rest before baking.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Once the unbaked pop-tarts have chilled for 20 minutes, remove them from the freezer and brush the tops with the remaining egg wash. This egg wash will give your pastry that beautiful golden sheen. Bake for about 22-26 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Let the baked pop-tarts cool on the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Push the reserved tablespoon of strawberry jam through a fine mesh sieve (to get rid of the seeds). If you don't mind the seeds, feel free to skip this step. Then whisk together the glaze ingredients until it is a smooth and spreadable consistency.1 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp reserved strawberry rhubarb jam
- Spoon the glaze over the top of the pop tarts and spread it evenly around the top. Immediately garnish with sprinkles if using. Don't wait to sprinkle them or the glaze will set and the sprinkles will roll right off!white sprinkles
- The glaze will set in about 1-2 hours depending on how humid your kitchen is. You may be tempted to pop it in the fridge or freezer to set quickly but this will wrinkle the glaze!
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
I’ve always wanted to try my hand at homemade pop tarts and they turned out even better than I could have imagined! The pie dough recipe was super easy to make and follow and the jam was just the right amount of sweet and tart. I warmed them up in the microwave the next day making them soft and chewy. Perfection!