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It’s no secret that my older daughter has an interest in pop tarts (since I recently shared on facebook that she’s apparently been “trading” at snack time to get some!) so clearly I had to do something about it.
First of all, we took her to the store and let her pick out a box of organic frosted pop tarts. Organic or not…they are still completely junk food with loads of added sugar. I am not the one who is 7-years-old though, and I can understand how “store-bought” and “packaging” may sometimes play an important role at school.
So I showed her how much sugar they contain, in order to convey that they are really more of a dessert than a snack, and she decided she’d like to take one as a snack anyway and one as a dessert on another day (they come in packs of 2). I let my younger daughter do the same, and she was beyond thrilled to be an innocent bystander in all of this decision making :).
After all of that was behind us I put the box of remaining pop tarts “away” (up high and not visible in the pantry of course!) and thankfully neither child said much else about it. Hoping their need for “store bought” pop tarts was satisfied I decided we should try making our own as well.
I am not the first person to make a homemade knock-off pop tart recipe so just think of these as the super EASY whole-grain version. I honestly can’t believe how easy these are to make and how good they taste...everyone loves them! They are for the “kids” of course, but I find myself rationing out my share as well.
I never liked pop tarts as a kid myself because I was a toaster strudel girl, but this recipe somehow unites both of those worlds with one pretty awesome outcome. Just try for yourself, and you’ll see that this recipe does not disappoint.
Whole-Wheat Toaster Pastries (aka Poptarts!)
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup whole-wheat flour (plus extra for rolling out the dough)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter (cold, unsalted (2 sticks))
- ½ cup water (plus ice)
- 1 egg (beaten with a splash of water)
- 8 tablespoons jam (we prefer either homemade jam or an all-fruit spread that’s sweetened with fruit juice concentrate as opposed to sugar or high-fructose corn syrup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put the flour and salt in a food processor with the dough blade and pulse it together briefly.
- Meanwhile fill a glass measuring cup with ½ cup water and add a few ice cubes to it.
- Take the cold butter straight out of the fridge and cut it into ½ inch chunks. Sprinkle the pieces of butter on top of the flour in the food processor. Be careful to spread out the butter as opposed to letting it all clump together in one piece.
- Turn on the food processor and blend until the mixture resembles a crumbly meal. While the food processor is still running add ⅓ cup water through the top. Watch the dough come together and add 2 – 3 more teaspoons of water as needed so a dough ball will form. If some of the dough is in a ball and some is stuck to the sides that is okay…you can fix it with your hands. At this point the dough could be stored in the fridge in plastic wrap for up to 3 days or in the freezer (in a freezer safe container) for up to 6 months.
- Remove the dough from the food processor and put it on a lightly floured counter or large cutting board. With a rolling pin (and another sprinkling of flour) flatten out the dough to one big rectangle or square that’s no more than a quarter inch thick. Trim any uneven ends and use those to patch other edges as necessary.
- Using a knife cut out 14 to 16 rectangles of dough. Actually you could make them any shape or size that you want at this point. Lay half of your dough shapes onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Spoon about a tablespoon of jam down the middle of those bottom dough pieces.
- Top them with matching dough shapes and seal around the edges by pushing down with a fork. Make a few holes in the top with the fork as well. Lastly, brush the tops of the uncooked toaster pastries with the egg wash.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 18 – 24 minutes or until golden brown. Cool the cooked pastries on a cooling rack (if you have one) then either eat them right away or store them in the fridge for 3 days or the freezer for several months. They can be eaten cold or reheated. Enjoy!
susan says
I just made this for the first time, and my whole family loved them. I filled them with a chunky homemade cinnamon applesauce. I made a double recipe, then made them smaller, using a heart shaped cookie cutter. I got 24 from a double recipe. I skipped the egg wash entirely. I will pack them in school lunches and also look forward to having them myself for a snack with a cup of coffee. Excellent recipe. Thanks so much.
sarah says
I am so excited to try these and perfect timing. I was just trying to come up with some breakfast ideas for my 9 yr old. He begins state testing for school next week and the teacher has said to send in healthy morning snacks, Presto...thanks!
Christine says
Does the egg wash "do" anything? My son is allergic to eggs...
Stacy Kidd says
nah - just makes it shiny. skip it.
Stella says
You can also brush with milk for a similar effect.
Krystin says
Thank you for all the questions, mine was answered in the first one! I also have a child with egg allergies so good to know its not necassary! Thank you can't wait to try these!! I love your granola and the home made Go-Gurts as well!
Linnea says
Have made these twice now and am so pleased! My daughter is quite the pop tart addict but actually loves these and has been asking for them. It's a bit more effort than I'm used to, but definitely a labor of love!
Michelle says
I grew up in the Netherlands and Britain and didn't discover pop tarts until I went to college in the US. My roommate introduced me to them, and let me tell you, it was love a first bite and one of the few foods I miss since moving back. My local grocery store sells 2 kinds, but they are pretty expensive (over 6 USD for a pack of 8), so I buy them as an occasional treat. They are so unhealthy though so I figured someone would have come up with a more wholesome version, and lo and behold I was right! These look yummy and easy to make, I will try and make some this weekend and will try a lean pocket version next weekend and will let you know how I got on.
Elke says
Hi. I made the toaster pops with 1/2 the butter. They tasted good, but were hard. This is much like a quiche recipe where you won't get the nice flakiness without the butter. The kids still ate them happily, but they are used to this kind of stuff in our house. I would be curious to substitute the butter with apple-sauce and see if they would come out flakier. Most likely, you still won't get the flakiness. I've tried so many variations to reduce the quantity of butter in my quiche recipe and it's never as good as when I use the correct measurements. So, we just eat quiche less often, but when we do, it's really good. I would say the same thing will hold true for these.
Chelsea Curran says
Made these tonight and everybody loved them. I used homemade blackberry jam and then chocolate in some. My kids loved them and so did my husband. I used my Kitchen Aid to mix it and I used a hard white whole wheat flour.
Jill says
I have a child with egg and milk allergies. I was wondering what your recommendations were in substituting the butter? Sometimes I feel the only option I have is to use margarine or shortening and I know that's not healthy. Please help!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
HI Jill. We often replace butter with coconut oil when baking:https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. Be sure to melt it first. ~Amy
Jack says
I made these last night and really like them but I feel like there is so much butter in them. Is there a way to cut it down? Maybe sub half the butter with applesauce?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Jack. You could certainly try. Let us know how it turns out! ~Amy
Danielle says
Jack, I'd love to know if you tried them with less butter!
Michelle says
I made some yesterday with organic blueberry filling and some with fresh organic strawberries & a little strawberry jam. My 2.5yo LOVED it! I have another batch in the oven right now with turkey, spinach, provalone cheese filling. Can't wait to see if my son will enjoy these savory treats. I'm making these smaller than actual size in recipe so I have a lot of dough leftover.
Monica says
I made these today and, wow! They are so flaky and delicious. I made two batches, the first with all fruit spread and the second with "Nutella" (almond butter, cocoa powder and honey). I cannot thank you enough for this wonderfully easy and tasty recipe.
Jen says
Instead of whole wheat flour have you tried almond or coconut flour with this recipe?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Jen. I don't believe we have tried that. Let us know how it turns out. ~Amy
Jeremy says
So I did some reading, and from what I can tell, butter is better than some margarines - specifically the ones that contain trans fats. However, most of the comparison articles mentioned some plant-based margarines that might actually be better than butter. Clearly I have some more reading to do.
Also, I just looked up the nutritional info for a pop tart (strawberry) and then did some simple math on the recipe above, and correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like the above recipe, if it makes 7 or 8, would produce pop tarts with each having 24-26g of fat - mostly saturated. That's a fat equivalent of a Large fries at Wendy's.
I guess my point is, should our kids be eating either of these choices? Is a Kellog's pop tart with high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils really that much worse than a homemade saturated fat bomb?
I'm not trying to be argumentative, but the 'natural alternative' here doesn't strike me as all that healthy either.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello again, Jeremy. You are right that there is a lot of conflicting information out there. At 100 Days of Real Food, it is our goal to help people cut out chemical laden processed foods. As in all things, I think moderation is key here. Occasional treats such as these are a great alternative to those that you can simply pull out of a box and consume without taking note of the ingredients on the label. Thank you for your thoughts. ~Amy
Jeremy says
That seems like a LOT of butter. Are we trading sugar for cholesterol? Or am I missing something? I've always eaten on the healthy side of things, but am now looking to steer my child there as well, so I may have old information about butter being bad for you...
Danielle says
Yeah, butter is good for you. The best for you is organic butter from grassfed cows. Margarine is not good(if you didn't already know.)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Jeremy. These posts will help explain: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/14/mini-pledge-week-10-no-refined-oils/ and :http://deliciouslyorganic.net/hashed-browns/> ~Amy
Mary says
Made these this morning. Total hit here! Thanks for a great recipe!
Sarah says
A tip for those of you without a food processor (and this works with any recipe containing flour & butter) You don't need a whisk or a fork, just your fingers. Chop the chilled butter into small pieces and then "rub" the flour and the butter together until it's all incorporated - it looks like breadcrumbs. Then add any additional ingredients.
I make scones (date and walnut, cherry or even cheese) when we need something quick, and it doesn't take long. It's also not hard work (like bread dough) so you won't be exhausted at the end!
Sarah
(Doing it Old-School in Leeds, England)
Juli says
Does anyone know if coconut oil can replace the butter f
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Julie. This might help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/ ~Amy
Daisy says
Can I make these even if I don't have a machine with a dough hook? Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Daisy. Of course, it takes a little more elbow grease but you can knead the dough by hand! ~Amy
Keli says
I am always a bit leery of whole-wheat recipes, but this one is definitely a keeper! I can't wait for my daughter and husband to try these for breakfast😊
Renee says
Any way to make theses gluten free/grain free? Can I use almond flour?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Renee. You could certainly try that. I think if you use almond flour, though, you will have to increase your liquid content. Rather than straight almond flour, I have had better luck combining it with some coconut flour. You will still need to increase your liquid, however. Let us know how it turns out! Jill
Julie says
I'd been meaning to make these and finally did it today. My creative husband had an idea...so we cooked bacon until crispy, cut it up until it was a coarse powder, combined with enough maple syrup to make a paste, and used that as a filling in a few of them. So tasty! It used about a slice of bacon per pastry.
Kathy says
Just made these and they are AMAZING!!! Turned out perfect. I can't wait until my little one gets home from school so he can test them out! I do have one question. What type of butter are you using? Not regular store bought I am assuming.
P.S. I made this without a processor and they turned out fine. I also heart cookie cutters and they are sooo cute! I plan to send one in the little one's lunchbox on Valentine's Day.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Kathy. I use organic butter, unsalted. I usually get it at Trader Joe's. Jill
Heather says
My youngest is allergic to eggs. Do you know of anything I can do to replace the egg wash?
THANK YOU!
Cynthia Fuller says
You can try brown sugar mixed with butter to glaze the tops and add a bit of light sweetness. :)
Barbara says
Egg wash is just to make top shiny, A little milk will work nearly as well, but neither is necessary.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Heather. You could just skip the egg wash, or, you cold try a little milk. Jill
shayna says
Can these be made using a VitaMix?
Keeley says
My VitaMix could not handle it...I had to do it with a big fork, lol.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Shayna. I have not tried them in a Vitamix, but, I suppose you could give it a try. Jill
Cheryl says
This may be a stupid question but can I make these without a food processor?
Megan says
Mind you, I haven't tried, but it seems very similar to a scone or pie crust recipe and I've done those without a food processor. You'll just need a pastry wire blender (has a handle with multiple thin wires looped from one end to the other) or a fork to break up the butter really well. It takes a lot more elbow grease, but is definitely doable.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Cheryl. You could probably either mix the dough by hand or possibly use a Kitchen Aid mixer. Jill
Georgie says
I am making these right now but putting ham n cheddar in a few for different twist--will let you know how it turns out :-P
Angela says
Georgie, how did they turn out? I would like to know if I could adapt this to make a morning "Lean Pocket" breakfast (with eggs, cheese, sausage).
Heather says
We found the home made pop tarts to be a real winner in our house,a great treat, they add their own stuff inside, and for me, I know what their eating(or not eating). I grabbed the book,Homemade, one on the list, a great resource, thanks
Randi says
I would love to try this but I do not like the fruit pop tarts. I like chocolate, smores, or the cinnamon ones. Any suggestions on how to do chocolate or smores flavored one?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Randi. Maybe you can make a chocolate type mixture with maple syrup and cocoa for the chocolate. For the smores, they do sell marshmallows at Earthfare...still not great but better than the alternative. Good luck. Jill
Vicki says
My son loves the brown sugar and cinnamon pop tarts. How would I go about making those?
stacy says
Vicki,
I found a recipe for brown sugar ones online. I don't remember it exactly but it had cinnamon, sugar, and a bit of flour. I would go online and search I am sure you will find it.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Vicki. I'm not sure if substituting maple syrup or honey for the brown sugar would taste the same to him, but, you could try it. Jill
Amy says
I made these last night and they turned out great!! So much tastier than a regular Pop Tart, and my 3 year old loved hers this morning. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Kaylin says
Been wanting to try these and finally did today. I used coconut oil instead of butter, no egg wash, and all the water. I used my KitchenAid with the dough hook although I did walk away and let it run for a while coming back to push the flour back under the hook a couple times. I didn't have any problems at all and the kids loved them. Thanks!
Cristin says
Kaylin,
May I ask how much coconut oil you used? My family is vegan and we LOVE these recipes but they always use butter, which we don't eat. Thanks for the information in advance :)
Kaylin says
I used 1 cup at room temperature. It mixes into the flour differently (as I'm sure you know if you use it much)so I have found that letting the mixer run for awhile helps to get that crumbly texture Lisa talks about. We barely use any dairy (the little one has an allergy) so I use either olive oil or coconut oil in many of the recipes here and coconut milk or almond milk. They all have turned out great, so don't be afraid to try more of Lisa's recipes!
Jenn says
I just made these today and mine were not crumbly at all. I could hold them up just like the picture. Mine did look more brown. Was the original recipe with white whole wheat flour, perhaps?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Jenn. Yes, we use the King Arthur white whole wheat flour. Jill
Haley says
What keeps these together? In the photo above the child is holding them upright but with just flour and butter they're all crumble-y! After we let them cool I tried to pick it up and it broke in half. Anybody else have that problem or did I do something wrong?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Haley. They shouldn't fall apart. Maybe you didn't add enough water? Hope they work out better next time. Jill
Rachel says
Any idea on nutrition information for these?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Rachel. Sorry, but, we do not track the nutritional information. Jill
Dani says
Years ago when my brother stayed with us and my daughter was about 3 he had a box of smores pop tarts---we polished them off in a weekend! I admit they were good but then she became obsessed. After purchasing one box I cut her off. Years later she will still talk about them. Is this recipe kind of like a pocket pie? Healthier because of the whole wheat and homemade jams? I saw that someone asked about--nutella---we also gave that up a long time ago---we switched to Justin's nut butters---how would a nut butter turn out inside???
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Dani. Yes, this recipe is healthier due to the whole wheat pastry and homemade jams, but, also because of the lack of chemicals and additives contained in the store bought brands. I have not tried the nut butters, but, you could give it a shot. Hope you enjoy them. Jill
jennifer says
Anyone try apple butter instead of jelly or jam?
Debbie says
Definitely going to try this. My kids will love them.
Penny says
I understand and believe in creating an example for healthy eating, and myself eat about a 2/3 organic and whole diet, but it makes me nervous that children so young are being made to feel guilty for amounts of sugar present in a certain food they enjoy. Obsession over eating, even if it's an obsession with health, is still an unhealthy relationship with food.
Becca says
Penny-I don't think she's making them feel guilty since she did make an exception to let them have one in moderation. But as parents it's ok to say no to certain "junk" foods or that it's only ok in certan occasions. I think it's only harmful if done in a "guilty" way like telling them they can't have it bc of their weight etc. A simple "we don't keep those in our house" or "we don't keep foods with no nutritional value in the house"would suffice & why would that cause guilt? Our kids are priveleged to have food to eat every day, some kids around the world will never see a poptart & are no worse for wear bc of it! Not only are poptarts junk with sugar, a lot of them contain Red #40 dyes.
Anna says
I don't think it's an obsession with eating healthy, just because over processed junk is the norm. I think it's great to show our kids that it can be made at home and taste just as good or better than the store bought version and be healthier. How was our food made before we became obsessed with easy, ready to go, store bought crap? And where did they get the ideas for this store bought food? Probably from our great grandmas who made everything at home.
AmyE says
Knowledge is power. There's a big difference between making your kids feel guilty and teaching them how to make healthy food choices. I actually think Lisa handled the situation perfectly. She didn't just tell her kids they couldn't have pop tarts. She involved them in the entire process..took them to the store, let them pick out pop tarts, explained why they would be considered a "treat" and not an every day food, and then let her daughter make the informed decision to eat the pop tart. Then she showed them how to make a healthier version of the same treat. We do our children a disservice by not teaching them how to make healthy food choices, and I believe it can be accomplished without making kids feel guilty.
Kim Domras says
Can you make the Pop Tarts without a dough blade? If not, any recommendations on a good mixer with a dough blade? Thanks!
kim says
I use a food processor to make pie type doughs, works great. Quickly whiz dry ingredients to mix, add butter and pulse til crumbly, add water until dough forms a clump, and done!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Kim. The regular blade in the Cuisinart food processor has always worked well for making dough. You might want to give that a try. Jill