As I’ve mentioned before, my Mom didn’t let us have junk food in the house. And I mean EVER. I think once we were allowed Cinnamon Toast Crunch to have as dessert but that’s pretty much it. In hindsight, I’m so thankful for her diligence, but at the time I was pretty bummed about it. I remember diving for the junk food every time I was at a friend’s house to the point of probably looking underfed. Pop-tarts were one of my most exciting finds. We’d had the health-food store version before, but they couldn’t quite compare. Lucky for me, once I hit 17 I became a bit of a health nut myself and never really missed them.
All these years later, I still haven’t forgotten how good those Cinnamon Brown Sugar Pop-tarts were. Right out of the toaster, they were pretty much heaven. Kinda like a pocket cinnamon roll with the brown sugar all warm and gooey on the inside and the crust all buttery and crisp. So, when I decided I wanted to try to make homemade pop-tarts again last week, I knew this was the one.
These pop-tarts are widely adaptable, easy, and so satisfying. I opted to go without a glaze since the insides were pretty sugary, but of course a glaze would only make them more delicious. I used my favorite butter pie crust which always puffs and browns so beautifully. I can’t wait to try them with other fruit fillings, nutella and numerous other things!
- 1 recipe pie crust
- ½ cup (3¾ ounces) brown sugar
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, to taste
- 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, to brush on pastry before filling
- If the dough has been chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it
- into a rectangle about ⅛? thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9? x 12? Repeat with the second piece of dough. Set trimmings aside. Cut each piece of dough into thirds – you’ll form nine 3? x 4? rectangles.
- Beat the additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of the first dough. This will be the “inside” of the tart; the egg is to help glue the lid on. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare ½-inch perimeter around it. Place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Repeat with remaining tarts.
- Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become billowy pillows rather than flat toaster pastries. Brush tops with extra egg wash. Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Remove tarts from the fridge and bake for 20-25 minutes or until they're golden brown. Cool pan on rack.
Filling/Assembly from Smitten Kitchen
Cassie @ Bake Your Day says
I have to make these, I used to love pop tarts but haven’t had them in years! Yum!
Bookish at Breakfast says
Yum! Those look excellent!
Jess Wakasugi says
It’s funny because as a kid, I was never a cinnamon brown sugar pop tart lover. But these days, I could eat them at every meal! I pinned this recipe, can’t wait to make them :)
Samantha says
The brown sugar cinnamon ones were the only ones I ever eat too…but I don’t think I even tried my first pop tart until I got to college! These look so much better! For eating at a later date would you recommend cooking first (like your mini pot pies), freezing and then reheating in the oven or toaster?
MelonHeart says
I can’t wait to try this recipe. You are amazing my dear <3
http://melon-heart.blogspot.com/
[email protected] says
Out of all the different flavored pop tarts, this is my favorite and I get it every time at the grocers. After seeing this and knowing that homemade is much better-I need to get my butt into the kitchen and make these-they look amazing!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
These are simply fabulous! Love it!
Trimble says
Any suggestions for other ways to make them stick together besides eggs? My sons are allergic? Maybe a little brown sugar, flour, water paste??
Trimble says
Sorry, didn’t mean to put the question mark after allergic. My sons are in fact allergic. :)
Ashley says
My all time favorite pop-tart flavor growing up! These are too cute. :)
Georgia The Comfort of Cooking says
Congratulations to Paige! These pop-tarts look amazing, Audra. In college, my husband and I both used to rip through boxes of these at an alarming rate. I can only imagine how much better the real thing tastes, though! Thanks for sharing.
Erin says
The poptarts look perfect! My favorite flavor too!
Averie Cooks says
Wow…so delish looking! Cinnamon toast crunch was a super special treat in our house growing up….and I also have memories of cherry poptarts as after school snacks. I am loving this recipe!
Becca Looney says
I have become a little bit of a health nut myself and I try not to eat too much processed foods, but it’s in life.
I whole-heartedly believe that everything tastes so much better (and is so much better for you) when it’s homemade and these look absolutely wonderful. And if I make these there is a 90% chance my sister will actually eat them because brown-sugar cinnamon poptarts are her favorite!
theharriedcook says
Amazing! I must make these soon… I think they sound fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Donna Gasquet says
Which “brown sugar” would you advise ?..Light or Dark…Muscavado…or?…My son is a pop-tart freak and will be amazed that I even attempted to make his absolute favorite flavor (I always like the strawberry version and actually worked in the Smucker’s Pop-Tart filling room…where they cook the berries into sheets of jam to be inserted into the tarts!)…Love your ever-vibrant culinary creativity!
Audra says
Hey Donna! I think light or dark would be fine- I used light :)
Audra says
I think milk may do the trick- but you’ll have to try it out and let me know!
Katie {Epicurean Mom} says
I just love all your pop tart recipes! I need to make these for my girls, they would be so excited!! Love your pictures!! xx
Mi Vida en un Dulce says
Your mother wasn’t the only one who did allow junk food at home. Living miles from you, my mother also didn’t like us to eat junk food. At home we only had fresh fruit and natural fruit juices.
Javelin Warrior says
Wow, I’m so impressed you made everything from scratch for these pop tarts – the filling AND the crust! Amazing work… I am featuring this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution), but please let me know if you have any objections. It’s a pleasure following your creations…
Georgia The Comfort of Cooking says
Hey Audra, I’m having a great giveaway today with four potential prize winners, so you should enter!
Let Me Eat Cake says
these were definitely my favorite pop tart flavor growing up!
Valerie Dubard says
Sounds and look lovely! It seems pretty easy to make, I think I’m going to prepare them one day.
Claire says
How delicious! Homemade pop-tarts are healthier, right? :-)
Yasmeen says
Ooh, yum! I haven’t had a pop tart in years (my god, maybe 20 years?) but your recipe has reignited my interest :) Love the brown sugar ones – those were always my fav.
Choc Chip Uru says
What gorgeous gorgeous pop tarts – never again will I buy them :D
Scrumptious!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Latest: Jaffa Fudge Nutella Cookie + More
Claire Gallam10 says
These were my favorite kind of pop tart growing up, i love that you remade them at home! yum!
Laura Dembowski says
I just made Peach Pop Tarts on my blog. I’d love if you’d take a look: http://piesandplots.net/peach-pop-tarts/ I have also made blackberry and apple in the past, but brown sugar cinnamon are still on my to do list. They are so pretty!
Sal says
Whoaaaa,,, are you aware that those look better than the real thing?! How many calories in each poptart?
Sal says
Whoaaaa,,, are you aware that those look better than the real thing?! How many calories in each pop-tart?
Jess Wakasugi {Life's Simple Measures} says
Just wanted to let you know that I made this addictive treat/breakfast goodie [with an added cinnamon glaze] and I couldn’t stop eating them! So absolutely wonderful, thanks for the wonderful recipe!