Homemade Pop Tarts

A few years ago, I challenged myself to not buy anything in a box at the grocery store.

A tough challenge when, at the time, I was packing 4 lunches a day for our kids.

When I realized we weren't starving, I was actually saving money, and saw the health benefits of making as much as I could homemade, I decided to stick with it.

I scoured the internet to learn how to make my own pancake mix, crackers, and even cereal.

One day while shopping in William Sonoma, I spied the most brilliant gadget!

A "Pop Tart" press! The heavens opened up and angels sang! 

Photo above from William Sonoma

I secretly really really really like lohuv cherry "Pop Tarts".... toasted.... until they are barely burnt.

It had never occurred to me to make pop tarts! Well, I grabbed the gadget, went home and made them the next day. Amazing.

Give them a try. I realize this is a lot of work to make a silly "Pop Tart", but after tasting the homemade version, it's really not so silly.

Instructions:
Whip up your favorite pie crust recipe, or open store bought pie crust. (No judgments here.)

Roll out into the best rectangle you can. With a pizza cutter, make pop tart like shapes out of the dough.

They do not have to be perfect. Do your best to match them up size wise.

Here's the hardest part. Deciding on what filling.... so many options... 

Strawberry ~ strawberry preserves, 

S'mores ~ chocolate chips and miniature marshmallows

Blueberry~ blueberry jelly

I could keep going here, but you get the idea....

Today I'm making Brown Sugar and Cinnamon.... I'm not even kidding....

In a bowl add 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 T. flour. Mix until blended.

Put 1 Tablespoon of mixture to the center of half of the pastries. Spread them out with your fingers, leaving at least a half inch of space on the edges. 

(This is where pictures would be very helpful, but I hit delete instead of save in my photo editing program, so let's use our imaginations.)

Make an egg wash:

Break an egg in a bowl and add 1 Tablespoon of water. Mix well. With a pastry brush, paint the edges

of the other rectangle with the egg wash. Put the pastry egg side down, and seal the edges with a fork.

Brush the tops of the tarts with remaining egg wash.

Poke holes in the tops of the tarts with a skewer..

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

To make icing:

Add 3/4 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. vanilla, and milk 1 T. at a time until smooth. 

Frost the cooled pastries with the back of a spoon.

Servings will vary depending on your pie crust, and how large or small you make your tarts:)

Note: 

I have only used the "press" once, and realized how unnecessary it is. And... when linking up to William Sonoma's website, I realized they are not carrying it anymore... Not a big deal, but I wanted to give them credit since, they were the inspiration for this recipe.

- Ann