Vegan Pop Tarts

These homemade vegan frosted strawberry pop tarts are a breakfast lovers dream! Other than being highly nostalgic, they're simple to make, have a buttery, flaky shortcrust pastry, are filled with strawberry preserves, and frosted with a pink vanilla icing.

These strawberry pop tarts taste just like, if not better, than Kellogg's Pop-Tarts. Kids and adult will love them the same and they're a great breakfast treat! This kid-friendly recipe is a bit longer (whether you're just reading this or if you're making it!), so let's get started.

Ingredients

You can make this recipe entirely from scratch, but in an attempt to save SOME time, I focused on perfecting a homemade dough and used store-bought strawberry preserves. Don't worry, if you want to make everything from scratch, I give you a strawberry jam recipe at the end of this post (in the FAQ section)!

• All-Purpose Flour: this is the base of the pastry dough. I haven't tried this recipe with any other type of flour. However, if you typically have success swapping all-purpose flour with another flour in similar doughs, please leave a comment below! This would definitely help both myself and fellow readers.
• Vegan Butter: This helps to bind the dough but also allows it to bake into a flaky, buttery pastry. Make sure the vegan butter is cold and cubed.
• Flax Egg + Non-dairy Milk: You can use any non-dairy milk you prefer. I would recommend sticking to a flax egg or using an egg replacement powder. This acts a binder and helps give a soft finish to the dough.
• Sugar: Just a touch to sweeten the dough!
• Salt: To balance out the sugar, of course.
• Strawberry Filling: I used strawberry raspberry preserves, but you can use your favorite jam or make your own filling!

Instructions

Vegan Pastry Dough:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed vegan butter to the bowl.
2. Using either your hands, a fork, a food processor, or a pastry cutter, 'cut' the vegan butter into the dough until it becomes small chunks and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it.
3. Add in the non-dairy milk and flax egg. Knead the dough for a minute or two until it comes together to form a nice, moist ball.
4. Divide the dough in half. If you're making the dough in advance and don't plan to finish the pop tarts now, refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days. If you're making the pop tarts now, place one half in the fridge while we get ready to roll out and assemble the other.

Assemble:

Finally! Let's put these pop tarts together!

1. Using a rolling pin, roll out one half of the dough into a 9x12 inch rectangle. Cut the dough into nine 3x4 rectangles using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife. Using a spatula, move the rectangles to a parchment lined baking sheet. Whisk together non-dairy milk and maple syrup to create a vegan 'egg wash'. Brush each rectangle with the vegan egg wash.
2. Spoon a tablespoon of strawberry preserves onto each rectangle.
3. Roll out and cut the second half of the dough in the same manner as step 1. One at time, place a second rectangle of dough on top of a partially assembled one.
4. Press the pop tart closed by pressing the fork prongs down and around the edges of the dough rectangles. Using the fork, prick the top of the pop tart in multiple spots to let steam escape while cooking (these will be hidden once iced).

Bake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Bake the pop tarts for 25-30 minutes, or until they're a light, golden brown.
3. Remove from the oven. If you're not icing them, allow to cool for 5 minutes before eating. If you are icing them, allow them to cool completely first.

Top with Icing:

This step is totally optional, but it truly takes these pop tarts to the next level and keeps them similar to the real deal!

1. In a small bowl, mix together powdered sugar, milk, and 1-2 drops of red food coloring (less food coloring will keep it pink). Check the consistency - it should be thick, but spreadable. You don't want it to be runny, it'll be a mess, seriously. If necessary, add a ½ teaspoon of milk or powdered sugar at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
2. Only once the pop tarts have completely cooled down, spread the icing over each pop tart. Top with some sprinkles and let set for 15 minutes.

Recipe Substitutions & Variations

• Feel free to switch up the filling! Choose a different berry jam or fill with a cinnamon brown sugar filling.
• I haven't tried this gluten-free flour but if you do try it, please let us know in the comments below how it works out!
• Leave these strawberry pop tarts unfrosted! No frosting, no problem - these are still just as delicious.
• Use homemade strawberry filling! I only didn't in an effort to save time, as the recipe is already a bit time consuming.

Expert Tips

To ensure these pop tarts are the best they could be here are just a few tips I don't want you to forget!

• Make sure the vegan butter the is cold when making dough. Anything other than cold vegan butter, your dough will not get that flaky yet puffy texture. If it's warm or hot, the butter will leak out of the dough while baking.
• While you're rolling out and cutting the first half of the dough, make sure the other half is in the fridge. I have found that it doesn't roll out as nicely and gets stuck to the rolling pin (even if dusted with flour) when you let it hang out on the counter, at room temperature.
• Avoid over-stuffing the pop tart. The filling will bust through and ooze out of the air holes or the sides of the pop tarts.
• Do not forget to prick top of the pop tart a few times to create those air holes. If you don't, the steam will get trapped inside the pop tart and they will explode in your oven.
• Allow the pop tarts to cool completely before icing them. Otherwise, the icing will just slide off the pop tart. Not only will it be messy, but there will be like no icing on them - lame!!

FAQ

If you bake these pop tarts, be sure to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram. If you have any questions or feedback at all, send me an e-mail or leave a comment below! I hope you love them as much as we do!

📖 Recipe

5 from 7 votes

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Vegan Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts

Lauren Casolaro

These homemade vegan strawberry pop tarts are a breakfast lovers dream! Other than being highly nostalgic, they're simple to make, have a buttery, flaky crust, are filled with strawberry preserves, and topped with a pink vanilla icing.

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Category: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 9 Pop Tarts

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

 

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Pastry Crust:

• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted vegan butter cold and cubed
• ▢ 1 flax egg 1 tablespoon of flax seed meal + 2.5 tablespoons of water
• ▢ 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk

'Egg wash':

• ▢ 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon =agave syrup or maple syrup

Strawberry Filling:

• ▢ 2 cups Sara Beth's Strawberry Raspberry Preserves

Icing:

• ▢ ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
• ▢ 1-2 drops of red food coloring
• ▢ sprinkles for garnish

Instructions

• Make flax egg by whisking together flax seed meal and water, allow to set for 5 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a fork, your hands, a pastry cutter, or a food processor, cut in the butter until the mixture holds together when you squeeze it. In a small bowl, whisk together the prepared flax egg and non-dairy milk and add to the dough. Mix together until everything is evenly moistened. Knead the dough on a floured surface only for 1 minute to form a nice, smooth ball of dough.
• Divide the dough in half, placing one half in the fridge until it's needed again in step 4. Using a rolling pin, roll out the other half of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 9x12-inch rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the sheet of dough into nine 3x4-inch rectangles. Using a spatula, transfer the rectangles to the prepared baking sheet from step 1. 
• In a small bowl, make a vegan 'egg wash' by whisking together maple syrup and non-dairy milk. Brush the 'egg wash' on each of the rectangles. Spoon 1 tablespoon of Strawberry Raspberry Preserves into the center of each rectangle, leaving a ½-inch of space around the edges.
• Remove the other half of dough from the fridge and roll out and cut it the same way you did the first half, as directed in step 3. One at a time, place the second rectangle of dough on top of the nine partially assembled ones. Using a fork, press around the seams of the dough together, making sure they are sealed. Using the fork still, prick the tops of the rectangles in multiple spots, creating air holes, to allow steam to escape.
• Refrigerate the baking sheet with the nine assembled pop tarts for 30 minutes, uncovered.
• While the pop tarts are chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake the pop tarts for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow them to cool completely before icing. 
• In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, non-dairy milk, and red food coloring. The icing should have a very thick, but still spreadable, consistency. If necessary, add a ½ teaspoon of milk at a time, until that consistency is reached. Spread a spoonful of icing over each pop tart, top with sprinkles, and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes so the icing can set. 
• Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.

Notes

I have not tried making this dough with anything other than all-purpose flour. If you have success replacing all-purpose flour with something else in similar dough recipes, please let us know in the comments! 

You can make this dough 2 days ahead of time, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator. Feel free to use store-bought dough! I recommend getting a vegan puff pastry dough.

The filling can be replaced with whatever jam/preserves you prefer. You can also make homemade jam! 

Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclosure here. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1Pop Tart | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 287mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g

Keywords: homemade poptarts,strawberry poptarts,vegan poptarts,vegan strawberry poptarts

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