Homemade Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pop Tarts
These Homemade Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pop Tarts tender and buttery crust, filled with a warm, spiced brown sugar center. Topped with a simple cinnamon glaze, they’re a nostalgic treat that’s even better from scratch.
Servings: 8 Pastries
Calories: 371kcal
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) cold and cut in cubes
- 4 to 5 tablespoon ice water ice cold
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
Filling
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter
Frosting
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 to 5 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Instructions
Make the dough:
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and egg yolks. Give it a few pulses to mix everything together. Add cold, cubed butter and pulse again until the butter is coated and broken down into small, pea-sized pieces.
- Add lemon juice to a cup with ice and your water. Drizzle in the ice water a little at a time, while pulsing the food processor. I usually need exactly 4 ½ tablespoons, but start with 3 and add more, one spoonful at a time, just until the dough starts to come together. It should hold when you pinch it, but not feel wet.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, divide it in half, and shape each half into a flat square. Wrap them up tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days. Letting the dough rest helps it relax (just like us), making it easier to roll out later.
Make the filling:
- While the door is resting, make the filling.In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and salt until evenly combined.
- Add the vanilla and melted butter, and mix until everything is fully moistened and looks like wet sand. That’s it! Set it aside while you roll out the dough and get ready to fill your pop tarts.
Roll and cut out dough:
- On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of chilled dough into a large rectangle, about ⅛ inch thick. You’re aiming to roll each piece of dough into a rectangle that’s larger than 9 X 12 inches so you can cut out eight 4 x 3 inch rectangles from each. Repeat with the second disc so you end up with 16 rectangles total.
- If the dough gets too soft or sticky while you’re working, slide it onto a baking sheet and chill it for a few minutes before continuing. Cold dough is easier to cut and handle.
Assemble pop tarts:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make your egg wash.
- Lay 8 of the dough rectangles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each one lightly with the egg wash – this helps the top layer stick and seals in all that brown sugar cinnamon goodness.
- Spoon about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of filling into the center of each rectangle, spreading it out a bit but leaving a small border around the edges.
- Place the remaining dough rectangles on top, lining up the edges. Use your fingers to press around the filling, then crimp all the way around each pop tart with a fork to seal them shut.
- Pop the tray into the fridge and let the pop tarts chill for 15 minutes. This helps them keep their shape when they bake.
- After chilling, brush the tops with more egg wash and use a toothpick or skewer to poke a few small holes in the top of each one. This lets steam escape and keeps them from puffing up too much in the oven.
- Bake the chilled pop tarts for 20 to 24 minutes, or until they’re lightly golden brown and the edges look set. Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the cinnamon frosting:
- While the pop tarts are baking, whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of milk or cream in a small bowl. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s thick but spreadable. If too thin, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until your desired consistency.
- Once the pop tarts are fully cooled (this is key so the frosting doesn't melt right off), spoon or spread the frosting over the tops. Give them a few minutes to set up, or dive right in if you just can’t wait!
Video
Notes
- Lining a large sheet pan with parchment paper will ensure that your pastries don't stick to the pan while chilling and baking.
- For the flakiest results, place your sheet pan of assembled pop tarts into the freezer while the oven heats up. This will cause the butter to re-solidify, making for a flakier result.
- Make sure your pastries are fully cooled before spreading frosting or it will melt and slide off. The frosting will set when dry, which takes about an hour, but still be soft to bite into.
- To make ahead and bake later, freeze assembled pop tarts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then transfer to a freezer bag for storage.
- When ready to bake, brush with egg wash and bake directly from the freezer, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 842IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
