Easy Sourdough Pop Tarts

This homemade sourdough pop tarts recipe brings some of the best childhood memories to mind and they really are so easy to make. Made with sourdough discard and filled with jam, you only need a few basic ingredients you likely already have on hand to make this classic treat in your own home.

Ah, childhood memories. Pop tarts were a delightful part of many of our early mornings. The mere mention of them brings back a rush of nostalgia.

All the reminiscing of eating Pop Tarts before school or stopping by the vending machine to quickly grab one for a snack.

They’re an easy grab-and-go and filled with sugar, how could you not love them?

Of course, now that I know more about whole food, and how important it is to avoid the long list of mystery ingredients, I know better than to just toss a box of pop tarts into my buggy while shopping at my local grocery store.

Yet, I felt like I could not just swipe Pop Tarts from my own children’s childhood. They are one of their favorite snacks they primarily look for when they slide open the snack drawer.

So, I obviously could not resist trying to make this childhood favorite at home and from scratch. And of course, if it’s happening in my kitchen, it’s got to include my sourdough starter.

I used my chicken pot pie crust recipe that I use to make anything that calls for that irresistible crusty layer topping.

After allowing my dough to ferment in the fridge for a bit, I filled small rectangles of dough with some homemade jam that my family canned last season, and some with Nutella to make for a variety.

To top it off, I had to add the all-important sweetened glaze on top.

I really surprised myself with the end result! A delicious, sweet treat that had that extra boost of flavor from the sourdough discard.

My kids absolutely loved them, and so did I, honestly.

So, if you want to enjoy an old school treat, or want your kids to be able to enjoy Pop Tarts but with more wholesome ingredients, this recipe is for you!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple ingredients: Made with basic ingredients you likely already have hanging out in your pantry. But the best part about homemade pop tarts is that they do not contain high fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, or any other unwanted ingredients.

Use discard: If you’re looking to make use of some of your sourdough discard, this recipe is a perfect go-to. It’s a fun treat that will most definitely impress your kiddos, and they’ll keep wanting more. Before you know it, this recipe will become a regular in your home that will steadily put all of your discard to use. It’s a win win.

Filling: These sourdough pop tarts are mostly bread, so they’ll definitely hold little tummies over to their next mealtime.

Nostalgic: Many of us grew up eating Pop Tarts. This recipe brings back all the memories.

Tips to Making Sourdough Pop Tarts

Go ahead and double this recipe, you’ll thank me later. You can freeze the unbaked Pop Tarts. Freeze them on a baking sheet first before adding to a freezer safe bag. When ready to enjoy, bake them in the oven as directed below.

If you want to add a little extra and make these even more special, add a few sprinkles on top with the glaze. These would make a great birthday breakfast or holiday snack.

To long ferment, let your dough rest in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Dough Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Sourdough starter discard
• Sugar
• Salt
• Butter – The butter needs to be cold in order to get those delicious flaky pastry layers.
• Milk

Filling Ingredients

• Egg: You’ll need to make an egg wash to brush the top layer of each Pop Tart, this will ensure you get a beautiful golden-brown color after baking.
• Jam: Use your favorite homemade or store-bought jam.

Glaze Topping

• Powdered sugar
• Milk
• Honey – if you want to add thickness.

Tools You May Need

• Stand mixer or large bowl to mix your dough in.
• Cheese Grater or Pastry Cutter, either will do. Useful to incorporate the cold butter.
• Rolling pin to roll out your dough neat and smooth.
• Pizza Cutter: Optional, but really helpful to cut the dough into perfect rectangles.
• Pastry brush for the egg wash.
• Baking sheet

How To Make Sourdough Pop Tarts Dough

In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the flour, milk, salt, and sugar using the dough hook attachment or a dough whisk.

Add in the cold butter. I like to use my stand mixer, so I just cut the stick butter into chunks and toss them in a couple at a time. If you do not have a stand mixer, use a cheese grater to grate the butter in or add it in chunks and use a pastry cutter until you get pea sized chunks of butter within your dough. Careful not to over mix.

Add in the sourdough discard. You can use a whisk or even a fork, if you don’t have a stand mixer.

Scrape the dough from the bowl and onto a lightly floured countertop. Shape the dough into a tight ball, put it back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel, and let rest in the fridge for at least an hour or up to three days for longer fermentation.

Make the Filling

If you don’t have any jam in your pantry, you can make your own while your dough ferments. Any strawberry, blueberry, or blackberry jam would be perfect in these. A cinnamon sugar filling is another option, or you could even use Nutella!

Create the Pop Tarts

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick.

Trim the edges as necessary and divide the rectangle into 5 equal-sized (close to equal as you can) long rectangles. I like to use a pizza for this step, but a sharp knife or bench scraper will do the trick, too.

Fill one of the rectangles with the jam or filling of your choice, leave some room around the outer edges.

Fold the other end of the dough over the jam, aligning the ends of your dough together.

Crimp the edges together using a fork.

Gently place each pop tart onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Repeat with the second side of dough.

Bake

In a small bowl, whip up one egg using a fork to create an egg wash and brush it on top of each pop tart.

Bake them at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until they’re golden brown.

Add glaze topping

While the Pop Tarts are baking, make a sweet glaze topping by combining the powdered sugar, milk, and honey together in a medium sized bowl.

Allow them to cool completely before spooning the glaze on top of each Pop Tart.

You could also drizzle them with chocolate syrup or sprinkle them with a little extra powdered sugar- or both!

Q&A

What should you fill a Pop Tart with?

• I like to use jam most of the time, but there are a variety of options to fill Pop Tarts with- just like store bought ones. Nutella is a great option if you’re wanting more of a chocolate filling, you could add nuts, or even marshmallows if you’re going for a smores flavored Pop Tart! You could make a cinnamon brown sugar filling, just mix in butter with brown sugar and cinnamon. Feel free to get creative! Ask yourself, what sounds good?

Are sourdough Pop Tarts healthy?

• Pop Tarts are a sweet treat, so they do contain quite a bit of sugar. I do feel more content making a homemade sourdough version though. Homemade means no additives or preservatives, and because they’re sourdough – the fermented grains are easier to digest and make the nutrients in the grains more bioavailable to the body. They’re not the healthiest snack or breakfast choice, but they’re a healthier version compared to store bought Pop Tarts.

What kind of dough is used for making homemade Pop Tarts?

• I use pie dough for these. Same recipe I use for making anything involving a crusty layer.

How To Store Sourdough Pop Tarts

These are best enjoyed fresh but will last a couple of days stored in airtight container.

You could also freeze sourdough pop tarts. I recommend freezing them unbaked, and then when ready to eat, bake according to the directions above.