Homemade Sourdough Pop Tarts Recipe (With Vanilla Glaze)
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My Homemade Sourdough Pop Tarts are delightful pastries with a buttery, flaky crust and your favorite flavors of fruit jam or brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts filling tucked inside. Made with simple ingredients and my Sourdough Pie Crust recipe, this sourdough pop tarts recipe is a great way to replace store-bought pop tarts loaded with high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors.
I love that these homemade pop tarts use sourdough starter discard in the pie dough, making them a delicious way to put your active sourdough starter to good use. If you enjoy sourdough discard recipes for snacking, try my Sourdough Graham Crackers or my Sourdough Granola Bars.
Quick Look: Sourdough Pop Tarts
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Servings: 9 pop tarts
- Calories: ~307 kcal per pop tart (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Baked
- Flavor Profile: Buttery, flaky pastry filled with sweet strawberry jam and topped with a vanilla glaze and sprinkles. A nostalgic childhood treat made with real, wholesome ingredients!
- Difficulty: Intermediate — A few steps with the pastry dough and chilling time, but totally worth it for a homemade pop tart!
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Pop Tarts Recipe
- Freezer-friendly and make-ahead: You can prepare the tart dough days in advance and store it in the fridge, or freeze unbaked pop tarts for up to 3 months. On busy mornings, just pull them from the freezer and bake until golden brown. It is the perfect way to have a homemade breakfast ready without the fuss.
- Endless flavor options: Fill these homemade sourdough pop tarts with homemade strawberry jam, blueberry preserves, apple butter, or a classic brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts filling. Top with a powdered sugar glaze and sprinkles for a treat the whole family will love. For another fun sourdough recipes option with different fillings, try my Salted Caramel Apple Sourdough Hand Pies.
- Buttery, flaky crust with simple ingredients: The sourdough pie crust recipe creates those flaky layers that store-bought pop tarts simply cannot match. Using cold butter and sourdough starter discard gives you a tender, flaky crust with no artificial flavors or preservatives.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Sourdough Pie Dough – Use my buttery, flaky Sourdough Pie Crust recipe. It can be long-fermented, so feel free to make it a few days ahead to save time. To make the pie dough, use an active sourdough starter or sourdough starter discard.
- Preserves/ Jam – My family loves homemade strawberry jam or preserves, but you can use any jam or preserve you like. If you’re making your own, make sure it’s thick, as runny jam is more likely to leak out of the pop tart during baking.
How to Make Sourdough Pop Tarts
- Prepare my sourdough pie crust recipe through step 7, then, follow the instructions below.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll one of the pie discs to a large rectangle and trim the edges. Divide the dough into 9 even pieces and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush each piece of dough with an egg wash.
- Place a tablespoon of jam/preserves in the center of each piece, leaving a border around. Cover and place in the fridge to chill.
- As half of the dough chills, roll out the second pie crust and cut it into 9 pieces, just like you did with the first.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and top each pop tart with another piece of dough. Using the prongs of a fork, seal the edges of each pop tart closed.
- Brush the top of the pop tarts with an egg wash and poke the top piece of dough with a tooth pick. Cover again and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pop tarts are golden brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Once the pop tarts are at room temperature, prepare the vanilla glaze and spoon on top of each pop tart. Top with sprinkles, if desired.
- Leave to dry for a few hours. Enjoy!
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Keep your butter and lard as cold as possible when making the pie dough. Cut the cold butter into small cubes straight from the freezer and pulse in a food processor until pea-sized for the best results. I use this same technique for my Sourdough Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.
- Use a thin, even layer of filling and leave a clear border around the edges of the dough to prevent leaking during baking. Firmly crimp the outer edges with a fork and chill the assembled pop tarts for 10 to 15 minutes before placing them in the oven. I follow a similar sealing method for my Salted Caramel Apple Sourdough Hand Pies.
- If the pastry dough becomes too soft while rolling, slide it back into the fridge for 10 minutes. Working with cold dough is the best thing you can do for achieving those flaky layers.
- Brush the top of the pop tarts with an egg wash before baking for a beautiful golden brown finish. Poke a few holes in the top with a toothpick to let steam escape and prevent puffing. For another recipe that uses an egg wash for a gorgeous crust, check out my Sourdough Pretzel Bites.
- For a quick powdered sugar glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Spoon over completely cooled pop tarts and add sprinkles for a fun finish. If you love cinnamon-flavored treats, my Sourdough Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal is another new ways to enjoy sourdough for breakfast.
How to Store
Store leftover pop tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for a couple of days; it’s 5 days for us.
For longer storage, lay the baked pop tarts in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. You can also freeze unbaked pop tarts the same way and bake them straight from frozen when you’re ready.
To reheat, bake in a conventional or toaster oven at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes if refrigerated, or 12 to 15 minutes if frozen. The microwave can make the crust soggy.
Sourdough Pop Tarts FAQs
This is a very common pop tart problem! Most often, leaking happens when there is a bit of sugar too much filling or when the outer edges are not fully sealed. Use a thin, even layer of homemade jam and leave a clear border around the edges of the dough. Firmly crimp with a fork to make sure they are well sealed, and chill the assembled pop tarts for 10 to 15 minutes before baking to help the tart dough hold its shape. I use the same sealing technique for my Salted Caramel Apple Sourdough Hand Pies.
Absolutely! You can substitute shortening for the lard at a 1:1 ratio, or you can replace the lard with more unsalted butter. Both options will still give you a flaky crust with flaky layers. Just make sure whatever fat you use is very cold before mixing it into the flour mixture for the best results.
I love homemade strawberry jam, but you can use any thick fruit jam or preserves. Blueberry, apple butter, and brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts filling are all favorite flavors in my house. Whatever you choose, make sure the filling has the right consistency and is thick enough so it does not leak during baking. If it slides off your spoon, it will probably slide out of the crust. For another recipe with different fillings, try my Sourdough Discard Pie Crust with your favorite pie filling.
Yes, you can absolutely double the recipe if you are baking for a crowd or want to freeze extras. Double all the ingredients and divide the pastry dough into four discs instead of two. Work with one disc shape at a time on a lightly floured surface to keep the dough from getting too warm. You will get 18 pop tarts, so if you do not have a large baking sheet, bake them in batches. Store leftover pop tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for a couple of days longer.
If you tried this Sourdough Pop Tarts recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Pop Tarts Recipe
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Ingredients
Sourdough Pastry
- 240 grams all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups
- 6 grams salt 1 teaspoon
- 2 grams baking powder 1/2 teaspoon
- 113 grams unsalted butter, frozen/cold 1/2 cup
- 60 grams lard 1/3 cup
- 140 grams sourdough discard heaping 1/2 cup
- ice cold water (optional) 1 teaspoon at a time
Filling
- 180 grams preserves/jam 9 Tablespoons
- 1 egg for egg wash
Vanilla Glaze
- 90 grams powdered sugar 3/4 cup
- 20 grams milk 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
- 2 grams vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon
- sprinkles if desired
Instructions
Sourdough Pop Tart Pastry
- Before you begin this recipe, measure the lard in a measuring cup and place it in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to chill.60 grams lard
- Next, put flour, salt, and baking powder in the food processor. Give it a whirl to mix the ingredients.240 grams all-purpose flour , 6 grams salt, 2 grams baking powder
- Cut the frozen butter into cubes, then place the butter and smaller pieces of the cold lard in the food processor. Mix on low setting until the mixture looks crumbly, about 15 seconds.113 grams unsalted butter, frozen/cold
- Add COLD discard or active starter to the food processor and mix until the dough forms.If the dough doesn't come together after mixing for at least 30 seconds, you may need to add ice-cold water. Continue adding teaspoon of ice water (one at a time) and mixing until the dough is formed.140 grams sourdough discard, ice cold water (optional)
- Remove the dough from the food processor and place on a clean work surface. Cut in half with a bench scraper or a sharp knife. Roll into two dough balls and flatten with your hands to create 2 discs.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place the discs of dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days to long-fermented the pie dough.
Shape
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll one of the pie discs to a 9 x 12 inch rectangle. Divide the dough into 9 even pieces (3 x 4 inches) and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together an egg and a splash of water. Using a pastry brush, brush each piece of dough with an egg wash, then place a tablespoon of jam/preserves in the center of each piece. You’ll want to leave at least a ¼ inch border around each piece to prevent leakage. Cover the baking sheet with this plastic cover and place the tarts in the fridge to chill.180 grams preserves/jam, 1 egg
- Roll out the second pie disc and divide into 9 more pieces just as before.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and top each pop tart with another piece of dough.
- With clean fingers, press the border of the dough down, then using the pongs of a fork, seal the edges of each pop tart closed. Brush the tops of the pop tarts with more egg wash, then poke the top piece of dough with a tooth pick, about 6 holes each. This allows the steam to escape while the pop tarts are baking. Cover again and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
Bake
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pop tarts are perfectly golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once the pop tarts are at room temperature, prepare the vanilla glaze and spoon on top of each pop tart. Top with sprinkles, if desired.90 grams powdered sugar, 20 grams milk, 2 grams vanilla extract, sprinkles
- Leave the glaze to dry for a few hours. Enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sourdough Pie Dough – Use my buttery, flaky Sourdough Pie Crust recipe. It can be long-fermented, so feel free to make it a few days ahead to save time. To make the pie dough, use an active sourdough starter or sourdough starter discard.
- Preserves/ Jam – My family loves homemade strawberry jam or preserves, but you can use any jam or preserve you like. If you’re making your own, make sure it’s thick, as runny jam is more likely to leak out of the pop tart during baking. You can also get creative and use Nutella or create your own brown sugar cinnamon filling.
Amazing!!!! My grandkids love pop tarts and we made them and they devoured them.
I love that they devoured them… that’s the best kind of review! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
I’ve made these twice and my jelly keeps leaking out. What am I doing wrong?
Still taste good though!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying them — even with a little jelly escape! That’s actually a very common Pop-Tart problem.
Most often, leaking happens when there’s just a bit too much filling or when the edges aren’t fully sealed. A couple of tips for next time:
-Use a thin, even layer of filling (it’s tempting to add more!)
-Leave a clear border around the edges
-Firmly crimp the edges with a fork and make sure they’re well sealed
-Chilling the assembled Pop-Tarts for 10–15 minutes before baking can also help the dough hold its shape
Thanks for making them twice, and I’m so glad they still tasted good!
Could you replace shortening for the lard?
Absolutely! You can also replace the lard for more butter!
Can it be done without lard?
Absolutely! Omit the 60 grams of lard for 60 more grams of unsalted butter.
So much better than store-bought! I also love how you can switch up the fillings.