Puff Pastry Pop Tarts with Fresh Strawberries

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Flaky and flavorful, these puff pastry pop tarts are filled with strawberries and a hint of thyme for a fresh twist on the nostalgic favorite. They're easy to make with store-bought dough and are a tasty breakfast or snack for spring or summer mornings.

homemade pop tarts on baking sheet with strawberry jam

I can't wait for my strawberry plants to be ready to pick. It's my first year growing them, even though they're easy to grow and tend to spread on their own. There really isn't anything like a freshly picked, perfectly ripe strawberry. I'll be lucky if any make it to the kitchen, though.

Nevertheless, I wanted a breakfast or snack recipe that allowed the berries to shine, and these puff pastry pop tarts do just the trick. Strawberries are cooked down into a sauce that's almost jam-like in consistency. I throw in some thyme for a fun, lightly herby flavor.

Each piece of puff pastry takes just a tablespoon of strawberry sauce for the filling. After baking, the warm fruit filling oozes out - nothing like those dry, bland pop tarts I used to eat all through high school. I've come so far.

😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe

Puff pastry makes this a rewarding recipe without much effort-no pastry-making skills needed.
Unlike store-bought pop tarts, these are flaky and flavorful. The store-bought ones are dry and bland. Trust me, I ate them for years.
You can make the pastries with any berry filling you prefer. Try blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.

Berry season is always fleeting, so I try to enjoy them as much as possible. In this Strawberry Cream Soda, these Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes, and these Blackberry Scones, for instance.

Jump to:

😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
🍓 Ingredients
🍒 Substitutions & Variations
🔪 Instructions
✨ Helpful Tips
🥡 Storage
🙋🏻‍♂️ FAQ
☕ Pairing
📖 Recipe
🥐 Related Recipes
💬 Comments

🍓 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make puff pastry pop tarts.

Key Ingredients

Strawberries: This recipe works with either fresh or frozen strawberries. If using fresh, look for fully ripe and deeply red berries for the best flavor.
Puff pastry: You'll need two sheets of store-bought puff pastry. It typically comes frozen, with two sheets per box. Defrost it at room temperature for about 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
Powdered sugar: Used to make the quick icing to top off the pastries. If you don't want icing, leave this out, along with the milk and vanilla.
Thyme: I like to throw a little fresh thyme into the strawberry filling to add a hint of freshness and herbiness and cut the sweetness just a bit. If this isn't appealing to you, you can certainly skip it. On the other hand, lemon thyme would also be great here.

Check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.

🍒 Substitutions & Variations

Cherry Pop Tarts: Cherries, instead of strawberries or other berries, would also make a tasty filling for these pop tarts.
With homemade puff pastry: If you're ambitious and have time, make your pastry from scratch. Here's a puff pastry recipe to try.
With store-bought jam: Sure, you could do this. But there's not much in a recipe when using store-bought pastry and jam. Make your own fruit filling - I promise it's worth it, especially if you have some fresh in-season fruit to use.

🔪 Instructions

Here's how to make puff pastry pop tarts.

sliced strawberries on a cutting board with knife

Step 1: Slice the strawberries and add them to a small pan with the sugar, lemon juice, and thyme.

Step 2: Simmer the strawberries on medium-low heat for 7-8 minutes, mashing them with a wooden spoon, as they cook.

strawberry filling on a spoon over a pan

Step 3: Mix the cornstarch with a splash of water, add to the strawberries, and cook for another minute or two until thickened. Let cool.

puff pastry rolled out and cut into pieces

Step 4: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll each sheet of puff pastry out into a 12x12-inch square. Cut each sheet into eight rectangles (roughly 3x6 inches).

strawberry filling being spread on pastry dough

Step 5: Place eight pastry rectangles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top each with a heaping tablespoon of strawberry filling, leaving a ½ inch space around the edges.

Step 6: Mix the beaten egg with a splash of water and brush it over the edges of the pop tarts.

Step 7: Cover each piece of pastry with a second top piece.

Step 8: Use a fork to press the edges together and seal. Stab the top of the pastry a couple of times and brush with the egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and lightly puffed.

Step 9: While the pop tarts bake, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to make the icing.

icing being spooned over a tray of pop tarts

Step 10: Cool the pop tarts, then drizzle over the icing before serving.

✨ Helpful Tips

Prep the strawberry filling up to 3 days in advance to save time when you're ready to assemble and bake. But if making the day of, you can cool the filling quicker by transferring it to a container and putting it in the fridge or freezer.
Don't forget to defrost the puff pastry. You can do so at room temperature for about 30 minutes or in the fridge overnight. I don't recommend attempting to defrost puff pastry in the microwave.
Any leftover strawberry filling may be saved in an airtight container for up to a week or so. Use it like jam, stir into yogurt, or poor over ice cream.

🥡 Storage

Leftover pop tarts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day or refrigerated for up to three days. They can be reheated in an oven or toaster oven at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes to re-crisp.

Baked pop tarts can be frozen in an airtight bag or container for up to three months. Reheat in the oven until warm and crisp.

🙋🏻‍♂️ FAQ

Can you use puff pastry for pop tarts?

Yes, puff pastry works well for homemade pop tarts. It's a quick and easy alternative to making your own pastry dough. Puff pastry will produce a light and flaky pop tart.

How do you make jam tarts with puff pastry?

Roll out the puff pastry dough, top with jam, then cover with a second piece of puff pastry. Seal the edges, the bake until golden. This recipe is essentially a jam tart with puff pastry.

What kind of dough are pop tarts made with?

To make homemade pop tarts similar to the store bought kind, you may want to use pie dough. However, the result may be dry and dense and it's why puff pastry is a good choice instead.

Can I make these pop tarts with frozen strawberries?

Yes, frozen strawberries are fine to use in this recipe. You don't have to defrost them before using, though you may need to cook the strawberry filling for an extra minute or two for it to thicken up.