Description
These homemade Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts are a delightful scratch-made treat featuring a flaky buttery crust filled with a sweet cinnamon brown sugar mixture, all topped with a rich, cinnamon-spiked glaze. Perfect for breakfast or a cozy snack, these pop tarts bring a nostalgic taste with a fresh homemade twist.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), chilled and cubed
- ½ cup cold water
Filling
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tablespoons melted butter
Assembly
- 1 egg yolk (for sealing)
Glaze
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ to 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt, sugar, and cubed butter a few times until the butter pieces are about the size of peas. Slowly stream in the cold water while pulsing until dough comes together.
- Knead and chill the dough: Transfer dough to a bowl or lightly floured surface and gently knead into a ball without overworking it. Divide into two halves, wrap each half in plastic wrap and shape into rectangles about ½” thick. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours to chill.
- Prepare the filling: While the dough chills, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, vanilla extract, and melted butter until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough: On a floured surface, roll each half of the chilled dough into roughly a 14 x 14 inch square, about ⅛” thick. Make sure to flour the surface and dough to prevent sticking.
- Cut dough rectangles: Cut the dough into approximately 3.5 x 4.75 inch rectangles, getting pairs for each pop tart. Collect scraps, re-roll, and cut additional rectangles to minimize waste.
- Fill the pop tarts: Spoon just over a tablespoon of filling onto half of the dough rectangles, spreading it thinly but leaving about ⅓” border around the edges. Brush the border with beaten egg yolk.
- Seal and dock: Place a second rectangle over the filling, press down gently, and crimp edges with a fork to seal. Dock the tops with a skewer or fork to vent. Trim edges with a bench scraper for neat rectangles.
- Bake: Place the pop tarts on the prepared sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned on top and edges, with slightly browned bottoms. Allow to cool slightly before glazing.
- Make the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, and milk. Bring to a gentle simmer while whisking until sugar dissolves, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and cinnamon until smooth.
- Glaze the pop tarts: Spread the warm glaze over the slightly cooled pop tarts before it hardens. If glaze thickens, gently warm again over medium-low heat to loosen before spreading.
Notes
- Be sure not to overwork the dough to keep the crust flaky.
- Keep dough well chilled for easier rolling and better texture.
- Docking the top crust vents steam so the pop tarts don’t puff up.
- Glaze sets quickly; work fast or gently rewarm to spread smoothly.
- You can store pop tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
