Ever made Homemade Pop Tarts? Me neither! These healthy, vegan, made-from-scratch pop tarts are filled with a simple cherry jam and smothered with almond flavoured fondant icing – so so good! If you prefer a lower sugar version, top with cashew or coconut cream frosting rather than fondant and use crumbled freeze-dried fruits as sprinkles. Great for breakfast, dessert or as a snack.
I tried this recipe out with DIY gluten-free flour – quite hard to work with and the result was more velvety rather than crumbly and crisp. My almond flour pastry, which I use as the base of my Vegan Quiche, will definitely taste good as a gluten-free substitute.
Why is this Good for Me?
- Cherries are a great source of the lipid-soluble vitamin A, which is necessary to support your eyesight, immune function and cell growth – in fact, a cup gives you almost 40% of your RDA (recommended daily allowance). Vitamin C and fibre are also provided by this red, juicy stone fruit. Vitamin B6 and magnesium are also provided in smaller quantities.
- Whole wheat flour is a rich source of fibre, a nutrient that not only makes you feel fuller for longer, but can also prevent constipation and help promote healthy bacteria, since some types can act as prebiotics. In addition to fibre, whole wheat flour also provides some minerals, such as selenium, manganese and the vitamin folate, all of which are essential for various processes going on in our bodies.
- Rapeseed oil is a rich source of monounsaturated fat (omega 9). Though it also provides polyunsaturated fats (omega 3 and 6), only around one third consists of these. It also contains vitamin E and K, which are lipid soluble vitamins. Vitamin A is needed to support night vision and vitamin K for blood clotting and wound healing, amongst a number of other roles that are vital to our health. Rapeseed oil is also for hot and cold cooking as it as a high smoke point, which means it remains stable at higher temperatures.
Questions about Homemade Pop Tarts
How to make Homemade Pop Tarts
To make Homemade Pop Tarts, start with the jam filling. In a saucepan, add the pitted cherries, brown sugar and 125 ml water. Bring to the boil then allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Mash using a potato masher or blitz briefly in the blender. Make a paste using 2 tbsp water and cornstarch. Transfer cherries back to the saucepan along with the cornstarch paste and bring to a simmer whilst stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, leave aside and allow to cool completely.
How to make oil pastry
Preheat oven to 210℃. Combine whole wheat flour with rapeseed oil and plant milk and mix together until a smooth dough. Knead briefly then chill in the fridge for 15 minutes, loosely covered in clingfilm. Cut dough in half and roll each ball out into a rectangle (trimming edges if needed) – each rectangle should be roughly 22 x 30 cm. Transfer to flat baking trays lined with greaseproof paper and cut each rectangle into 4 strips (8 in total) – cut vertically from the longer sides.
When cherry jam has cooled completely, spoon equally onto all 8 strips, filling just the lower half of the pastry strip and leaving some room on the edges. Fold over the other side of the pastry, covering the entire filling and sealing the edges using finger tips and the pressing down with a fork – do this around all edges of the pastry. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack. For the fondant icing, mix the water, almond extract and icing sugar and mix using a fork until smooth and creamy. When tarts are completely cooled, evenly distribute the icing amongst the tarts, spooning on top from the centre. Follow immediately with sprinkles and allow icing to set at room temperature and serve.
Homemade Pop Tarts Substitutions
- Cherries can be replaced with other soft fruits for the jam filling using the same recipe, such as strawberries, mixed berries, peaches, plum etc.
- Ready-made jam can be used instead of making your own.
- For an alternative frosting, use whipped coconut cream or cashew frosting (my Mole Cake recipe has the ideal one)
- Freeze-dried fruits, nuts and chocolate sprinkles can be used instead of hundreds and thousands.
- Whole wheat flour can be replaced with gluten-free plain flour (check it contains xantham gum) or a mix of almond flour with another flour – my almond flour and oat flour pastry crust from my Vegan Quiche is ideal.
These Homemade Pop Tarts are…
- Crumbly
- Fruity
- Frosted
- Eggless
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Plant-based
Shopping List
Food
- 280g fresh cherries
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 50g brown sugar
- 360g whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour)
- 150 ml rapeseed oil
- 150 ml plant milk
- 250g icing sugar
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Sprinkles or crumbled freeze-dried fruit
Equipment
- Greaseproof paper
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Wooden spoon
- Mixing bowl
- Saucepan
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Homemade Pop Tarts
Ingredients
Cherry jam
- 280 g fresh cherries – pitted
- 125 ml water + 2 tbsp
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 50 g brown sugar
Vegan oil pastry
- 360 g whole wheat flour
- 150 ml rapeseed oil
- 150 ml plant milk
Vegan pop tart sprinkles
- 250 g icing sugar
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Sprinkles or crumbled freeze-dried fruit
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add the pitted cherries, brown sugar and 125 ml water.
- Bring to the boil then allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Mash using a potato masher or blitz briefly in the blender.
- Make a paste using 2 tbsp water and cornstarch.
- Transfer cherries back to the saucepan along with the cornstarch paste and bring to a simmer whilst stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, leave aside and allow to cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 210℃.
- For the pastry, combine whole wheat flour with rapeseed oil and plant milk and mix together until a smooth dough.
- Knead briefly then chill in the fridge for 15 minutes, loosely covered in clingfilm.
- Cut dough in half and roll each ball out into a rectangle (trimming edges if needed) – each rectangle should be roughly 22 x 30 cm.
- Transfer to flat baking trays lined with greaseproof paper and cut each rectangle into 4 strips (8 in total) – cut vertically from the longer sides.
- When cherry jam has cooled completely, spoon equally onto all 8 strips, filling just the lower half of the pastry strip, leaving some room on the edges.
- Fold over the other side of the pastry, covering the entire filling and sealing the edges using finger tips and the pressing down with a fork – do this around all edges of the pastry.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove and allow to cool on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
- For the fondant icing, mix the water, almond extract and icing sugar and mix using a fork until smooth and creamy.
- When tarts are completely cooled, evenly distribute the icing amongst the tarts, spooning on top from the centre.
- Follow immediately with sprinkles and allow icing to set at room temperature and serve.
Notes
- Cherries can be replaced with other soft fruits for the jam filling using the same recipe, such as strawberries, mixed berries, peaches, plum etc.
- Ready-made jam can be used instead of making your own.
- For an alternative frosting, use whipped coconut cream or cashew frosting (my Mole Cake recipe has the ideal one)
- Freeze-dried fruits, nuts and chocolate sprinkles can be used instead of hundreds and thousands.
- Whole wheat flour can be replaced with gluten-free plain flour (check it contains xantham gum) or a mix of almond flour with another flour – my almond and oat flour pastry crust from my Vegan Quiche is ideal.
Nutrition
Made this Recipe?
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