A Childhood Classic: Pop Tarts

Walking into Joanne Chang’s Flour Bakery in the Seaport District is a little like walking into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Doughnuts glistening with sugar and oozing with cream filling are placed decoratively in a display case arranged next to fans of cookies the size of a toddlers face. When it comes to food, many people say the most important pleasure sense is smell, and Ms. Chang surpasses that standard with ease. You can smell the fresh baked desserts, the chocolate tempering on the stove and the spices fusing together in the stand mixers. It is a surreal experience not only for an avid baker, but for anyone who enjoys food.

As my mom and I waited patiently in what felt like a mile-long line, trailing out the door, down the ramp and nearly onto Farnsworth Street, I began to contemplate what I wanted. I had been baking Ms. Chang’s recipes for months now and this was my chance to finally try the original masterpieces. Upon reaching the display case, I started examining the array of goods, cookies on cookies, cakes on cakes, tarts on tarts. There were so many options; sweet, savory, breakfast or late night dessert. I just couldn’t decide. Only one dessert was not an option. So, we settled on a sampler. One of the desserts we chose caught my eye immediately; pop tarts. They were stacked in such a way; one could have mistaken the arrangement for a food photo shoot. They looked irresistible. 

You might be thinking, pop tarts really? Yes, really. Now these aren’t just any pop tarts. And no they are not like the processed kind you find in the cereal aisle of the grocery store. I would actually compare these more to individual sized strudels. They are light and flakey with a smooth, warm filling adorned with a glossy glaze. I made two different kinds; strawberry balsamic and apple brown sugar cinnamon.

The recipe starts with the flakey, buttery tart itself, which a Pâte Brisée. I recommend you keep this recipe in your files, its great for pie tarts also!

Pâte Brisée


(Adapted from Joanne Chang)

Yields about 18 ounces dough, enough for 8 pop-tarts





1 3/4 cups (245 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour


1 tablespoon sugar


1 teaspoon kosher salt


1 cup (2 sticks / 228 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces


2 egg yolks


3 tablespoons cold milk



Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer), mix together the flour, sugar, and salt for 10 to 15 seconds, or until combined. Scatter the butter over the top. Mix on low speed for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or just until the flour is no longer bright white and holds together when you clump it.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk until blended. Add to the flour mixture all at once. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until the dough just barely comes together. It will look really shaggy and more like a mess than a dough.

Dump the dough out onto an un-floured work surface, gather it together into a tight mound. Using your palm and starting on one side of the mound, smear the dough bit by bit, starting at the top of the mound and then sliding your palm down the side and along the work surface (in the Flour cook book this is called “going down the mountain”), until most of the butter chunks are smeared into the dough and the dough comes together. Do this once or twice on each part of the dough, moving through the mound until the whole mess has been smeared into a cohesive dough with streaks of butter.



Gather up the dough into a ball, press down to flatten into about a 1-inch thick disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using. The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

While the dough is refrigerating you must make/prepare the fillings. The strawberry-balsamic recipe is a little simpler, as the filling is simply a dollop of strawberry-balsamic jam from Stonewall Kitchen; it's just as refreshing as regular strawberry jam with a slightly sour tang that dilutes the over the top sweetness (any jam will work, it’s preference). The apple cinnamon filling unfortunately has a few more steps, that are totally worth it. The key is using Granny Smith apples; the bite of these apples is so unique that it really adds another layer of flavor to the pop tarts. (If you don’t have them IT'S OK, any apple will suffice).

Apple Cinnamon Filling

(Adapted from Joanne Chang)

Yields enough filling for 8 pop tarts

3 tbsp unsalted butter

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup all purpose flour

In a medium saucepan melt the butter over high heat. Add the apples and toss for 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar and toss for another 3-4 minutes until the sugar has melted. Remove from heat and let cool for at least a half hour until its not longer hot to the touch. Add the egg, cinnamon, salt and flour to the apple mixture with a rubber spatula until the ingredients are completely incorporated. 

Now its time for the fun part, assembling the pop tart.

Pop tarts

(Adapted from Joanne Chang)

Yields 8 pop tarts

Pâte Brisée (recipe above)

1 egg, lightly beaten


1 cup (340 grams) strawberry balsamic jam

Apple Cinnamon Filling

After at least 4 hours have lapsed, remove the dough from the refrigerator and position a rack in the center of the oven, set to 350 degrees F.


Remove the plastic wrap and divide the dough in half. Press each half into a rectangle. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half into a 14-by-11-inch rectangle. Using a paring knife, lightly score 1 rectangle into eight 3 1/2-by-5 1/2-inch rectangles (about the size of an index card).

Brush the top surface of the entire scored rectangle with the egg; spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the jam, or the apple-cinnamon filling, in a mound in the center of each scored rectangle. Lay the second large dough rectangle directly on top of the first. Using fingertips, carefully press down all around each jam mound, so the pastry sheets adhere to each other.

Using a pizza roller (or a knife if you don’t have one) following the scored lines, cut the layered dough into 8 rectangles. Place the rectangles, well spaced, on a baking sheet.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the tops of the pastries are evenly golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.

Finishing touch, the glaze! A glaze is probably the easiest thing to make, especially after you’ve already mastered the rest of this recipe.

Simple Vanilla Glaze for Strawberry Balsamic Pop Tarts

(Adapted from Joanne Chang)

Yields enough glaze for 8 pop tarts

1 cup (140 grams) confectioners’ sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract


2 to 3 tablespoons water


While the pastries are cooling, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and enough of the water to make a smooth, pourable glaze. You should have about 1/2 cup. (The glaze can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.)



Cinnamon Glaze for Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts

(Adapted from Joanne Chang)

Yields enough glaze for 8 pop tarts

1 cup (140 grams) confectioners’ sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons water

1/4 tablespoon cinnamon

Whisk together the three ingredients until everything is well incorporated and the glaze is pourable but not overly watery. If it is too watery, it will not adhere to the pop tart and will just slip off the sides. To avoid this, add the water in increments rather than adding 2-3 tablespoons all at once. Also, don’t hesitate to add more sugar, if you think it needs more sugar, it probably does. J

When the pastries have cooled for about 15 minutes, brush the tops evenly with the glaze. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the glaze to set before serving.

The pastries can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

I hope you enjoy this fun, reinvented childhood favorite!