Air Fryer Homemade Pop Tarts are lip smacking good and a simple recipe for the kids to help out with. Needing just 5 ingredients and only 20 minutes, making pop tarts at home has never been easier.
If you love easy air fryer recipes, try my cheese and cherry danish and my breakfast toaster strudel.
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Why this Homemade Pop Tarts Recipe is a Keeper
I love these homemade pop tarts because they’re a quick, easy and scrumptious breakfast food. You will certainly want to add the healthiest pop-tarts to your stash of easy breakfast recipes.
- Less than 30 Minutes: The best pop tarts really are so quick and easy.
- Easy Ingredients: Homemade poptarts only take 5 ingredients!
- Family Friendly: These homemade cherry snacks are a rainy/snowy day project that is fun for kids.
- Adaptable: You can use sugar free preserves or sugar free powder sugar substitute.
- Make More: Do an extra batch and freeze them when you want a quick treat.
How do I Keep the Pie Crust from Sticking to the Cookie Cutters?
A great way to make sure the pie crust doesn’t stick to the cookie cutters is to dip the cutters into a bowl of flour between each cut. Or use a little non stick spray on the cutter before cutting the pie crust.
Ingredient Notes to Make Homemade Pop Tarts
These pop tarts are so much better than store-bought pop tarts! You will need just a handful easy ingredients and if you don’t already have them in your kitchen. They are also can easily be found at the store.
- Pastry Dough: Using prepared pie dough is the way to go for this easy homemade version of sweet strawberry pop-tarts.
- Strawberry Jam: Make this recipe with a delicious strawberry jam filling is always a hit, but feel free to use different flavors.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for this Breakfast Pastry
Preparing a recipe ahead of time can be the best way to go! Make a recipe in advance to be able to enjoy it whenever you’d like.
- Bake: Bake the pop tarts according to the recipe below.
- Cool Completely: Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- Freeze: Once cooled, place the baked pop tarts in an airtight container or freezer bag to freeze for later.
Special Equipment Needed for this Breakfast Recipe
When you make a recipe, sometimes there’s a step that can go much faster with the right piece of kitchen equipment!
- Air Fryer: An air fryer will quickly bake your unbaked pop tarts. Place the tarts in the basket leaving room between each one.
Pro Tip for Air Fry Pop Tarts
Don’t overcrowd the pan: Leave some space between the pop tarts on the baking sheet to allow for even airflow and prevent them from sticking together.
How to Make Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts
This recipe comes together in 5 easy to follow steps. This amazing homemade version of store bought pop tarts is so good, you’ll be adding it to your easy breakfast list!
These are the basic steps for making Air Fryer Homemade Pop Tarts. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Roll out the Dough and Cut Shapes
Lay pastry crusts out flat on a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry cutter that’s heart shaped, cut out as many hearts as you can.
2. Assemble the Pop Tarts
On one of the heart-shaped crusts, add 1 tablespoon of jelly preserves in the middle. Spread it out evenly, be sure to leave room around the edges of each pop tart.
Spread the egg wash around the edge of the crust surrounding the jelly. Place another crust on top. Use a fork to crimp the edges down to create a seal.
3. Egg Wash the Crusts and Poke Holes
Using a kitchen brush, dip it in the egg wash and brush the rest of your pastry tarts with egg wash. Poke 6-8 holes in the top of the pop tart using a toothpick.
4. Air Fry the Pop Tarts
Place as many pastry hearts as you can fit in the air fryer. Cook your pop tarts at 370℉ for 7 minutes, flip then cook again for 3-4 minutes. Remove and transfer to a cooling rack.
5. Make the Pastry Frosting
While pop tarts are cooling, whisk together powdered sugar and 1 ounce of jelly. Drizzle frosting over the pop tarts. While the frosting is still wet, add your sprinkles. Allow them to cool and the frosting to harden, and then enjoy!
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Do not store the pop tarts in an airtight container at room temperature since jelly needs to be refrigerated. Store pop tarts in your fridge and take them out as needed.
- Reheating: I like to reheat cooled pop tarts in the air fryer or in the oven on a prepared baking sheet.
- Using Leftovers: Enjoy leftovers with Red Velvet Chex Muddy Buddies.
Variations and Substitutions for this Easy Homemade Pop Tarts in the Air Fryer
This recipe is so versatile! Try taking it to the next level by experimenting with flavors, or changing up how homemade pop tarts look.
- Alternate Cooking Method: These can be baked in a toaster over or oven too! Increase baking time to 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
- Shapes: Change up the cookie cutter shapes to make them holiday appropriate, or use a rectangle or circle for everyday use. You can also switch up the sprinkles, icing colors and jam flavors to make them special.
Hand Pie Recipe FAQs
Serve this sweet treat with other Valentine’s day snacks like Valentine Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies, Valentine Cocoa Bombs or Vanilla Raspberry Cake.
Try different flavor and color pop tart glaze, sprinkles or even powdered sugar.
If the assembled pop tarts are leaking it’s because the seal broke. When putting the crusts together make sure you use enough egg wash and crimp down the edges well.
Expert Tips for Making This Homemade Version Recipe
- Doubled the Recipe: Simply increase the ingredients proportionately and bake in batches.
- Pastry Sealer: To ensure that the filling does not leak out try using a pastry sealer.
- Homemade: Use homemade jam and homemade pastry dough or homemade pie crust to make these delicious homemade pop tarts taste even better.
- Chocolate: Feel free to use Smucker’s shell topping on your pastry. Chocolate pop tarts are awesome.
- Fluff: Make these pop tarts filled with strawberry jam and little marshmallow fluff.
- Thick Frosting: You can choose to add more powdered sugar if you like your frosting thicker for these homemade ones.
- Cinnamon Brown Sugar: Make frosted brown sugar cinnamon filling pop tarts. Make a brown sugar filling and icing on top of the rectangle instead of fruit pop tarts.
Air Fryer Homemade Pop Tarts
Equipment
- Heart shaped cookie cutter
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Ingredients
- 15 ounces Pie crust, equivalent to 2 crusts
- 4 ounces Strawberry preserves , divided
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 Egg, whisked
- 4 tablespoons Valentine day sprinkles
Instructions
- Lay your pie crusts out flat on a lightly floured surface. With your cookie cutter, cut out as many hearts as you can with the amount of pie crust you have.
- On one of the heart-shaped crusts, add 1 tablespoon of your jelly preserves in the middle of the crust. Spread it out evenly, making sure to leave room around the edges.
- Dip your finger in the egg wash, and evenly spread the egg wash around the edges of the crust surrounding the jelly.
- Place another heart shaped pie crust on top of the heart with the jelly on it. Using a fork, press down the edges to create a seal.
- Using a kitchen brush, dip it in the egg wash and brush the rest of your heart shape with the egg wash.
- Poke 6-8 holes in the top crust using a fork or toothpick.
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, place as many pastry hearts in your air fryer that will fit without interfering with the shape of the pastry.
- Cook your pop tarts at 370℉ for 7 minutes. Once the timer is done, open your air fryer, and flip your pop tarts. Continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until it is reached a soft brown color.
- Remove from the air fryer, and transfer to a cooling rack.
- While your pastries are cooling, mix together your icing. Whisk together powdered sugar and 1 ounce of jelly. You can choose to add more powdered sugar if you like your frosting thicker.
- Drizzle your frosting over your pop tart. While the frosting is still wet, add your sprinkles.
- Allow them to cool and the frosting to harden, and then enjoy!
Christina’s Notes
- Doubled the Recipe: Simply increase the ingredients proportionately and bake in batches.
- Pastry Sealer: To ensure that the filling does not leak out try using a pastry sealer.
- Homemade: Use homemade jam and homemade pastry dough or homemade pie crust to make these delicious homemade pop tarts taste even better.
- Chocolate: Feel free to use Smucker’s shell topping on your pastry. Chocolate pop tarts are awesome.
- Fluff: Make these pop tarts filled with strawberry jam and little marshmallow fluff.
- Thick Frosting: You can choose to add more powdered sugar if you like your frosting thicker.
- Cinnamon Brown Sugar: Make frosted brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts! Make a cinnamon and brown sugar filling and icing instead of fruit pop tarts.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Ohhh I love air fryers but now that I know I can make poptarts they’re even better!
A great recipe for the kids!
These were so cute! Everyone loved them!