How to Make Vegan Pop-Tarts

Make vegan pop tarts at home following my detailed step-by-step instructions. The result is a rich flaky pastry and the filling of your choice topped all topped with a sugary glaze. How is that for a perfect unprocessed breakfast treat?

Crafting homemade pop tarts or breakfast pastries is easier than you might realize. It takes a little bit of pastry work, but the skill level needed is perfect for any level of baker.

Most importantly, don’t worry about making them perfect; their imperfect shapes add to their unique character! No matter how imperfect the shape might be, one bite and you will immediately notice the difference. Homemade pastry has a rich flavor and a flaky texture that cannot be sold in a box!

Did you Know Pop Tarts are Not Vegetarian?

I have this tradition on a snow day; I go to the grocery store the night before and buy pop tarts. I usually eat the entire box with the record — and embarrassing — speed.

However, I was crushed when I learned most pop-tarts include gelatin. All my years of eating vegetarian, I was unknowingly eating gelatin. As vegetarians and vegans can attest, this is a crushing realization.

Since then, I have begun making pop-tarts at home. The ingredients are all-natural, with no preservatives, and no high fructose corn syrup is used in this recipe!

Brown Sugar, Fruit, or Chocolate Filling?

Make your pop-tart with your favorite filling! I love brown sugar, so the recipe is written for a vegan brown sugar pop-tart. I have also created a table filled with additional fillings you can use in place of the brown sugar.

Another option is to use your favorite jam or compote. If using a store-bought jam, warm it up in the microwave so that it is easier to spread!

What I Love About This Recipe

• The recipe is easy to make!
• Most ingredients are pantry staples.
• I can eat cinnamon brown sugar pop tarts again!
• Homemade pop-tarts freeze well, making them easy to stock.
• This recipe does not contain high fructose corn syrup or preservatives!

Ingredients

Filling and Pastry Ingredients

Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is the star flavor of this recipe. It creates a rich, caramel-like sweetness and adds depth of flavor.

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour serves as the foundation for the pastry dough. Its gluten content helps create the desired flaky texture while providing structure and stability to the pop-tart.

Ground Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is a warm spice-enhancing brown sugar filling.

Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds a natural sweetness and a hint of maple flavor to the filling, balancing the flavors and adding warmth.

• I always recommend Fort Hamilton Maple Syrup. It is aged in a bourbon barrel and has an amazing warmth to it!

Salt: Salt is a crucial ingredient in both the pastry dough and the filling. It enhances the overall flavor profile, intensifies the sweetness, and helps to balance the taste by offsetting excessive sweetness.

Vegan Butter: Vegan butter contributes the essential fat component to the pastry dough, ensuring its flakiness. It adds richness and moisture to the dough, creating a tender and indulgent texture.

Glaze Ingredients (optional)

Confectioners Sugar: Confectioners sugar, also known as powdered sugar, forms the base of the glaze. It provides the sweetness and smooth consistency that drapes over the pop-tarts, creating a hard topping.

Non-Dairy Milk: Non-dairy milk serves as the liquid component in the glaze, helping achieve the desired thickness and creaminess without dairy products.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon in the glaze echoes the warm flavor also in the filling. It infuses the glaze with a hint of spiciness that complements the pop-tart’s overall flavor.

Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract contributes to the glaze by enhancing its overall flavor.

Additional Pop Tart Flavors

Using pastry as your foundation, use your preferred filling to create a personalized Pop-Tart. Simply combine the ingredients to create your desired filling.

Type	Ingredients and Measurements
Apple Cinnamon	– Apples: 2 cups, peeled and diced – Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon – Brown sugar: 1/4 cup – Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon – Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon
Blueberry	– Blueberries: 2 cups, fresh or frozen – Sugar: 1/4 cup – Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon
Cherry	– Cherries: 2 cups, pitted and chopped – Sugar: 1/4 cup – Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon
Chocolate	– Vegan chocolate chips: 1 cup – Vegan chocolate spread: 1/4 cup – Almond butter: 2 tablespoons – Vanilla extract: 1/2 teaspoon
Peanut Butter Banana	– Ripe bananas: 2 (mashed) – Peanut butter: 1/4 cup – Brown sugar: 2 tablespoons – Cinnamon: 1/2 teaspoon
Raspberry	– Raspberries: 2 cups, fresh or frozen – Sugar: 1/4 cup – Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon
Strawberry	– Strawberries: 2 cups, fresh or frozen – Sugar: 1/4 cup – Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon

Expert Tips

Work Swiftly – The key to achieving excellent pastry is maintaining vegan butter at the coldest possible temperature. This chilled fat is responsible for creating those delicate, flaky layers. Should the dough start to soften, immediately place it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

Precise Measurements – Bakers often prefer using metric measurements (weight) for utmost accuracy. If using volume measurements (cups), gently mound the ingredients within the cup, then use a knife to level off the excess. This method is especially recommended for flour, cinnamon, and confectioners’ sugar.

Use Flour Sparingly – Too much flour results in a tougher pastry. To avoid this, always use flour sparingly.

Make-Ahead and Storing

Make-Ahead and Refrigerate Instructions: Store in an airtight container for three days on the counter or in the refrigerator for six days. When you are ready, reheat in the oven for 5 minutes.

Freezing Instructions: Freeze baked pop-tarts without glaze (sorry, the glaze does not freeze well). Place in an airtight container and store for up to three months. To reheat, place them in the oven for 10 minutes. Please do not put them in a toaster.