We did not really have pop tarts much growing up but when we did they were a treat. Personally, my favorite pop tart is strawberry iced but this particular recipe reminded me a little of the brown sugar one and felt very “fallish” so I thought I’d give it a try.
You start by cooking the apples down with butter, apple cider, and lots of warm spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves. It only takes about 10 minutes, and it makes your whole kitchen smell like a candle. Once the apples are soft, you blend them into a thick, jammy mixture that becomes your apple butter filling. I tried a few leftover bites and it was very delicious.
The rest comes together pretty quickly since you’re using store-bought pie dough. Just roll both sheets out a little larger so you have enough surface area to build the pop tart. I transferred one sheet to a parchment-lined baking pan, spread the apple butter in the center, and laid the second sheet on top. Crimped the edges with a fork to seal it up and poked a few holes on top so it didn’t puff too much in the oven. I brushed the top with melted butter before baking, which gave it a nice golden finish.
After letting it cool, I mixed up the icing with powdered sugar, apple cider, and cinnamon. It’s simple but ties everything together really nicely. I spread it over the top, let it set, and then sliced it into big, rustic squares, though I did not get a picture of the individual pieces.
The crust is buttery and flaky, the filling is warm and spiced, and the glaze adds the perfect sweet finish. This was very good, but I don’t know that I would have immediately thought pop tart when I ate it. Fun and easy though so worth a try!
| Baking Ease | 10 |
| Time Spent | 10 |
| Taste | 9 |
| Visual | 10 |
Recipe Used: The Fit Peach
