Homemade Heart Shaped Strawberry Pop Tarts for a Romantic Breakfast

Homemade Heart Shaped Strawberry Pop Tarts

These homemade heart shaped strawberry pop tarts start with a buttery pie crust, hold a spoonful of sweet strawberry jam in the middle, and finish with a smooth vanilla icing and a scatter of rainbow sprinkles.

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They taste like the foil wrapped treat from your elementary school lunchbox, only fresher and warmer from your own oven. Cut them into hearts for Valentine’s Day, or leave them as simple rectangles for any ordinary Saturday morning.

What are Heart Shaped Strawberry Pop Tarts?

These pop tarts are a homemade tribute to the childhood classic, the one with the white icing and the rainbow sprinkles on top. Instead of a factory pastry, you build them from pie crust cut into heart shapes.

Rectangles work just as well if you do not own a heart shaped cutter, so the shape is really about the mood you want on the plate.

Inside, a layer of strawberry jam gives that sweet, slightly tart center. You can use homemade jam or a jar of store bought preserves, whichever is in your pantry. Around the filling, the pastry stays crisp and flaky, and a simple vanilla icing goes on after baking, once the pop tarts have cooled completely.

They are a natural fit for a Valentine’s Day breakfast, a bridal shower brunch, or a weekend baking project with kids who like to help with the cookie cutter. Serve them warm or at room temperature with coffee, cold milk, or a cup of tea.

Why this recipe works

Pie crust is the whole trick. It bakes up crisp and buttery, which is exactly the canvas a sweet jam filling needs. A softer dough would soak up the jam and turn gummy, but a flaky crust holds its structure and stays tender at the edges, so every bite gives you a clean snap followed by a soft, jammy center.

The ingredient list is short on purpose. Part of the charm of the original was its simplicity, and this version keeps that spirit. Store bought strawberry jam keeps the shopping list to a handful of items, though homemade jam made from fresh local strawberries is worth the effort when berries are in season and at their sweetest.

The icing is just as forgiving. Powdered sugar, a little milk, and vanilla come together in a minute or two, and you can loosen or thicken it until it spreads exactly the way you like. That flexibility is why this recipe works for a first time baker and for someone who has been rolling dough for years.

Equipment for heart shaped strawberry pop tarts

You do not need much, and most of it is already in a home kitchen. Here is what I keep on the counter before I start.

• Rolling pin. A standard rolling pin makes quick work of the dough. If yours is missing in action, a wine bottle on its side does the job nicely.
• Half sheet pans. A sturdy rimmed pan keeps the pop tarts flat and gives you room to space them out so the edges crisp instead of steam.
• Parchment paper. Line the pan so nothing sticks and cleanup stays easy.
• Mixing bowls. One small bowl for the egg wash and one for the icing. A stand mixer is not required for this recipe.
• Heart shaped cookie cutter. Any size you like, as long as the shapes match in pairs.
• Offset spatula. It slides under the cut dough without stretching it and spreads the icing neatly across the top.
• Pastry brush. For brushing egg wash over the borders and then over the assembled tops.
• Fork. For crimping the edges shut and poking the steam holes.
• Wire rack. For cooling the pop tarts completely before they get iced.

A lightly floured work surface helps too, along with a small knife in case you want to trim any ragged edges. If you are short on tools, the fork and a wine bottle will carry you through the whole batch.

Ingredients for heart shaped strawberry pop tarts

The ingredient list is intentionally short, and that is part of the appeal. You need one group for the pastry and one small group for the icing.

For the pop tarts

• 1 (2 count) box refrigerated pie crust, using both crusts. If you only want to use one crust, halve the remaining ingredients.
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam or preserves
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp water

For the vanilla icing

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Food coloring, optional
• Multicolor sprinkles, optional

One box of pie crust makes 12 pop tarts, so a single egg and one tablespoon of water cover the egg wash for the entire batch. Only 2 tablespoons of milk go into the icing, and you can add a splash more if you prefer a thinner glaze that drizzles rather than spreads.

The jam is the heart of the filling. Store bought strawberry jam is quick and reliable, while homemade jam made from fresh local strawberries is a lovely upgrade when berries are in season.

Multicolor sprinkles are optional, but they are strongly encouraged if you want that authentic lunchbox look. For the icing, a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste in place of the extract adds tiny specks of vanilla seed and a slightly deeper flavor.

Possible ingredient substitutions

Pie dough is the most flexible part of this recipe. Use refrigerated pie crust for convenience, or swap in a homemade pie crust if you already have a dough you trust, keeping the same 1/4 inch roll.

For the icing, vanilla bean paste can stand in for the extract. Strawberry jam is the classic filling, but any smooth preserve you enjoy will work with the same method.

Flavor variations for homemade strawberry pop tarts

Strawberry is the classic, but the same method takes well to other fillings.

• Raspberry. Fill the hearts with raspberry jam. For a pink tint and a more intense berry flavor, pulse freeze dried raspberries in a food processor until they become a fine powder, then stir about 2 tablespoons of that dust into the icing.
• Blueberry. Borrow the flavors from a giant blueberry pop tart recipe and cut the pie crust into smaller pieces so the finished pastries come out smaller.
• Nutella and banana. Swap the jam for Nutella and thin banana slices, then finish with the chocolate glaze from a homemade yeasted donut recipe.

If you try a variation, keep the same assembly, egg wash, and baking temperature so the pastry still bakes through properly.

Homemade pie crust vs store bought

A homemade pie crust can be used in place of store bought, and it will taste wonderful if you already have a dough you love. If convenience matters more, refrigerated pie crust is the easier option and the one most people reach for on a busy morning. Either way, roll it to about 1/4 inch before cutting.

How to Make Heart Shaped Strawberry Pop Tarts

Plan on about 25 minutes of prep and 15 minutes in the oven, which puts the whole batch at roughly 40 minutes. Here is the process, step by step.

Step 1, Roll out the pie dough

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll the pie crusts out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Even thickness matters more than you might think, because thin spots brown faster and can crack around the filling.

Step 2, Cut out the heart shapes

Press a heart shaped cookie cutter into the dough and cut out as many hearts as you can, then move them to the prepared baking sheet.

Scraps can be re rolled, but more than two rounds of re rolling is probably not worth it, since the texture will be much different from the first roll.

Step 3, Fill the pie crust with jam, crimp the edges, and poke holes in the tops

Spread strawberry jam onto half of the heart shapes and leave the rest plain, since those plain hearts become the tops. Use an offset spatula or a knife and keep about a 1/4 inch border clear around each edge. That border is where the egg wash goes, and it is what seals the two pieces of crust together.

Beat the egg with the water in a small bowl until no streaks remain, then brush it onto the borders with a pastry brush. Lay a plain heart over each filled one.

Press the edges shut with a fork, then use the fork to poke a few holes in the top of each pop tart so air can escape while they bake. Brush more egg wash over the tops.

Step 4, Egg wash and bake

Slide the pan into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the outsides of the pop tarts are golden brown. The egg wash is what gives them that glossy, deep color.

Move the pop tarts to a wire rack and let them cool completely before you ice them, since icing a warm pastry makes the glaze slide right off.

Step 5, Make the vanilla icing and frost the cooled pop tarts

While the pop tarts bake, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Add food coloring if you like, and pink is a fitting choice for hearts.

If the icing is too thick, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the consistency you want.

Spread your desired amount of icing over each cooled pop tart, then add sprinkles right away. These are best the day they are made, because the jam slowly softens the crust as they sit, though they will still taste great the next day.

Sprinkle immediately. Once the icing sets, nothing will stick to it, so keep the sprinkles within arm’s reach while you frost.

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Homemade Heart Shaped Strawberry Pop Tarts These homemade heart shaped strawberry pop tarts start with a buttery pie crust, hold a spoonful of sweet strawberry jam in the middle, and finish with a smooth vanilla icing and a scatter of rainbow sprinkles. They taste like the foil wrapped treat from your elementary school lunchbox, only fresher and warmer from your own oven.

• Total Time: 40 min
• Yield: 12 pop tarts 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Pop Tarts
1 (2-count) box refrigerated pie crust, use both pie crusts, or halve the remaining ingredients if you only want to use 1 pie crust
1/2 cup strawberry jam/preserves
1 large egg
1 Tbsp water

For the Vanilla Icing
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Food coloring
Multicolor sprinkles

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Instructions

For the Pop Tarts
1-Preheat oven to 375°F: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out pie crusts on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.
2-Use heart-shaped cookie cutters (or any other: Use heart-shaped cookie cutters (or any other shape) to cut out heart shapes from the pie crust, and place them on your prepared baking sheet. Feel free to re-roll any scraps. More than 2 times of re-rolling scraps is probably not worth it – the texture will be much different than the first roll!
3-Use an offset spatula or a knife: Use an offset spatula or a knife to spread the strawberry jam onto half of the heart shapes (the remaining halves will be the tops). You’ll want to leave about a 1/4-inch border around the shapes, that way we can egg wash the sides before adding the tops.
4-Beat the egg and water in a: Beat the egg and water in a small bowl until no streaks remain. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg onto the borders of each pie crust with jam. Top with the remaining pie crusts.
5-Use a fork to lightly crimp the: Use a fork to lightly crimp the edges of each pop tart, then use the fork to also poke a few holes in the top of each one. Brush more egg wash over each pop tart.
6-Bake for 15 minutes or until the: Bake for 15 minutes or until the outsides of the pop tarts are golden brown. Cool completely.

For the Vanilla Icing
7-Meanwhile, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla,: Meanwhile, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and food coloring (if using) until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add more milk, 1 Tbsp at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
8-Spread your desired amount of icing onto: Spread your desired amount of icing onto each pop tart and immediately sprinkle with your sprinkles (if you wait too long the icing may set up and the sprinkles will not stick to the icing!).

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Method: bake