Apple pop tarts are a homemade apple pastry made with buttery, flaky pie crust filled with a warmly spiced apple pie filling. These apple cinnamon pop tarts are topped with a sweet cinnamon maple icing. They’re an easy to make fall flavor twist on the classic childhood treat.
Jump to:
Why Should You Make This Recipe
I adore making desserts and breakfast treats with store dough pie crust or puff pastry. After making my Puff Pastry Apple Pie, Apple Danish and Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings I knew I wanted to try making pop tarts. I am so excited to add this apple pie pop tart recipe to the blog. I know you’ll love it because:
- You need a simple, but impressive and easy apple dessert or breakfast. This apple pie pop tart uses just a handful of simple ingredients to make. All you have to do is assemble, bake and enjoy. This is the easiest apple hand pie recipe ever.
- Easy to make with layers of flavor. Flaky buttery pie dough is filled with a sweet, tart and warmly spiced apple pie filling that develops a slight caramelized flavor after baking. This complements the sweet and spicy cinnamon icing.
Ingredients
These easy and delicious apple pop tart recipe requires only a handful of ingredients to make. Here’s what you need.
- Apple Filling: Gather fresh apples, butter, light brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, salt, cornstarch, vanilla extract and lemon juice or apple cider.
- Puff Pastry: Gather store bought or homemade pie dough, an egg and water or heavy cream.
Substitutions
These apple cinnamon pop tarts are meant to be quick, easy and delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions for this apple poptarts recipe if you need them.
- Apples: The best apple for these apple tarts are tart with a hint of sweetness. Basically the same apples you would use to make an apple pie are the same ones that work well for this recipe. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji, Pink Lady and Cosmic are all good choices.
- Light Brown Sugar: This pop tart apple pie recipe calls for granulated sugar and light brown sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this recipe refined sugar free.
- Warming Spices: Use any blend of warming spices you like. Apple pie spice, pumpkin spice or chai spice would all work beautifully.
- Cornstarch: This helps to thicken the apple pie filling. Use 1:1 arrowroot, potato starch or tapioca starch as a replacement. Use 2:1 when replacing the cornstarch with flour.
- Vanilla Extract: This pairs beautifully with apples and warming spices. Use vanilla bean paste or omit.
- Pie Dough: Feel free to use homemade puff pastry if you like. I love using store bought pie dough to make this pop part recipe more quickly and easily. Make this apple tart recipe gluten free by using gluten free puff pastry. Alternatively use puff pastry dough.
- Egg: An egg wash brushed on the pie dough creates a lovely golden brown color after baking. Feel free to omit if needed or brush with heavy cream.
Variation
Gluten Free Apple Pop Tarts: Use a gluten free pie dough. Follow the rest of the steps as written in the recipe.
How To Make
Learn how to make apple pop tarts in a few easy steps.
Make the Apple Filling
- Peel, core and dice 3 cups of apples from about 2 - 3 medium apples into ½ inch thick cubes. Place slices of cold butter on the bottom of a large pan or pot. Heat the butter over medium high heat. Once the butter begins to melt, add the sliced apples to a large sauce pan or pot on top of the butter. Gently toss the apple slices in the butter. Top the diced apples with light brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla extract, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Gently mix the apples in the sugar, spices, extract and juice until well combined. Cook the apples for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the apples release their juices and the juices begin to thicken into a sauce like consistency. In a small bowl mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the mostly cooked apples. Cook the apples an additional 3 minutes. Once the apple pie filling is made, remove the filling from the heat and cool to room temperature. Add the filling to a food processor. Process until the apple become the consistency of applesauce.
Assemble the Pop Tarts
- While the apple pie filling is cooling, make sure to pull the pie dough to thaw at room temperature for about 30 - 45 minutes and preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently press or roll out 2 disks of pie dough so each it is completely flat and measures roughly 9 x 12 inches (23 x 30 cm). Cut any rounded edges into straight lines. Then cut the dough into 6 - 9 evenly sized rectangles (per disk of dough for a total of 12 - 18 small rectangles). Alternatively, leave the dough as two large 9 x 12 rectangles.
- Drop about 1 tablespoon of apple with the apple pie filling onto 6 - 9 rectangles. Make sure to leave a ¼ inch boarder around the pastry. The remaining rectangles are for topping the pop tarts. For the larger 9 x 12 version, add all the apple pie filling and leave a 1 inch boarder. Brush the untopped boarder with an egg wash. Top each of the small or large pop tart(s) with the top pie dough rectangle(s). Use a fork to seal the edges of the bottom and top pastry together. Brush the top puff pastry pie crust with the egg wash. Use a small knife to create some decorative cuts or a fork to create small holes to help release the steam.
Serve the Pop Tarts
4. Bake the apple pie pop tarts for 20 - 25 minutes or until the apple pie tarts are golden brown in color. Cool the apple spiced pop tarts on the hot baking sheet for 20 - 25 minutes or until completely cooled. Make the icing by whisking powdered sugar with maple syrup, cinnamon and milk or heavy cream until smooth and well combined. Transfer the pop tarts to a cooling rack. Top each cooled pop tart with the icing. Allow the icing to set for about 45 minutes and enjoy.
How To Store, Make Ahead and Serve
- Store: Transfer any leftover pop tarts in a single layer an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days or at room temperature for 1 - 2 days.
- Make Ahead: Make the apple pie filling 1 - 2 days ahead. Store the filling in an air tight container in the fridge. Use store bought pie dough or use a homemade pie dough made up to 2 days before using in the recipe.
- Serve: Apple cinnamon pop tarts can be enjoyed cold from the fridge or warmed through.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use the right apples. The best apples for this apple pie pop tarts are also the best apples for baking other apple desserts. Look for a mix of tart apples like Granny Smith and sweeter apples like Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples.
- Fully cool the apple pie filling. Make sure the apple pie filling is cooled fully to room temperature before pureeing and before filling the pop tarts.
- Prepare the apple pop tart dough on parchment paper. This is the easiest way to transfer the dough to a baking sheet and also to keep the mess at a minimum.
- Chill the pop. Transfer to the fridge for 15 - 20 minutes before baking. The colder the pie dough, the more flaky crust.
- Don’t overfill the pop tart. Adding too much apple pie filling can cause the pop tarts to split open. If this does happen, don’t worry, the icing helps cover any small cracks in the top of the pop tarts.
- Dock the top of the pastry crust. The slits help to release steam and encourages the pop tart to bake more evenly.
- Top the pop tarts with an egg wash. This helps the apple hand pie look golden once it’s done baking.
- Don’t forget the icing. These little apple pie pop tarts are delicious on their own, but really shine when topped with the suggested cinnamon icing. Feel free to use a regular vanilla icing if you prefer.
FAQs
How do I thaw pie crust?
Most boxes of store bought pie dough give thawing directions. Follow the directions listed on the box. Typically dough is removed from the freezer to sit out at room temperature for 45 - 60 minutes.
Can I make this apple pop tart as one large pop tart?
Yes, simply roll the pop tart dough out to 9 x 12, add all the apple pie filling into the center, leaving a boarder, top with the another layer of dough, seal the edges and bake.
Can I use puff pastry instead of pie dough to make a pop tart?
Yes, it is possible to use puff pastry for instead of the suggested pie dough. There is no need to change the recipe or steps.
Other Apple Recipes To Try
If you try this Apple Pop Tarts recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking!
Apple Pop Tarts Recipe
Apple pop tarts are a homemade apple pastry made with buttery, flaky pie crust filled with a warmly spiced apple pie filling. These apple cinnamon pop tarts are topped with a sweet cinnamon maple icing. They’re an easy to make fall flavor twist on the classic childhood treat.
Equipment
- 1 sauce pan
- 1 knife and vegetable peeler
- 1 food processor
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 - 2 sheets parchment paper
- 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
Apple Pop Tarts
- 3 cups apples (about 2 - 3 medium apples)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or coconut oil
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice or apple cider
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
- 2 sheets pie dough or puff pastry
- 1 large egg mixed with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
Cinnamon Icing
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespon (15 ml) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Peel, core and dice 3 cups of apples from about 2 - 3 medium apples into ½ inch thick cubes. Place slices of cold butter on the bottom of a large pan or pot. Heat the butter over medium high heat. Once the butter begins to melt, add the sliced apples to a large sauce pan or pot on top of the butter. Gently toss the apple slices in the butter. Top the diced apples with light brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla extract, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Gently mix the apples in the sugar, spices, extract and juice until well combined. Cook the apples for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the apples release their juices and the juices begin to thicken into a sauce like consistency.3 cups apples, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or coconut oil , ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt , 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , ½ teaspoon ground ginger , ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice or apple cider, 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
- In a small bowl mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the mostly cooked apples. Stir well to combine. Cook the apples an additional 3 minutes. Once the apple pie filling is made, remove the filling from the heat and cool to room temperature. Once the filling has cooled enough to room temperature, add the filling to a food processor. Process until the apple become the consistency of applesauce.
- While the apple pie filling is cooling, make sure to pull the pie dough to thaw at room temperature for about 30 - 45 minutes and preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.2 sheets pie dough or puff pastry
- Gently press or roll out 2 disks of pie dough so each it is completely flat and measures roughly 9 x 12 inches (23 x 30 cm). Cut any rounded edges into straight lines. Then cut the dough into 6 - 9 evenly sized rectangles (per disk of dough for a total of 12 - 18 small rectangles). Alternatively, leave the dough as two large 9 x 12 rectangles.
- Drop about 1 tablespoon of apple pie filling into the center of the 6 - 9 rectangles. Make sure to leave a ¼ inch border around the pastry. The remaining rectangles are for topping the pop tarts. For the larger 9 x 12 version, add all the apple pie filling and leave a 1 inch border. Brush the untopped border with an egg wash.
- Top each of the small or large pop tart(s) with the top pie dough rectangle(s). Use a fork to seal the edges of the bottom and top pastry together. Brush the top puff pastry pie crust with the egg wash. Use a small knife to create some decorative cuts or a fork to create small holes to help release the steam.1 large egg mixed with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
- Bake the apple pie pop tarts for 20 - 25 minutes or until the apple pie tarts are golden brown in color. Cool the apple spiced pop tarts on the hot baking sheet for 20 - 25 minutes or until completely cooled.
- Make the icing by whisking powdered sugar with maple syrup, cinnamon and milk or heavy cream until smooth and well combined. Transfer the pop tarts to a cooling rack. Top each cooled pop tart with the icing. Allow the icing to set for about 45 minutes and enjoy.1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 1 tablespon (15 ml) maple syrup , 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk or heavy cream
Notes
Store: Transfer any leftover pop tarts in a single layer an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days or at room temperature for 1 - 2 days.
Make Ahead: Make the apple pie filling 1 - 2 days ahead. Store the filling in an air tight container in the fridge. Use store bought pie dough or use a homemade pie dough made up to 2 days before using in the recipe.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
Leave a Reply