Homemade Vegan Apple-Cinnamon Pop Tarts
Homemade Vegan Apple-Cinnamon Pop Tarts
These Homemade Vegan Apple-Cinnamon Pop Tarts are nothing short of flaky, naturally sweet, and bursting with comforting spice flavors, both inside + out, and topped with a beautiful Maple frosting. A veganized version of an old favorite!
These pop tarts are a sure crowd-pleaser, especially for apple lovers. The perfect bite for breakfast, brunch, or a nice in-between snack that's sure to steal your heart. Completely Vegan, Dairy-free, and easy to make. Gluten-Free version available.
Pop Tarts. They are a total childhood classic, and If you've been an avid follower of Orchids + Sweet Tea, then you know that pop tarts were my absolute FAVE growing up!
Honestly, these little flaky, squared sweet treats are MY LIFE! Haha.
But as you all know, I'm on a health-conscious journey, many of my old habits have been thrown out the window, and although I no longer purchase that little blue box of pop tarts, I'm a huge pop tart maker at home.
Seriously, pop tarts are so easy to whip together, even the dairy-free healthier variety. It's unbelievable that I didn't begin making my pop-tarts a lot sooner.
FOR ALL MY POP TART LOVERS
Trust me, you won't be disappointed by the flavors below. They are SO GOOD!
Homemade Blueberry Vegan Pop-Tarts - Just like the original, but WAY better, my these are the flakiest, most tender, and sweet pastries you will ever eat! The homemade flaky dough (with a gluten-free option!) is stuffed with tart blueberry jam before topping with a sweet blueberry glaze. Not only is this dish beautiful, but it is nostalgic.
Giant Pop Tart With Orange Marmalade Filling - A festive Giant Pop Tart filled with Orange Marmalade and topped with a sweet glaze for a one-of-a-kind holiday dessert. What's more fun than a giant shareable pop tart?
Homemade Vegan Strawberry Pop Tarts - These are nothing short of flaky, naturally sweet, and everything nice in one little bite. Complete homage to the classic childhood favorite, these pop tarts are packed with strawberry flavor and topped with a delicious maple glaze + fun vegan rainbow sprinkles. The perfect bite for breakfast or a nice in-between snack. All vegan ingredients. Gluten-free option.
Are Pop Tarts Vegan?
Traditionally, the OG classic pop-tarts from Kellogg’s are not vegan at all. Most flavors contain gelatin and cow's milk which we all know can be quite harsh on the stomach for my lactose-intolerant peeps. Not to mention all the other questionable ingredients in there, so it's best to avoid store-bought pop-tarts, but that doesn't mean you have to give up the childhood classic.
I've got you covered. These vegan pop tarts are INCREDIBLE. So good, in fact, that I have made them in a lot of flavors... I'm talking Homemade Blueberry Vegan Pop-Tarts which are bursting with blueberry flavor or try out these Easy Vegan Apricot Pop Tarts!
But these Homemade Vegan Apple-Cinnamon Pop Tarts are my current fave, they're like mini apple pie flavored squares of deliciousness. The Apple-Cinnamon flavor, along with the spices, are so comforting and perfect for any season, but especially Fall season!
Making Your Pop-Tarts Gluten-Free.
To make these GF, simply substitute All-Purpose Flour with 2 cups Gluten-Free Flour (Bob’s Red Mill has a great one!) and the Pastry Flour with ½ cup coconut flour. If your GF Flour doesn’t have Xanthan Gum included, add 1tsp in recipe. Also, reduce vegan butter to 1 ¾ sticks instead of 2. Simply continue the recipe per usual after that.
TIPS & TRICKS
Don't worry---Pop Tarts aren't as hard to make or complicated as they look.
You only need a handful of ingredients for both the crust and filling and I've come up with a few TIPS to ensure that you create perfect Pop Tarts:
TIP #1: MAKE YOUR FILLING FIRST!
Yes, I know. You’re probably wondering why I said this, however, when making your filling from scratch, it definitely helps to make your filling ahead of time so that it cools completely.
Also, this gives you enough time to ensure that it comes out as perfect and thick as you’d like before having to use it in your recipe.
TIP #2: MORE PASTRY FLOUR = MORE FLAKINESS!
OK, so this one is a HUGE MUST, especially if you want to have an extremely flaky crust! Much like other pastries (i.e. Hand Pies, Pie Crusts, etc.), using pastry flour more heavily than All-Purpose Flour helps to create a nice outer-layer.
Granted, cold cubed butter does help with this as well, however, I’ve discovered that adding pastry flour to the mix creates a better situation!
TIP #3: DIMENSIONS MATTER!
I must admit that in my previous attempt to make Pop Tarts, I randomly cut the squares, which obviously came out super uneven.
However, with this recipe, I did a bit of research and found that cutting them 3” x 4” worked magic and made them so even and perfect!
Also, keep in mind that when rolling out your dough, making sure that it’s at least ¼” thick is super important. This ensures that your filling stays inside and everything doesn’t fall a part.
TIP #4: LET THEM COOL, COOL, COOL!
Now, if you’re anything like me then you’re probably just as impatient to try these goodies before they fully cool, so that means that you might also prematurely add the glaze and watch it melt off like a snowman in heat. Haha.
BUT you must let your Pop Tarts FULLY cool (place them in a cool room or open window to speed things up!) before glazing them. No exceptions!
Why You Will LOVE these Vegan Pop Tarts! They’re:
- Flaky & buttery
- Perfectly sweetly spiced
- The ideal treat any time of the year
- Full of nostalgia!
- Wholesome ingredients
- No artificial flavors
- Little squares of heavenly apple-cinnamon goodness
Now, let’s take a bite into this recipe, shall we?
For the Crust:
In a measuring cup, add the cold water and apple cider vinegar along with an ice cube and set aside.
In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, sea salt, cinnamon, and organic pure cane sugar, whisking them all together.
Add the cubed vegan butter sticks (or regular vegan butter) and using a pastry blender, blend butter into dry ingredients until the mixture becomes “peas-like” and crumbly.
Pour the cold apple cider vinegar-water mixture (slowly + without the ice) and stir (working it together with one hand) until the dry ingredients are moistened. **NOTE: If the ingredients feels a little too dry, add 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time, until it’s moistened BUT not too wet!**
Now, shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap and flatten it slightly and chill for at least 1 hour.
In the meantime, make the Apple Filling.
For the Filling:
In a saucepan, add the apples, juice of a lemon, organic pure cane sugar, vanilla, and water and cook on medium-high heat, stirring until they release their juices. Continue cooking until the liquid is reduced considerably. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of cardamom. To thicken, add arrowroot mixture to sauce and stir until thickened.
Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes. **NOTE: The consistency should look slightly runny, but thick and gooey.**
Assembly:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface, rolling it out into a large rectangle (about 3 mm thick). Cut into small-medium rectangles (3″ wide and 4″ long), until all dough it used.
On all rectangular cuts, lightly brush vegan butter to ensure that they close together best! On one cut dough, add 1 tablespoon of the Apple-Cinnamon filling and carefully cover it with another rectangular piece, gently pressing the edges down. Using a fork, carefully “crimp” around the edges and place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all pop tarts are made.
Once all are laid flat on the baking sheet, gently prick a set of holes on the tops using a fork.
Lightly brush all pop tart tops with melted vegan butter and bake in the oven 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and the filling begins to become bubbly and begins to slightly seep out.
Once done, remove from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes (10 minutes or so).
Once pop tarts have cooled completely, spoon 1-2 Tbsps of Maple Frosting (See Notes) atop each and sprinkle with vegan sprinkles. Let pop tarts sit for another 1-2 minutes so that frosting hardens. Enjoy.
Bon Appetite!
Vegan Fall Dessert Recipes to Try!
- Apple Cinnamon Olive Oil Cake
- Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Sticky Buns
- Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread
- Vegan Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread
- Vegan Vanilla Oreo Cake
- Vegan Apple Oatmeal Sheet Cake
- Vegan Chai Ginger Bread
- Best Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you choose to make these Homemade Vegan Apple-Cinnamon Pop Tarts or any other recipe from us, be sure to tag us on Instagram at #Orchidsandsweettea so that we can share the love, rate, comment below, + share!
Homemade Vegan Apple-Cinnamon Pop Tarts
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup organic all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill; See Notes for GF version!)
- 1 ½ cups organic pastry flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill; See Notes for GF version!)
- 2 Tbsps organic pure cane sugar
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup vegan buttery sticks (cubed) OR vegan butter (That’s 2 sticks!)
- 1 cup ice cold water
- 2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Filling:
- 2 cups diced apples (That's about 2-3 medium Granny apples!)
- ½ cup organic pure cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon juice of a lemon
- 2-3 Tbsps Tbsps water
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Arrowroot powder + 2 Tbsps warm water (Add additional if needed)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch of ground cardamom
Other:
- Maple Icing/Glaze (See Notes!)
- Vegan Rainbow Sprinkles
Instructions
For the Crust:
- In a measuring cup, add the cold water and apple cider vinegar along with an ice cube and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, sea salt, cinnamon, and organic pure cane sugar, whisking them all together.
- Add the cubed vegan butter sticks (or regular vegan butter) and using a pastry blender, blend butter into dry ingredients until the mixture becomes “peas-like” and crumbly.
- Pour the cold apple cider vinegar-water mixture (slowly + without the ice) and stir (working it together with one hand) until the dry ingredients are moistened. **NOTE: If the ingredients feels a little too dry, add 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time, until it’s moistened BUT not too wet!**
- Now, shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap and flatten it slightly and chill for at least 1 hour.
- In the meantime, make the Apple Filling.
For the Filling:
- In a saucepan, add the apples, juice of a lemon, organic pure cane sugar, vanilla, and water and cook on medium-high heat, stirring until they release their juices. Continue cooking until the liquid is reduced considerably. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of cardamom. To thicken, add arrowroot mixture to sauce and stir until thickened.
- Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes. **NOTE: The consistency should look slightly runny, but thick and gooey.**
Assembly:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface, rolling it out into a large rectangle (about 3 mm thick). Cut into small-medium rectangles (3″ wide and 4″ long), until all dough it used.
- On all rectangular cuts, lightly brush vegan butter to ensure that they close together best! On one cut dough, add 1 tablespoon of the Apple-Cinnamon filling and carefully cover it with another rectangular piece, gently pressing the edges down. Using a fork, carefully “crimp” around the edges and place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all pop tarts are made.
- Once all are laid flat on the baking sheet, gently prick a set of holes on the tops using a fork.
- Lightly brush all pop tart tops with melted vegan butter and bake in the oven 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and the filling begins to become bubbly and begins to slightly seep out.
- Once done, remove from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes (10 minutes or so).
- Once pop tarts have cooled completely, spoon 1-2 Tbsps of Maple Frosting (See Notes) atop each and sprinkle with vegan sprinkles. Let pop tarts sit for another 1-2 minutes so that frosting hardens. Enjoy.
- Bon Appetite!
Tips & Tricks
- FOR MAPLE GLAZE: Begin by adding ½ cup maple syrup to a small skillet on medium-high heat, bringing it to a boil. Whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and let boil for another minute or two before removing it from the heat. Add 1 ½ cups powdered sugar into a large bowl followed by the hot maple syrup-mixture, whisking them together until nice and smooth. **NOTE: The consistency should be velvety; if needed add more powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.**
- STORAGE: Leftover pop tarts can be stored in an airtight container for 1-3 days. To serve warm, heat in the microwave, or flat in a toaster oven.
- FREEZE: For longer storage--pop tarts can be stored in the freezer. After they have baked and are completely cooled, simply place your pop tarts onto a baking sheet (spaced apart) and freeze them for 2-3 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to a zip loc bag and reheat when ready to eat!
- FOOD PROCESSOR FOR CRUST: If using a food processor to incorporate water to flour/butter mixture, ONLY ADD ¼ cup of water AT A TIME to your dough, keeping it on “pulse” to avoid the dough from breaking down too much and it becoming “watery”. With this method, you may not need the entire 1 cup of water.
- TIPS FOR PERFECT POP TARTS: Be sure to read tips within the post!
- FLOUR: If you don't have Pastry Flour available, simply substitute for All-Purpose Flour.
- GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make these GF, simply substitute All-Purpose Flour with 2 cups Gluten-Free Flour (Bob's Red Mill has a great one!) and the Pastry Flour with ½ cup coconut flour. If your GF Flour doesn't have Xanthan Gum included, add 1tsp in recipe. Also, reduce vegan butter to 1 ¾ sticks instead of 2. Continue all other steps!
Nutrition
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Homemade Vegan Apple-Cinnamon Pop Tarts.
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Made these this weekend from apples from my local farmers market - so yummy! Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Christine! OMG---I'm so happy that you enjoyed these! Definitely one of my faves! 🙂
Question regarding the gluten free flour option. I have Bob's Red Mill but I didn't realize when I bought it that it was the one with garbanzo beans on top of the other flours in the blend. Am I still able to use it? Or do I need to get the regular gluten free blend?
For the flour, can I use whole wheat all purpose flour? That's all I have on hand 🤞.
Hi Amber! Yes, of course! If using that flour, I might start with 2 cups in total and slowly add up to 2 1/2 cups, depending on the thickness of the dough! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Thanks so much for responding! I did not get a notification that you responded until now, so odd. So my apologies on my late response lol.
Wondering how much cinnamon goes into crust and how much cinnamon, nutmeg go into filling since both were omitted from list of ingredients. Also what are the measurements for the maple icing glaze ingredients? I did make these and they were delish but I had to guess on amounts. TY!
Hi Cindy!
I do apologize for the missing parts! I definitely didn't realize this! Thanks so much for pointing this out! I've updated everything and you should see them reflected! I'm so happy that it came out great! 🙂
ummm maple glaze!!! YES, PLEASE!!!!!!!! Looks so great, I need these in my life!
My son is always asking for pop tarts and I refuse to buy them. I suppose I might be pretty awesome if I make some homemade!
Haha! Yes! Making homemade ones in my house has been a game-changer, especially with my little one!
I love these! Perfect for a fun dessert. 🙂
OMG I need this! Sounds so much better than your standard pop tarts. I find that really love homemade pop tarts over the commercial ones. Delicious!
These pop tarts look amazing and I definitely will be trying the recipe!!
Definitely bookmarking this recipe. I’ve wanted to try my hand at making homemade pop-tarts for awhile now! I’ll let you know how it goes! 😅
These are so perfect for the fall weather ahead! I love how pretty they are, too!
You read my mind, Shanika! I was on my way looking for a pop tart recipe and here you have the perfect one! Thanks for sharing!
It is so good to know that these classic treats can be easily made at home - and made vegan too! That apple cinnamon filling is to die for
Oh these pop tarts look and sound divine! I would love to start my day with these! Simply delicious!
100% yes in my book! I love that these are vegan and oh so delicious!
Looking forward to starting my day off right with this recipe tomorrow! Looks delicious and easy too; yum!
We love any kind of baked apple dessert here and these sounds fantastic! I love the sprinkles too - makes them so bright and cheery!
What a great way to start my day with these sweet treats! My kids will enjoy these to celebrate going back to school!
Those pop tarts look so delicious and perfect for the upcoming Fall season. Saving for later!
Yum! These look so good. My kids will love them.
These tarts are such a lovely food present. I could make a bunch of them, serve in small boxes and them ready for those times I meet my friends. Really like how they look!
Wow the apple filling and maple frosting are so delicious! Great flavors!