Pumpkin Pop Tarts
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Pumpkin Pop Tarts are so much better when you make them at home! With a flaky, buttery crust and real pumpkin filling, these bakery-style treats blow the store-bought ones out of the water. They’re super easy to make with kids, and even beginner bakers will feel like pros whipping these up. Perfect for adding a little homemade magic to your fall!
This is one of our new favorite fall desserts. Falls right in line with my pumpkin banana bread muffins, pumpkin cupcake recipe, and pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super easy to make: With store-bought pie crust, it’s a breeze for any skill level, even beginners.
- Kid-friendly: Fun to make with kids, letting them help cut and fill the pop tarts.
- Fall flavors: Packed with pumpkin spice goodness, it’s the perfect seasonal treat.
- Bakery-style results: You’ll feel like you’ve just made a gourmet dessert with minimal effort.
You have to try these Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts! They’re so easy to make, especially with store-bought pie crust (though homemade works too if you’re feeling fancy). The filling is made with real pumpkin and just the right amount of spice, giving you all the cozy fall vibes in every bite. And because they’re homemade, the crust is flakier and more buttery than anything you’d find in a box.
They’re also a great project if you’ve got kids or are just starting out with baking. You can let the kids help cut the crust or add the filling, and they’ll still turn out perfect. The best part? These pop tarts taste like something from a bakery, but without all the hassle. Trust me, once you make these, you’ll never want the store-bought ones again!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Pumpkin Poptart comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients. Most of them you probably already have in your kitchen, making this recipe even easier! Here’s a quick breakdown of what you’ll need and some helpful tips to make sure your pop tarts turn out perfectly:
- Pie Crust: Store-bought pie crust keeps this recipe quick and easy, but you can use homemade if you’re feeling ambitious. Just make sure it’s nice and cold before you start assembling!
- Egg: This acts as a glue for sealing the edges and helps give the crust a beautiful golden color.
- Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to grab pure pumpkin, not the pie filling, so you can control the sweetness and spices.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a warm, caramel-like sweetness that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin.
- Spices: We used pumpkin pie spice for convenience, but feel free to mix up your own blend with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves!
- Powdered Sugar: This is for the glaze, giving your pop tarts that sweet bakery-style finish.
- Milk: Helps thin out the glaze to the perfect consistency.
- Vanilla: Adds a touch of warmth and flavor to the glaze—don’t skip it!
How to Make Pumpkin Pop Tarts
This is a quick overview of the pumpkin pop tart instructions. For a more detailed breakdown see the recipe card below.
- For the Pumpkin Pie Filling: Mix the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice for the filling and set aside.
- For the Pie Dough: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking tray.
- For the Pop Tarts: Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 3×5-inch rectangles. Place one rectangle on the baking sheet, add 1 tablespoon of filling, and cover with a second rectangle. Seal the edges with a fork and repeat. Brush with a whisked egg and bake for 10 minutes or until golden.
- For the Icing: While cooling, whisk powdered sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, and milk to make a glaze. Drizzle over the cooled pop tarts and enjoy!
Storage, Freezing, and Make Ahead Instructions
Storage: Once your pumpkin pop tarts are fully cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want them to last a little longer, pop them in the fridge for up to 5 days—just warm them up in the toaster or oven when you’re ready to enjoy!
Freezing: These pop tarts freeze beautifully! After baking and cooling, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes or pop them in the toaster until warmed through.
Make Ahead: If you want to make these ahead of time, you can prepare the pop tarts and freeze them before baking. Assemble the tarts, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, then store them in a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to bake, just pop them in the oven at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, adding an extra couple of minutes if baking from frozen.
Expert Tips:
Chill the dough: Whether using store-bought or homemade pie crust, make sure it’s cold before assembling. This helps create that perfect flaky texture when baked.
Prevent soggy bottoms: Lightly prick the top and bottom of your dough with a fork before sealing to allow steam to escape, keeping the crust crisp and flaky.
Don’t overfill: Stick to about 1 tablespoon of filling per pop tart to prevent it from spilling out during baking.
Seal tightly: Press the edges firmly with a fork to make sure your pop tarts don’t open up in the oven.
Make the glaze smooth: To avoid lumps, sift your powdered sugar before adding it to the glaze mixture.
Customize the flavor: Try adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the glaze for an extra boost of fall flavor!
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Homemade pie crust works great and will give your pumpkin pop tarts an extra buttery, flaky texture. Just be sure to chill it for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out to make it easier to handle.
The key is not overfilling. Stick to about 1 tablespoon of filling and be sure to press the edges of the dough together firmly with a fork to create a good seal.
Yes! Poking small holes in the top crust allows steam to escape while baking, which helps prevent the pop tarts from puffing up too much or becoming soggy.
No problem! You can make your own blend by mixing cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of cloves. It’ll give you the same cozy flavor.
Start by adding one tablespoon of milk at a time to the powdered sugar and whisk well. If it’s too thick, add a little more milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar until it’s smooth and pourable.
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Pumpkin Pop Tarts
Ingredients
Filling
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 pie crust (unbaked)
- 1 large egg (whisked)
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Set this aside.
Crust
- If using store-bought pie dough, carefully unroll it. If using homemade, roll it out until it’s about 1/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into 3×5-inch rectangles—you can use a note card or ruler to guide you. Make sure you have an even number of rectangles. Gather the extra dough, roll it out again, and cut more rectangles to maximize your dough.
- Place one rectangle of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin filling into the center, leaving a small border around the edges. Prick small holes with a fork in the second rectangle (this helps release steam while baking), then place it on top of the filling. Use a fork to press down the edges, sealing the pop tart and giving it that classic look.
- Repeat this process with the remaining dough rectangles until all the pop tarts are assembled.
- In a small bowl, whisk one egg, then brush it over the top of each pop tart to help them brown and get shiny in the oven.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the pop tarts are golden brown. Keep an eye on them so the edges don’t burn.
Glaze
- While the pop tarts cool, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1-2 tablespoons of milk. Add the milk slowly until the glaze reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
- Once the pop tarts have cooled completely, drizzle the glaze over the top and enjoy your delicious homemade pumpkin pop tarts!
Video
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
