Cherry pop tarts are the perfect treat for breakfast or dessert! This easy recipe is made with a homemade almond-scented cherry pie filling, flaky store-bought puff pastry and a quick 4 ingredient chocolate icing.
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Cherry pop tarts make the perfect weekend breakfast or fun dessert. They are made with store bought puff pastry, homemade (or store bought) cherry pie filling and a quick chocolate icing!
These pop tarts are baked as one giant pop tart! It makes it easier to shape and you can serve and slice it like a slab pie! Everyone will love it.
This cherry pop tarts recipe is the summer version of my popular fall favorite: apple cinnamon pop tarts! For more summery treats, try this apple strawberry crumble and almond blackberry cake.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- The flaky, buttery crust makes these flakier than traditional pop tarts. If you love flaky pastry, try my apple turnovers with phyllo dough.
- They have the most luscious cherry filling like these cherry bars with pie filling. You can also swap in a can of cherry pie filling if you like!
- This cherry poptart is baked as one giant pop tart! It’s basically like a fun slab pie or a poptart pie that you slice just like my Easter egg pop tart!
- Chocolate icing makes the perfect finishing touch!
Here are some useful notes on some of the ingredients needed to make cherry pop tarts ingredients.
- Cherries: You’ll need about 3 cups of pitted cherries. Use fresh or frozen sweet and/or sour cherries. If using frozen cherries, do not thaw them. You may need to adjust the sweetness depending on the type of cherries you use. If you love cherries, try my chocolate cherry muffins and cherry popsicles!
- Lemon zest: Lemon adds bright fresh flavor to the filling.
- Almond extract: Almond extract adds flavor to the cherry filling.
- Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens up the cherry pie filling.
- Corn starch and water: Corn starch mixed with water makes a slurry that will thicken the filling.
- Puff pastry: Use two sheets of store bought puff pastry. All you need to do is roll out 2 store bought puff pastry sheets into rectangles! You can also use puff pastry to make my delicious strawberry blueberry pie recipe.
- Cocoa powder: You’ll need unsweetened natural or dutch process cocoa powder to make the icing.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use orange zest in place of the lemon. You can also simply omit the lemon zest.
- Swap in homemade or 2 sheets of store bought pie dough in place of puff pastry.
- Vanilla extract works in place of almond extract.
- For a quick store bought filling option, use a can of cherry pie filling, cherry jam, or cherry preserves. Whatever you use, make sure it is not too runny so that it doesn’t leak out while baking.
Instructions
Step 1: (See photo 1 above). Add the cherries and sugar to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 11-13 minutes. Stir occasionally until the cherries have softened and released their juices. Stir water and corn starch together in a small bowl then stir it into the cherry sauce. Stir continuously and cook for 1 more minute til the sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon zest, almond extract and vanilla extract then pour the filling into a heat proof bowl. Set it in the fridge to chill completely.
Step 2: (See photo 2 above). Roll out one sheet of puff pastry into a 9.5 by 15 inch rectangle. Roll the sheet around the rolling pin and place it on a baking sheet. Brush the edges with egg wash. Spread 1 cup of the filling in the middle.
Step 3: (See photo 3 above) Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry. Place it directly over the first sheet. Press the edges of the dough to seal the crusts together. Use a fork to crimp all the edges. and to poke holes throughout the top crust.
Step 4: (See photo 4 above) Bake at 350 F for 20-22 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown.
Step 5: (See photo 5 above) Microwave the butter in a heat proof bowl until butter has melted. Whisk in the rest of the ingredients. Cool for 10 minutes.
Step 6: (See photo 6 above) Allow pop tart to cool for at least 30 minutes. Drizzle or spoon the icing over the cooled pop tart, slice and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- To save time, use a cherry pitter.
- Plan to allow time to thaw the puff pastry. Most sheets of puff pastry take about 6-8 hours to thaw in the fridge. Follow the thawing instructions on the package and plan accordingly.
- Make sure to dissolve the cornstarch in the water before adding it to the cherry mixture as directed. Otherwise, your cherry sauce could have chunks in it.
- Be sure the edges of the pop tart are sealed. This will keep filling from spilling out.
- If the icing has thickened up before you use it, whisk it to make it pourable again. You can also microwave it for a few seconds and whisk it to help thin it out again.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Feel free to make the cherry filling 2-3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge til you’re ready to make the pop tart.
Yes. Most sheets of puff pastry take about 6-8 hours to thaw in the fridge. I recommend following the thawing instructions on the package.
Store these homemade cherry pop tarts in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
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Cherry Pop Tarts
Ingredients
Cherry Pop Tarts
- 3 cups cherries
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon almond extract or equal parts vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ tablespoons water
- 1½ tablespoons corn starch
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest optional
- 2 sheets puff pastry one 17.3 ounce package, thawed according to instructions on box
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons water
Chocolate Icing
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1½ tablespoons water add an extra teaspoon of water, if needed
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder sifted
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cherry Pop Tarts
- Make the cherry sauce. Pit the cherries. Cut them in half or fourths. Add the cherries and sugar to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 11-13 minutes. Stir occasionally until the cherries have softened and released their juices. Stir water and corn starch together in a small bowl then stir it into the cherry sauce. Stir continuously and cook for 1 more minute til the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest, almond extract and vanilla extract then pour sauce into a heat proof bowl. Set it in the fridge to chill completely.
- Once the cherry sauce has chilled, assemble and bake the pop tart.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, prepare the egg wash by whisking the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside.
- On a well floured surface, unfold a sheet of puff pastry. Use a rolling pin to roll it into a 9.5 x 15″ rectangle. Carefully roll the dough around your rolling pin and then gently roll it out onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the edge of the crust with a 1-inch border of egg wash. Spread 1 cup of the cherry filling evenly over the crust. Keep the filling inside the perimeter of the egg wash.
- Roll out second pie dough the same size as the first one. Carefully roll the dough around your rolling pin. Place the second crust over the bottom crust.
- Gently press the edges of the dough with your finger tips to seal the top and bottom crusts together. Use a fork to crimp the edges. Use a fork or a toothpick to poke holes throughout the middle of the pop tart. These holes will allow steam to escape while the pop tart bakes.
- Brush the pop tart allover with the remaining egg wash. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the pop tart to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then carefully transfer it to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.
Chocolate Icing
- Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Whisk in the water followed by the rest of the ingredients til smooth and completely combined.
- The icing should be somewhat thick but a little runny so that it's easily spreadable. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Drizzle or spoon the icing over the pop tart. Slice with a long sharp knife or pizza cutter and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
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