Cherry Pop Tarts

5 from 2 votes

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.

Prep Time35

Cook Time23

Chill Time15

Total Time1 13

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 71kcal

Author: Natalie

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

Puff pastry: You'll need one package (two sheets) of puff pastry. You can also use two sheets of store bought or homemade pie crust. Make sure to plan ahead to allow time for your frozen puff pastry to thaw. Most sheets of puff pastry take about 6-8 hours to thaw in the fridge. Follow the thawing instructions on the package.

Cherries: Use fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries or Rainier cherries. If using frozen cherries, do not thaw them.

Cherry filling: You'll need 1 cup of cherry filling. You might have a little leftover. Leave the cherries whole for the filling, halve them or chop them. You can also mash them after cooking them or use and immersion blender once cooked if you want the filling smooth and pureed. For a quick store bought option, use a can of cherry pie filling, store bought cherry jam, or cherry preserves. Whatever you use, make sure it's not too runny otherwise it will leak out while baking.

Corn starch: 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.

Icing: 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.

Icing alternatives: These are delicious unfrosted, with a dusting of powdered sugar or powdered sugar mixed with cocoa powder, or with the vanilla icing from this frosted strawberry pop tart.

Storage: Store these homemade cherry pop tarts in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

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