Homemade Peanut Butter Pop Tarts

Ingredients

For the Pastry Dough

• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup ice water

For the Filling

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

For the Icing

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 pinch of kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Egg Wash

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Make the Pastry Dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, powdered sugar, and kosher salt.

Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, quickly cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.

Add the ice water, a few tablespoons at a time, and mix with a fork until the dough just starts to come together.

Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and gently gather it into a ball. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate the dough for at least ~2 hours.

Assemble the Pop Tarts

When you’re ready to assemble, preheat your oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and dark brown sugar until it’s a smooth, combined paste.

Remove one disc of dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a 12×9 inch rectangle.

Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, trim the edges and cut the dough into nine 4×3 inch rectangles. Place these rectangles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put them in the fridge.

Repeat the process with the second disc of dough.

Take the first tray of rectangles out of the fridge. These will be your bottoms. Brush the edges of each rectangle with the beaten egg.

Spoon a small amount of the peanut butter filling into the center of each rectangle, spreading it out but leaving the egg-washed border clear.

Place a top rectangle of dough over each filled bottom. Use a fork to crimp the edges and seal the pop tarts shut.

Bake and Frost the Pop Tarts

Brush the entire top of each pop tart with the egg wash. Poke a few holes in the top of each one with a fork to allow steam to escape.

Bake for ~25-27 minutes, until they are golden brown. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet.

While the pop tarts are cooling, make the icing. In a medium bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese on medium-high speed for ~3-4 minutes until it’s fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar, kosher salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for ~30 seconds to combine, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another ~1-2 minutes until the icing is completely smooth.

Once the pop tarts are completely cool, spread the icing over the top.

Homemade Peanut Butter Pop Tarts

These pop tarts use a flaky, all-butter pie dough as the base for a simple peanut butter and brown sugar filling. The key to a flaky crust is keeping the butter cold and working the dough as little as possible; you want to see little pockets of butter in the dough, as that’s what creates the layers in the oven. A tangy cream cheese icing finishes them off.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time27 minutes mins

Chill + Cooling Time3 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs 57 minutes mins

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Ingredients

For the Pastry Dough

• ▢ 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• ▢ 1 tsp powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 1 cup cold unsalted butter 2 sticks, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• ▢ 1/2 cup ice water

For the Filling

• ▢ 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• ▢ 1/3 cup dark brown sugar packed

For the Icing

• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 pinch kosher salt
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Egg Wash

• ▢ 1 large egg lightly beaten

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Instructions

• Whisk bread flour, powdered sugar, and salt in large bowl.
• Cut cold butter into flour mixture until coarse crumbs form with some pea-sized pieces.
• Gradually add ice water, mixing with fork until dough comes together.
• Form dough into two discs, wrap in plastic, refrigerate 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix peanut butter and brown sugar until smooth.
• Roll each disc into 12×9 inch rectangle on floured surface.
• Cut each rectangle into nine 4×3 inch pieces.
• Place bottom pieces on parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Brush edges with beaten egg.
• Add peanut butter filling to center of bottom pieces.
• Top with remaining dough rectangles, crimp edges with fork.
• Brush tops with egg wash, poke holes with fork.
• Bake 25-27 minutes until golden brown.
• Cool completely on baking sheet.
• Beat cream cheese until fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
• Add powdered sugar, salt, vanilla; beat until smooth.
• Spread icing on cooled pop tarts.

Notes

Keep butter very cold until using. Ensure pop tarts are completely cool before icing.

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