If I had the metabolism of the Gilmore Girls, there would be many, many more Pop‑Tarts in my life. Before watching that show I didn’t really know what a Pop‑Tart was: essentially a small rectangular hand pie sold by the box, filled with everything from brown sugar to jam and finished with a sugary glaze or frosting. You ‘pop’ one in the toaster and pair it with an impossibly strong cup of coffee for a quick breakfast. Inspired by those TV breakfasts, I decided to make homemade blueberry Pop‑Tarts with a lemon glaze and a bit of funfetti for good measure.
Making Pop‑Tarts at home means you control the ingredients—no long list of preservatives—while keeping the buttery, flaky pie crust that makes a hand pie irresistible. This version uses an easy pie crust, a simple blueberry filling that’s cooked and chilled until thick, and a tangy lemon glaze that sets into a crackly finish. The result is flaky pastry, juicy berries and a sugary top that’s 100% worth the effort.
I made a small batch of six Pop‑Tarts because working with butter in warm weather can be tricky: butter softens and dough gets sticky fast. Chilling the dough at every stage—after mixing, after rolling, after cutting and again after assembling—keeps it manageable and yields flakier pastries. Use a silicone mat or work on a lightly floured surface and keep your pie dough cold for the best texture.
Make sure the blueberry filling is thick enough to hold while baking. Unlike a large fruit pie, these small tarts don’t need big steam vents: cutting slits can cause the filling and glaze to leak into them. It’s better to use a well‑thickened, cooled filling and avoid overfilling. A few tiny cracks in the pastry as it bakes are normal and still delicious; the structure will generally hold better without deliberately cut slits.
Note on vents and cracks: I tried both approaches and found the tart without a slit handled the glaze better. Even if small cracks appear during baking, the filling stays mostly contained and the finished tart holds up nicely under the glaze.
Blueberry Pop‑Tarts with Lemon Glaze (Eggless)
1 hr
30 mins
1 hr 30 mins
6 pop tarts
Ingredients
For the pie crust
- 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed (115 g)
- 1–2 tbsp ice water
- 1 tbsp cream + 1 tsp water to brush on top
For the filling
- 200 g frozen blueberries (do not thaw) or fresh berries
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
For the glaze
- 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup icing sugar / powdered sugar, sifted
- 1–2 drops gel food colouring (optional)
- 1/4 cup coloured sprinkles / funfetti
Instructions
- To make the pie crust, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
- Using your fingertips, rub the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few larger butter pieces remaining—those bits create flakiness.
- Add 1 tbsp ice water and bring the dough together. It should be soft and slightly tacky. Add the second tablespoon only if the dough feels dry.
- Form the dough into a rough ball, flatten into a 3/4‑inch thick disc, wrap tightly in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine).
- Make the filling next so it can chill and thicken: in a small saucepan over low heat, combine the blueberries and sugar. Stir until the berries release their juices and cook for 3–4 minutes.
- Sprinkle the cornstarch over the berries and stir thoroughly. Cook 1–2 more minutes until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge.
- When ready to assemble, divide the chilled dough in half. Keep one half refrigerated while you roll the other on a lightly floured surface or silicone mat. Roll to a rough rectangle about 7 x 5 inches, trim edges and cut into four pieces (roughly 4 x 3 inches). Repeat with the other half and scraps to get 5–6 tarts.
- Chill the cut dough pieces on a baking tray so they’re firm before filling.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Stir the chilled filling; it should be thick. Have the cream + water mixture ready to brush tops.
- Place dough pieces an inch apart on a mat. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling onto the center of one piece, cover with another piece, press edges to seal and crimp with a fork. Brush the top with the cream mixture. Repeat for remaining tarts and chill assembled tarts for 10 minutes if desired.
- Bake 20 minutes until puffed and lightly browned; edges should be slightly darker. If you want more colour, increase heat briefly or broil for 2–3 minutes while watching carefully. Small cracks or a little filling seepage are normal.
- Cool on the tray 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whisk together lemon juice and icing sugar until smooth and thick. Adjust sugar for sweetness and thickness. Add gel colouring if using.
- Pour or spoon glaze over cooled tarts, catch drips beneath, then sprinkle with funfetti. Let sit 15 minutes so the glaze firms up into a crackly finish.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge in warm weather. They’re lovely cold and also freeze well. Enjoy!
