Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe | Homemade Pop Tarts | The Gracious Pantry (2024)

ByTiffany McCauley

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Yes! Healthy Pop Tarts exist!

I’ve had a huge number of emails from you all asking me to make Clean Eating Pop Tarts. But I’ve avoided it for a long time because I’ve found that when people are used to eating the junk food version of something, the clean version of it usually doesn’t make the grade. People’s taste buds get used to the sugary, white floury, starchy, chemically tasting products and after that, healthy just doesn’t seem to measure up in the taste department.

Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe | Homemade Pop Tarts | The Gracious Pantry (1)

One reader emailed me a recipe from Caplan Miller Events and asked if I could “clean it up”. Truth be told, I didn’t think I would like them very much. I’ve never had a real Pop Tart, and frankly, the idea is rather revolting, especially first thing in the morning. Ick.

But, not being one to turn down a challenge in the kitchen, I figured it was time to at least give it a try. So I started making them, and had them all lined up nicely on my cookie sheet. Some of the filling had oozed out the sides while I was crimping the edges, so they had a bit of a pinkish hue to them (you’ll see them below).

My then-husband promptly walked into the kitchen and said, “Um…. I’ve never seen pink ravioli before…”.

I just know he was muttering a prayer under his breath for God to rescue him from dinner that night. I should have played along and served them with spinach.

But long story short, I did enjoy these. All by themselves, they were not very sweet. But with the honey as a topping, they were downright delicious.

Great for breakfast or a snack on the go!

Healthy Muffin Recipes

  • Banana Muffins
  • Cranberry Muffins

Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe

Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe | Homemade Pop Tarts | The Gracious Pantry (3)

Healthy Pop Tarts

If you’re having a hard time giving up store-bought pop tarts, try making your own instead! Delicious and so much better for you without all those chemicals!

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Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 12 pop tarts

Calories: 217kcal

Ingredients

DOUGH INGREDIENTS

  • 2 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. stevia powder (pure stevia, nothing else added)
  • ½ cup oil (light in flavor like grapeseed or safflower oil)
  • ½ cup almond milk (unsweetened, or regular milk) + extra if needed

FILLING INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tbsp. honey
  • 2 tbsp. cornstarch (or tapioca starch)
  • 2 tbsp. water
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 lb. frozen strawberries (defrosted and chopped – has a higher water content than fresh berries)

GLAZE INGREDIENTS

  • cup Greek yogurt
  • honey to taste
  • lemon juice (to taste)
  • water (optional for consistency)
  • OR, omit the above glaze ingredients and just use honey (pictured above)

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  • Combine all dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl and get your hand dirty! Mix and knead until you have a nice, firm yet soft dough. If the dough crumbles, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Just be sure to knead the dough really well after each tablespoon you add. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a sticky mess.

  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the filling ingredients using a whisk. Set aside.

  • Working with small pieces of the dough (I used about 1/3 at a time), roll it out until it’s about 1/8 inch thick (The thinner the better). I rolled mine on parchment paper out of habit. Do what works for you.

    Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe | Homemade Pop Tarts | The Gracious Pantry (4)

  • Cut the dough into rectangles that are approximately 2 inches by 4 inches. I eyeballed this, I didn’t measure. If you have a rectangular cookie cutter, that would work great here as well. If not, just use a knife like I did. They don’t have to be exact.

    Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe | Homemade Pop Tarts | The Gracious Pantry (5)

  • Peel away the rough edges so you are left with a lovely piece of dough like this. (Beautiful, isn’t it?)

  • Separate your pieces so you have some room to work.

    Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe | Homemade Pop Tarts | The Gracious Pantry (6)

  • Using a small spoon, spoon the filling onto half of the pieces of dough, being sure to leave some room around the edge for crimping.

    Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe | Homemade Pop Tarts | The Gracious Pantry (7)

  • Place the “non-berry” dough pieces on top of the pieces with filling.

    Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe | Homemade Pop Tarts | The Gracious Pantry (8)

  • Using a fork, crimp your edges to seal the pop tarts. If some leaks out of the sides, don’t panic. Just crimp.

    Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe | Homemade Pop Tarts | The Gracious Pantry (9)

  • Place all of your pop tarts on an oiled cookie sheet and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes. They should have a nice, golden brown appearance when finished. Remember, you are not really baking the insides. You just want the dough to be cooked. (I tried baking them on parchment, as you can see in the photo above, and I would not recommend it. The dough did not cook correctly.)

  • While the pop tarts are in the oven, mix your glaze if you want to use it. I only used honey on mine because I don’t eat dairy. But if you do, now would be the time to put whisk all those ingredients together in a bowl.

  • Remove from oven and allow to cool. You will need a fine edged spatula to remove these from the cookie sheet. Especially if you had any filling leak out the sides.

  • If using honey as a topping, simply drizzle it on. If you are using the glaze, brush it on with a basting brush or spoon it on with a small spoon and allow about an hour for it to dry. Placing it in the fridge during this time would be a good idea.

  • NOTE: I do NOT recommend putting these in the toaster to warm them up. Especially once the honey or glaze is on. Just microwave them for 10-20 seconds to warm them up.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pop tart | Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 22.2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1.2mg

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Healthy Pop Tarts Recipe | Homemade Pop Tarts | The Gracious Pantry (2024)

FAQs

What is a healthier option for Pop-Tarts? ›

10 Healthy Alternatives to Pop Tarts
  • Whole Grain Toast with Nut Butter. ...
  • Greek Yogurt with Fresh Berries. ...
  • Homemade Fruit and Oat Bars. ...
  • Quinoa Porridge with Cinnamon and Apple. ...
  • Chia Seed Pudding with Honey. ...
  • Whole Grain Pancakes with Sugar-Free Syrup. ...
  • Baked Oatmeal with Nuts and Dried Fruit.

Is it OK to eat Pop-Tarts everyday? ›

Eating pop tarts every day won't make you obese IF your portion size is small throughout the day for all of your meals, resulting in a total calorie intake throughout the day that is consistently low. However, you likely won't feel very healthy and may have highs and low sudden energy crashes.

Why are there 2 Pop-Tarts in a package? ›

The Origin of Dual Packaging

The idea was to ensure that the portion was satisfying enough to serve as a quick breakfast option, especially for children and busy adults looking for on-the-go meals. Each package contains two pastries, facilitating ease of use and providing enough food energy to start the day.

What happened to Post Country Squares? ›

Despite Pop-Tarts' massive success, Post Consumer Brands proceeded with Country Squares. The lackluster name, however, couldn't compete with its rival. In the mid-1960s, this name was changed to Toast'em Pop-Ups. Post Consumer Brands ultimately sold its toaster pastries to the Schulze and Burch Biscuit Company in 1971.

Which is healthier eggs or Pop-Tarts? ›

Pop Tarts are not really the healthiest breakfast option. I prefer a boiled egg, a bowl of oatmeal (slightly sweetened, but not overly sweetened), and a piece of fresh fruit. Pop Tarts are considered to be “pastry” items.

Can diabetics eat Pop-Tarts? ›

"The simple carbs in a pop tart, for example, are absorbed quickly, causing a spike in your blood sugar," explains Beaver. "The complex carbs in other foods — beans, for instance — are absorbed more slowly, allowing blood sugar to rise more gently and making us feel fuller for longer."

What is the #1 unhealthiest food? ›

These are the worst foods for your health, experts say
  • Fried food. ...
  • Potato chips. ...
  • Added sugars. ...
  • Processed oils. ...
  • Hydrogenated fats. ...
  • Refined carbohydrates. ...
  • Breakfast sausages. ...
  • Processed meat.
Jan 29, 2022

What is the unhealthiest snack in the world? ›

The 30 Unhealthiest Snacks on the Planet
  1. Cheetos Flamin' Hot Tangy Chili Fusion. Cheetos. ...
  2. Ritz Bits Cheese Sandwich Crackers. Target. ...
  3. Snyder's Hot Buffalo Wing Pretzel Pieces. ...
  4. Kellogg's Frosted Strawberry Poptarts. ...
  5. Doritos Nacho Cheese. ...
  6. Fritos Chili Cheese Corn Chips. ...
  7. Gushers. ...
  8. Little Debbie Double Decker Oatmeal Creme Pies.

Are Pop-Tarts the most unhealthy food? ›

#10: Pop-Tarts

Pop-Tarts are a popular, quick option for a breakfast on-the-go. You can eat them straight out of the package or pop them in the toaster for a hit of ooey, gooey, sugary goodness. But Pop-Tarts are as unhealthy as they are deliciously convenient. They are full of processed soybean oil and flour.

Why is Pop-Tarts banned in other countries? ›

Countries belonging to the E.U. have taken the step to ban specific food dyes in consumables sold due to health concerns stemming from these additives. Pop-Tarts contain artificial food dyes, such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, which, barring a handful of exceptions, aren't allowed in products sold there.

How much did Pop-Tarts cost in 1964 at Walmart? ›

sugar cinnamon and apple-currant. Pop-Tarts proved an instant hit! In 1964 a box of Pop-tarts cost . 45 cents.

What were the 4 original Pop-Tarts? ›

1964

Cleveland, Ohio, hit the world with the orig Fab Four when we released our four original flavors: Strawberry, Blueberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon & Apple-Currant. Since literally no one has ever seen a currant, we dropped that flavor.

Who is the competitor of Pop-Tarts? ›

Toastettes: Nabisco (which is now owned by Kraft Foods) created their toaster pastry in 1967 called "Toastettes", to compete with Kellogg's Pop-Tarts.

Did Pop-Tarts really sell out? ›

Were Pop-Tarts really an overnight hit? Yes, but the first shipment to stores sold out in two weeks, not 60 seconds, as in “Unfrosted.” Kellogg's apologized, in advertisem*nts, but this only increased demand. (They were restocked before long.)

What is the post alternative to Pop-Tarts? ›

Post's Country Squares made an impact in the Pop-Tart race before rebranding as Toast'em Pop Ups. Schulze and Burch Biscuit Company continues to sell Toast'em Pop Ups, a product similar to Pop-Tarts. Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story highlights the competition between Kellogg's and Post in the breakfast pastry market.

Is there a healthy toaster pastry? ›

Whole-Wheat Toaster Pastries (a.k.a. Pop Tarts!) Adapted from The Homemade Pantry, these Whole-wheat Toaster Pastries are a much healthier version of a Poptart that your kids will absolutely love.

Are flings Pop-Tarts healthy? ›

Absolutely, Flings are an excellent healthy choice for kids! With quality ingredients, less sugar, and various flavors, they offer a nutritious, tasty option for a fast breakfast or snack. Give your kids a Fling - a fun, healthy way to kickstart their day!

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