Oh my goodness, who doesn’t remember tearing open that foil packet of a toaster pastry as a kid? That sweet, slightly artificial fruit filling and the crumbly crust—it’s pure nostalgia, right? Well, forget those store-bought versions forever! I’ve cracked the code on making the ultimate **Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts** right here in my own kitchen. And trust me, when you make them yourself, they are a million times better!
The texture we’re chasing here is that delicate, flaky pastry. It’s unbelievable that we can achieve that fantastic crunch without any dairy or eggs. It truly feels like magic when that cold vegan butter layers itself perfectly. Plus, the warm, spiced apple filling smells incredible while it bakes. Making these vegan and from scratch isn’t just rewarding; it means you get that perfect, gooey center without any guilt. You absolutely have to try this batch!
Why You Need to Make These Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
I’m telling you, once you bite into one of these, you won’t go back to the boxes, I promise! Why should you make the effort? Because these are just leagues better than anything you can grab off the shelf. Here’s the quick rundown:
- That ridiculously flaky, layered crust – seriously, you won’t believe it’s vegan!
- The warm, spiced apple filling tastes like apple pie hugging a cinnamon stick.
- No dairy, no eggs, and that feeling of accomplishment after baking!
They are just fantastic, every single time. You’ll see!
Essential Ingredients for Flaky Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
Okay, listen up because the ingredients are where the magic starts, especially for that pastry. You need everything to be ice cold—and I mean COLD! If your vegan butter gets even a little soft, your crust won’t flake up like I showed you. Don’t even think about using room-temperature butter; that’s a recipe for heavy dough.
For the crust, grab two cups of all-purpose flour, just a teaspoon of salt, and half a cup of cubed, super-cold vegan butter. Then you’ll need about half a cup of ice water. For the filling, we’re using three medium apples, peeled and diced finely, a quarter cup of brown sugar for that deep molasses flavor, a little squeeze of lemon juice, one teaspoon of cinnamon, and one tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken it up.
And for the drizzle, keep it simple: half a cup of powdered sugar, a touch of plant milk, and one tablespoon of water. That’s it! Simple pantry staples, but that coldness is your secret weapon for the flakiest homemade toaster pastry ever.
Equipment Needed for Perfect Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
You don’t need a dozen fancy gadgets for these, thank goodness! We’re keeping it simple so anyone can tackle these vegan pop tarts. You’ll definitely need a sturdy saucepan for cooking down those apples.
Make sure you have a good rolling pin for getting that dough thin, a large baking sheet, and parchment paper is a must to stop any filling leaks from sticking. And finally, a simple fork—that’s how we seal these cuties and get those classic crimp marks!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
This is where the fun starts, but you have to respect the dough! We have two jobs here: chilling the pastry and cooking the filling. Once those are done, assembly is surprisingly fast. I always try to get the dough chilling first so it’s nice and firm when I’m ready to roll it out. Believe me, working with chilled dough is the secret sauce!
Making the Flaky Vegan Pastry Dough
First things first, let’s tackle that crust. Mix your flour and salt together. Now, toss in those cubes of ice-cold vegan butter. You need to cut that butter in until the pieces are tiny—think coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits still left. Those bigger pieces are what burst into steam and create those amazing flaky layers!
Slowly drizzle in the ice water, just a tablespoon at a time. Stop mixing the second the dough starts sticking together. Seriously, don’t knead it! Divide it into two flat discs right away, wrap them up tight, and stick them in the fridge. You absolutely must chill these for at least 30 minutes. If you skip the chill time, you’ll get tough pastries, and we want flakiness!
Cooking the Apple Cinnamon Filling
While that dough is getting cold, we cook up the filling. Toss your diced apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cornstarch into a saucepan. Cook this over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes. You’re looking for the apples to soften up a little and the mixture to get thick and jammy. Don’t let it burn, just bubble gently while you stir.
Once it’s thick, take it off the heat immediately. This is critical: you must let this apple cinnamon filling cool down completely! If you put hot filling on cold dough, you’ll melt the butter, and those flaky layers are going to turn into sad, flat layers. I usually make the filling first so it has plenty of time to cool, maybe even pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes near the end of the dough chilling time. If you want to see how I make other amazing fillings, check out my thoughts on four exquisite apple cakes secrets.
Assembling and Sealing Your Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
Okay, dough is chilled, and the filling is cold—time to assemble! Let’s get that oven warming up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Lightly flour your surface and roll out one of those dough discs until it’s thin, about 1/8 of an inch. Cut it into four rectangles, maybe 4 by 3 inches. Do the same thing with your second disc.
Take half your dough rectangles and spoon a little mound of that cooled apple filling right in the center. Now, here’s the sealing trick: dab a little water all around the edges of the dough rectangle with your finger—this is what helps things stick together.
Place the remaining rectangles on top. Press those edges together really firmly with a fork to seal everything up tight. We don’t want ooze! Finally, use the tip of a sharp knife to cut two little slits right on the top of each homemade toaster pastry. That lets the steam escape while they bake. If you are looking for more pastry guidance, this amazing homemade pastry cream article has great tips too!
Baking and Glazing the Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
Get those beauties onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Now, slide them into the hot oven and let them bake for 18 to 22 minutes. You’re looking for them to be golden brown all over. No pale pastries allowed!
Once they come out, you have to let them cool down completely on a wire rack. If you glaze them hot, the icing melts right off, and we want that nice drizzle. For the glaze, just take your powdered sugar, add the plant milk and that final tablespoon of water, and whisk it until it’s smooth and pourable. Drizzle it dramatically over the cooled vegan pop tarts, and voilà! They are ready for lunch or breakfast!
Tips for Achieving Perfect Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
I’ve made these so many times that I’ve learned a few little tricks to make sure they come out perfectly flaky and never have a soggy bottom. You deserve the best homemade toaster pastry experience!
- Preventing Cracking: If your dough tears when you roll it out because it shrinks back, just let it rest on the counter for five minutes before trying to roll it again. Sometimes the gluten is just too tight!
- Extra Flakiness Secret: For the flakiest crust, try freezing your cubed vegan butter for about 10 minutes before you cut it into the flour. Those extra-hard bits create bigger pockets of steam when they hit the oven.
- Filling Control: If your apples seem really watery, cook the filling down for an extra couple of minutes until it’s almost too thick. That slight thickening ensures no juice leaks out and ruins the pastry underneath. Check out my thoughts on avoiding that one big mistake people make when avoiding leaks!
Ingredient Substitutions for Your Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
Don’t panic if you don’t have exactly what’s listed! This recipe is pretty flexible, which I love. If you’re tired of apples, feel free to swap them out for firm pears or even some tart berries like blackberries. The method stays exactly the same!
When it comes to the glaze, if you don’t have plant milk on hand—maybe you ran out of soy or almond—you can use plain oat milk or even use a touch of water mixed with a teaspoon of softened vegan butter to get that richness back. Just keep stirring until it’s runny enough to drizzle beautifully over your finished vegan pop tarts.
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
Storing these beauties is easy, but how you store them depends on whether you’ve drizzled that glorious glaze on yet! If you haven’t glazed them, just pop the cooled, unglazed tarts into an airtight container on the counter for about three days—maybe longer in the fridge if your kitchen is humid.
If they already have the glaze, they last great at room temperature for a day, but I stick them in the fridge after that. When it’s time to reheat those homemade toaster pastries? Skip the microwave! It makes the crust soft. Pop them in a toaster oven or regular oven at 300 degrees for about five minutes until they crisp up again. Perfection!
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
I know when you’re dealing with homemade pastry, especially vegan pop tarts dough, you’ve got questions! It’s totally understandable. Mastering that flaky crust is all about technique, but once you get it down, it’s smooth sailing. Here are the things I get asked most often about producing that perfect homemade toaster pastry.
Can I make the pastry dough for these vegan pop tarts ahead of time?
Absolutely, you can! Chilling the dough is actually a huge help, but you can take it further. You can wrap those discs up really tightly and keep them in the fridge for up to two days. If you do that, just remember they’ll be super firm when you take them out. Let them sit on the counter for about 10 minutes until they’re slightly pliable, and then you can roll them out just like normal. Don’t stress if they seem a little stiff!
How do I prevent the filling from leaking out of the homemade toaster pastry?
This is the biggest fear, right? Leaky filling means a sticky mess, and nobody wants that! The absolute number one thing is making sure that apple cinnamon filling is totally cold—I can’t stress that enough. Second, when you seal the edges, use your fingers to press down hard, and then use that fork to crimp them really well. Really commit to that fork pressure on all four sides; it makes all the difference in sealing those vegan pop tarts properly.
What is the best way to get a crisp crust when reheating the baked tarts?
If you have any leftovers—and if you do, good job staying strong!—you want to reheat them carefully. Forget the microwave; that makes them sad and soggy. The best way to bring back that fresh, crisp crust is by popping them onto a small baking sheet in a conventional oven or toaster oven set to about 325 degrees for just 5 to 7 minutes. They come out just as flaky as when they were fresh! If you want to see another fruit-based pastry idea, I really enjoyed writing up my secrets for homemade blueberry pop tarts.
Estimated Nutritional Information for Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
You know I try to keep things wholesome, even when we’re making fun treats like these homemade vegan apple cinnamon pop tarts. Since we are baking from scratch, it’s nice to have a general idea of what we are eating. Keep in mind that this information is just an estimate, based on the ingredients list I provided and dividing it exactly into 8 portions.
When you use different brands of vegan butter or maybe use a different sugar than the brown sugar I called for, things can shift a little, so please treat this table as a helpful guide rather than a strict guarantee!
- Serving Size: 1 tart
- Calories: Roughly 320
- Total Fat: About 14 grams (with 3 grams saturated)
- Total Carbohydrates: Around 46 grams (with 3 grams of fiber)
- Protein: About 4 grams
- Sugar: Approximately 18 grams
It’s really not bad for a homemade toaster pastry treat, especially knowing exactly what went into that flaky crust and the fruit filling. Enjoy every single bite!
Share Your Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts Experience
So there you have it! My absolute favorite way to make the flakiest, most satisfying Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts. I’ve poured all my best tips into this, from keeping the vegan butter icy cold to making sure the filling is totally set before assembly. It’s a little effort, but trust me, biting into that warm, spiced apple center makes every step worth it!
Now that you’ve tried them, I really, really want to hear what you thought! Did the pastry flake up perfectly? Did you stick with the classic apple cinnamon, or did you try a berry variation?
Head down to the comments below and give this recipe a star rating—1 star if it was a disaster, 5 stars if you’re already planning your next batch! I check every comment, especially if you messed around with the glaze consistency or had a great success story. If you want to send me a quick message or share a picture of your magnificent homemade toaster pastry creation, you can always use my contact page. Happy baking, friends!
Print
Homemade Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts
- Total Time: 60 min
- Yield: 8 tarts 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Make flaky, fruit-filled vegan pastries at home with a simple cinnamon apple filling.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold vegan butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water
- 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water (for glaze)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
- 1 tablespoon plant milk (for glaze)
Instructions
- Make the pastry dough: Combine flour and salt. Cut in the cold vegan butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water until the dough just comes together. Divide the dough in half, form into discs, wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: In a saucepan, combine diced apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften and the mixture thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Roll out the dough: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disc into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into four rectangles (about 4×3 inches each). Repeat with the second dough disc.
- Assemble the tarts: Place a spoonful of cooled apple filling onto the center of half the dough rectangles. Brush the edges with water. Top with the remaining dough rectangles. Press the edges firmly with a fork to seal. Cut two small slits in the top of each tart to allow steam to escape.
- Bake: Place the tarts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, plant milk, and 1 tablespoon of water until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled tarts.
Notes
- Keep the vegan butter and water very cold for the flakiest pastry.
- If you prefer a thicker glaze, use less plant milk.
- You can substitute apples with other firm fruits like pears or berries.
- Prep Time: 40 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tart
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 46
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: vegan pop tarts, apple cinnamon pastry, homemade toaster pastry, dairy free dessert, baked fruit tart