Let’s be real, my job can be super stressful at times. I catch myself thinking that if I didn’t have to do such-and-such, things would be a whole lot easier but as I started to follow that rationale, I found that I do a lot of that outside of work and in my own personal life. “I’d be a lot happier if I didn’t have to deal with…”, “I’d have a lot more money if it weren’t for….” And then the ephiphany hit me one day as I stared down a pile of new inventory that sat there for hours, waiting to be put out onto the retail floor because I couldn’t get to it as quickly as I wanted to. The anger built inside of me the more I realized I was farther away from getting that task done than I wanted…
RELATED: Gluten Free Chocolate Teddy Grahams
The issue isn’t about certain responsibilities slowing me down, the real issue is my need to control things to the point of making sure events (people, etc) occur how I want them to. When do I learn that it’s impossible? Life usually doesn’t happen the way I want it to and yet I still think I can control my outcomes. I am learning, however, that anytime I see that pile of inventory (or insert event or person that might frustrate me because they are not on my schedule) to stop, breathe, and remind myself that this is the best that I can do in the moment. And bake more homemade gluten free PopTarts…
RELATED: Circus Animal Cookies
These homemade gluten free PopTarts are just as you remembered them to taste like from your childhood!
Print
Prep Time:
Yield:
Print
PinIngredients
- 1 1/2 c. Cara’s gluten-free flour blend
- 1 tsp. xanthan gum
- 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 4 Tbsp. nondairy butter, chilled and cubed
- 4 Tbsp. non-hydrogenated shortening
- 1-5 Tbsp. ice cold water (see directions for clarification)
For the filling:
- 6 Tbsp. strawberry jam
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
For the icing:
- 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
- 1/4 c. melted coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp. hot water
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- food coloring
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, xanthan gum, and sugar together in a large bowl.
- Add the non dairy butter and shortening into flour mixture and blend with a fork until dough forms into small lumps.
- Add a tablespoon of chilled water at a time (you may only need up to 5 tablespoons total) until dough is cohesive but not too sticky. Divide and roll into 4 balls. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- For the filling, combine both ingredients in a small bowl.
- Take one ball of dough out of the fridge and in between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll into a 12″x6″ rectangle and 1/4″ flat. Using a pie cutter, gently cut out 2 rectangles.Transfer to a baking sheet with a metal spatula.
- Place 1 Tbsp. of the jam mixture on top of both dough rectangles, leaving 1/2″ border along the edges.
- Repeat with the next ball of dough. This time, place on top of the jam-filled recatngles already on the baking sheet. Gently take your finger and press down along the edges of the poptart. Follow that with a fork and make indentations to ensure that it is closed and no jam can escape. Poke the tops with the fork.
- Repeat until you have 6 total pop tarts made. Bake 20-22 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool.
- For the icing, combine sugar into melted oil. Add vanilla, food coloring, and water until thick but thin enough to stir with ease. Add more water if too thick or more powdered sugar if too thin. Top pop tarts with icing and add sprinkles immediately. Allow to set for 10 minutes.
Give these homemade gluten free PopTarts a try over the weekend and watch the look of delight on your little one’s face when she takes her first bite of this childhood classic.
RELATED: Nutter Butter Bites
Poptarts were never big for Australians so it is a different concept to making comfort foods that I’m familiar with. I made this and it was delicious, thank you 🙂
Pretty good! I had to add a lot more flour to the recipe. It was way too pasty. I wasn’t sure how if 8 TBS was correct, but I went with it.
I made a strawberry chia jam for the filling.
Thanks for the recipe. <3
Can I freeze these if I make a lot?
These were fantastic!! My husband and daughter are gluten free. The rest of my children and I are not. I broke down the other day and bought some Fall poptarts for the rest of us. My daughter was upset that she wasn’t able to eat them. I found this recipe, and she and my husband thought they were better than the store bought version! I have a feeling these will be a staple in my house. I would think this would make an amazing pie crust as well. It was so crispy and flaky! Thank you so much!!
Aaaaahhhh, I so love hearing this Elizabeth!!! xo
This is such a great recipe! Thank you for sharing, you gluten free goddess you!
Clarify, 1/2 tablespoon up to 5? The dough is chilling, I added only 2,hope I read that correctly
.
Also, from past experience, be sure to poke holes to allow steam, they won’t open up or ooze out,
Thanks
Hi Healing, Sorry for the confusion! In the directions I say that you want to add 1 tbsp. water at a time until the dough is cohesive. I just changed the ingredients to make more sense. Thank you for pointing it out! xo, Cara
Cara- Yum! I’d like to try this recipe…are the pop tarts “toastable?” after they have cooled? I would leave off the beautiful icing to toast…my goal: homemade poptarts that can be popped from freezer to toaster! Perfect to go treats! Have you tried that
One of the biggest things I miss since vegetarian/vegan is Poptarts…this is awesome!
However, I am not gluten-free…do you think I could just regular wheat flour?
I always encourage to give it a try. I created this recipe with gluten-free flour so you might need to adjust it but I think you should be fine 🙂 xo
Cara, IT SO TOTALLY WORKED even w/o the xantham/guar! I’m in heaven thanks to you~ Your recipes fell into my lap at just the right time (realizing I can help my son’s TS thru nutrition!!) I soooo love you, thanks for your help~
PHEW! I have been wondering about that for the past few days–thank the kitchen gods! 🙂 So happy to help, Michelle 😉
Cara, HELP ME!!!
I was just about to make these poptarts (we miss those so much haha but on a side bar I’ve reimplemented cereal thanks to you whoop whoop)and realized I threw out my xantham gum (son’s TS elimating corn/products)and tho I thought I purchased guar gum it’s no where to be found. Is there ANY other product that can be used in place of these two?? 🙁 I was so excited to be having these when the kids returned from school today~
Hi Michelle! Have no fear, you actually might be able to get away with not using the xanthan what-so-ever. I have been making crackers and cookies lately that resemble the measurements of a pie crust (like here in the Pop Tarts recipe) sans xanthan and they have turned out just fine. My tip would to make sure the dough is pliable so if it feels a bit crumbly after you have chilled it, played with it with your hands to warm it up and smooth it out. They might (read: will) crack in the heat but they will be delicious regardless. Oh and don’t touch them until they have fully cooled. This will ensure them from crumbling. Hope this helps and sending you some good Pop Tart vibes! 😉 Let me know how it goes…xo, Cara
These are amazing! I tried them last night and all butter instead of shortening. I think dough for these would also work well for pie crust.
Hi Cara, This looks like a really good recipe, I would like to try and make these real soon. However, I am not a big fan of the mouth feel of shortening (I know it is a little bit but still makes my mouth feel grease). Is there anything that I could use instead of shortening?
Thank you,
You can try vegan butter instead 🙂
These look sooo cute! And yummy! I think I have all the ingredients except for your flour blend… but I’d love to try these. Who am I kidding? I’d like to try everything you make!
Alright – that’s IT. You are officially a genius. I love you.
Can I use any GF flour mix. I have never heard of Cara’s GF flour mix.
Hi Joyce! Yes you can use any GF flour mix however I cannot guarantee the same results with any changes. If you click on the link of Cara’s (my) GF flour mix, you will see the post of my homemade flour blend 🙂
My kids would love these poptarts, so cute! I am the same way Cara with the need to control and for perfection. It’s a very stressful way to live and I only have myself to blame. As others have said, it’s all about perspective and appreciating what we have, but that’s easier said than done and I’m guilty of letting life overwhelm me frequently.
I never thought I’d say I would crave a pop tart, but here I am craving your freaking pop tarts. Nicely done. xx
Oh my goodness! These are awesome!!! Gorgeous photos. Such a genius idea!
Your poptarts look especially appetizing. I love how you made your icing purple with cute sprinkles 🙂
These poptarts look absolutely beautiful!
These look amazing! Can I sub out Guar Gum for the Xanthan? My daughter has a corn allergy and that’s where Xanthan comes from.
Authentic Foods has a corn-free xanthan gum if you are interested: http://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Foods-Xanthan-Gum-2oz/dp/B0001ZRHDM but yes, you can sub guar or even try it without any gum at all 🙂
These look amazing! I’ve been itching to make my own poptarts and these look too perfect to pass up!
AHHHHHH Cara! If you were 6’2″, 240lbs and good in bed you’d be my husband! 🙂 Always looking at how things could have been “better” if he had made another choice. Then there is me in the background screaming in my high pitch voice “JUST ENJOY WHAT YOU’VE GOT!!!!” Yes, I feel positivity is better screamed at people then remaining calm…you can just imagine the dynamic in our household, can’t you?
Oh my, Pop Tarts are one of my weaknesses, but all the scary ingredients make them less appealing! I could deal with these babies!
My new mantra is “first world problems.” When I find myself overwhelmed with housework or car trouble or whatever it is, it helps to realize how very lucky we are in this country.
And it’s all about perspective. Remember how stressed you were when you were out of a job? Things seemed out of control, but in reality you were just destined for something much more…and pop tarts.
Absolutely! You are seeing a theme here, aren’t you? 😉 Thank you for pointing that out as well because perspective is what I need constantly. xo
Cara. Life guru. Makes treats. What else could anyone ever need in life? <3
How about a Laurel next door???
I’ve tried a similar recipe before and the filling always bubbles out making such a mess, and leaving the tarts kind of hollow. Thanks for the tip on mixing a bit of cornstarch into the jam!
Hopefully this works out for you, Deanna. I had luck with this batch without the mess so I am hoping it will be the same for you 🙂