Homemade Pop-Tarts

My sweet friend Becky of Vintage Mixer came over a few Saturday's ago and suggested we make homemade pop-tarts together. I've never made pop-tarts and was excited about the idea! Well... we were poor planners and didn't prepare our dough in enough time so we were unable to bake these fun little packages together but I could not shake the desire to make them myself. They are easy and a super fun breakfast (or dessert).

Pop-Tarts... from scratch:

2 Cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Cup cold, unsalted butter (cubed)
4 Tablespoons ice cold water

Combine flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add chilled butter, in thirds. Using a pastry cutter (or 2 knives and a fork), cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it is completely coated and the mixture resembles tiny peas. Add ice water and mix until the dough forms a ball. Divide in half, wrap in plastic wrap and chill 2 hours, or overnight.

Remove the dough and roll out (on a lightly floured surface) into 2 thin discs. Trim edges and slice each piece into 6 rectangles (or circles or squares!). Put a dollop of the filling of your choice onto the center of 6 pieces and then top them with the other 6 pieces of dough. With wet fingertips, seal the edges of each tart, then crimp with a fork. Poke a few small holes in the tops. Freeze tarts for 2 hours on the baking sheet.

Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Some filling may leak out... it's ok. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm.

Filling options:

Jam/Preserves
Chocolate
Brown Sugar and butter
Cinnamon-Sugar
Nutella

I used chocolate and Becky had brought me a jar of Marion Berry Jam from her trip to Oregon so I used that as well. They were absolutely delicious! They are just a simple, hand-held pie and are better than any store bought "tart" I've ever tasted.