Part fast-food-chain apple pie and part Kellogg’s Pop-Tart, this recipe brings together the best of both worlds. With fresh apples glazed in a cinnamon-infused sauce and wrapped in a flaky cinnamon pastry, this toaster tart is like a hand-held apple pie.

Game plan: You can roll the dough scraps into 1 or 2 more tarts, but you’ll then need extra filling and glaze.

You can make the dough a day in advance; just be sure to let it soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes before rolling out.

Though best when eaten fresh, the cooled pop tarts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature. Reheat them, if desired, in a 300°F oven on a baking sheet until hot, about 10 minutes. Freezing is not recommended.

This recipe was featured as part of our Make Your Own Pop Tarts project.

  • Yield: 6 pop tarts
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Total: 1 hr 20 mins, plus dough chilling time and tart cooling time
  • Active: 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients (19)

For the dough:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup milk (not nonfat)

For the apple-cinnamon filling:

  • 2 medium apples, such as Pink Lady or Gala
  • 7 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 pinches fine salt

To assemble the tarts:

  • Flour, for rolling the dough
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon water

For the glaze:

  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons reserved apple-cinnamon filling juices
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons milk (not nonfat), plus more as needed

Instructions

For the dough:

  1. Whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the butter and toss with your fingers until well coated in the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut or rub the butter into the dry ingredients until reduced to pea-size pieces.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks and milk in a small bowl until combined. Add the egg-milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix with your hands until large clumps form. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface and knead briefly, smearing the butter into the dough with the heel of your palm until the dough completely comes together, about 1 minute.
  3. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and shape into 2 (6-by-5-inch) rectangles. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, make the filling.

For the apple-cinnamon filling:

  1. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, peel the apples and discard the peel. Core the apples, then cut them into 1/4-inch-thick slices and again into 1/4-inch pieces. Combine all the ingredients in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the apple juices begin to release, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking until the apples just begin to soften, about 3 minutes more. Remove the pan from heat.
  2. Set a mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl and transfer the apples and all of the juices to the strainer; set aside to cool. Meanwhile, roll out the dough.

To assemble the tarts:

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll 1 dough portion out into a rough 12-by-10-inch rectangle, rotating the dough and reflouring the surface and rolling pin often to prevent the dough from sticking. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, trim the dough to a 10-1/2-by-9-inch rectangle. Cut that into 6 equal rectangles (each about 3 1/2 inches wide by 4 1/2 inches tall). Using a flat spatula, transfer the rectangles to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator.
  3. Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl until evenly combined; set aside.
  4. Roll out the second dough portion to the same dimensions as the first, trim, and cut into 6 rectangles. Using a fork, prick the dough all over. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the cooled apple juices to a medium bowl and set aside for the glaze; set the remaining juices aside.
  5. Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and brush a thin coating of the egg wash over each dough rectangle. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of the apple filling onto each rectangle and spread it into an even layer, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Top each rectangle with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the remaining apple juices.
  6. Place the pricked rectangles on top of the apple-covered rectangles. Press on the edges to adhere, and push down gently on the filling to slightly flatten. Using a fork dipped in flour, crimp the edges of the tarts. Bake until golden brown, about 23 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before glazing.

For the glaze:

  1. Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until evenly combined. (You may need to add more milk by the 1/2 teaspoon if the glaze is too thick.)
  2. Set the wire rack with the tarts on it over a baking sheet. Using a spoon, drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the glaze over each pastry. Let set before eating, about 15 minutes.