Flaky Gluten Free Pop Tarts Recipe

If I had to think about what I have missed since going gluten-free, I would say pop tarts are at the top of my list. I don’t mean the gluten free pop tarts you can buy in a store…those lack the flaky layers that make pop tarts so memorable!

I mean the gluten free pop tarts you make from scratch and fill with your favorite fillings. Do you love Nutella? Use that. You can make one batch of my easy gluten free pop tarts and fill them with all sorts of things. Each batch will make 6-8 pop tarts, depending on how large you make them.

I have tons of delicious gluten free dessert recipes on the blog. Let me know which ones you try.

Allergen Information:

I know many of my readers have a lot of other food allergens they need to avoid. These homemade pop tarts are:

• gluten-free
• nut-free
• soy-free
• oat-free
• Make them dairy-free using plant-based butter.

Ingredient Notes:

For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.

• Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Cup4Cup and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work. I just have not tested other flours. I will tell you that the Cup4Cup was superior in this recipe. The King Arthur gf blend was good, but it didn’t make as many flaky layers as the Cup4Cup.
• Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 3/4 a teaspoon.
• Butter – Cold butter is key to creating those flaky layers! I recommend unsalted butter. To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter with vegan butter.
• Eggs – Use large eggs. Eggs bind the dough and add richness. They also contribute to the structure
• Vanilla Extract – I recommend using pure vanilla extract.
• Filling – Jam, Nutella, brown sugar, and cinnamon, something savory. Use what you like
• Sprinkles – Not all sprinkles are gluten free; make sure to use gluten free sprinkles. (This link has a good list for you to use.)
• Icing – A simple combination of powdered sugar and water or milk. If you omit this, you have a delicious pop-tart alternative!!

Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix them together with a wire whisk.

Step 2: Dump in the cold butter chunks. (You want your butter cold!) Again, use vegan butter if you are dairy-free.

Step 5: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Step 6: Mix the ingredients the best you can. You don’t want the dough to be too wet so that it will take some effort.

Step 7: I like to do the final mix by hand. It helps to get the bits of dough into one ball.

Step 8: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Getting it cold will help you get those flaky layers!

Step 9: Lay a piece of wax paper and place the dough ball on top. Optional: Sprinkle a little flour on the wax paper to prevent sticking.

Step 10: Roll the dough with a rolling pin to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a pizza wheel or a sharp knife to cut the uneven edges off. Cut into evenly sized rectangles.

Step 11: Place jam or filling in the middle of a square. Use the back of a spoon to spread it around, but leave a good amount of dough around the edges. This is important so you can seal the edges together.

Step 12: Place a square the same size over the jam.

Step 13: Press the edges down around the square using a fork.

Step 14: Gently move each pop tart to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Step 15: Brush the top of each pop tart with milk or egg wash.

Step 16: Bake at 350º F for 20 minutes until the outside is golden. Your actual bake time will vary depending on the size of your pop tarts, so start checking at 18 minutes for the golden color.

Remove them to a cooling rack so they can cool. The inside filling will be very hot, so you need to cool it before eating or decorating.

Step 17: Mix the powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract, and milk to make your icing. Drizzle it over the top of each pastry and decorate with sprinkles if you like.

Fun Filling Ideas:

• Fill them with Nutella and seedless raspberry jam.
• Make a homemade jam by heating 3 cups of chopped fruit (I used plums) with 3 TBSP of sugar and 1 TBSP of lemon juice. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes until it is very soft and the juices flow out of the fruit. Sprinkle the tapioca starch, reduce the heat, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Allow cooling.
• Fill them with brown sugar cinnamon (1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1 TBSP gluten free flour).
• Make them savory by adding some of my chicken pot pie filling!