homemade frosted maple waffle pop tarts
August means back to school, means easy lunch box snacks, means tasty treats for tired parents.
Or, for me, pre run snacks.
Awhile back I switched my pre-workout fueling from Gu stroopwafels to Pop Tarts – the real thing, not the wholesome knock offs, the honest to shit sugarbombs – and now the tradition is my favorite part of my mornings. A toasty pastry nibbled while I write affirmations in my journal and prepare for my sessions…Nothing better. Some rituals prove simple but extraordinary, little moments you cherish before you’re obligated to pick up the day’s trash. Or treasure, to take the optimist’s stance.
I recently tried the Eggo waffle flavor, which I think is limited edition, and currently it’s proving my favorite. Buttery, maple-y, and flaky, pretty much a perfect package. Mom has for awhile tried to convince me to create a pop tart for FMG, and what better time than the madness of early fall?
If you like to sneak treats into your kids’ backpacks before the bus whisks them off to school, or keep indulgences around for stressful math equations, look no further than these stupid easy Maple Waffle Pop Tarts. Store bought pie crust makes these cute little snacks incredibly easy, and the unmistakably charming flavor combination reminds me of a buttery Saturday waffle.
Bonus: if you adore the classic brown sugar Pop Tart, you’ll love this one, too. It’s similar, but different enough to set it apart. Like an edible fraternal twin.
Pie Day
Pop tart making is a bit of a waiting game in some respects, but the active steps are really easy so long as you have a rolling pin.
I like to set my pie crusts – you need both from the package – on the counter for a bit to thaw out. Usually, this takes only 15-20 minutes for me. If you’re ambitious you can certainly make your own crust, but I wanted to keep this recipe as fast as possible, so choose your favorite store brand if you’re in the same boat.
Throw one of the crusts in the fridge so it doesn’t get too warm, and roll the other on a floured surface. Usually, store bought crusts aren’t big enough to yield the 8 required rectangles. No problem, just keep the scraps from trimming and roll the mini ball out again.
I use a ruler to measure out 4 inch by 3 inch rectangles. You don’t have to be super precise if you’re good at eyeballing shit, but I’m not good at eyeballing shit and tend to cut things crooked, so a ruler helps. Carefully set the rectangles on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Whisk up an egg and brush the tops of the rectangles you just sliced. This helps firm up the center once the filling is added and the pastries are baked. FYI, I don’t egg wash the top, since I don’t think a shiny exterior is necessary here. Pies, yes. Pop tarts, nah.
Anywho. Grab that second pie crust, roll it out, and slice as you did the first one. Brush the tops with egg wash.
Fill ‘er Up
The filling is a very easy blend of brown sugar, maple syrup, flour, and a touch of cinnamon. Since this isn’t a brown sugar cinnamon pop tart, I went lighter on the spice and instead focused on a good, sweet maple flavor. You don’t want to over maple the filling since that’ll fuck up the texture and make it extra runny like a nose.
Spoon a big heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of the rectangles you set on the baking sheet. Spread it lightly, keeping a 1/4 inch border. Brush the tops of the second set of rectangles and lay each, egg-side down, on top of the filled rectangles.
Crimp around the perimeter of the pastries with a fork to seal. If there’s a lot of overlap, trim the loose flaps down.
Pop the baking sheet in the fridge for a bit to set the crusts. Chilling helps them become flaky and crisp.
Poke a few holes in the top of the pastry to vent. If you want that glossy crust, you can brush the tops with the remaining egg wash you might have left over, but like I said, I didn’t find this necessary.
Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. You shouldn’t need any longer. Cool for a bit on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.
Frosty the Pop Tart
Once the pop tarts are cooler than I am, whisk up the icing. Powdered sugar, maple syrup, butter, and a hint of vanilla, to mimic the typical waffle toppings. You’ll likely need a couple tablespoons of milk to thin out the icing, but add it gradually. I used a scant 2 for mine.
Scoop a nice blob of icing over the pop tarts and spread it around with the back of the spoon. It will drip a bit down the sides. Perf. Let the pop tarts sit for at least an hour to harden the icing before storing, or eating, else they’ll be quite messy and the prettiness a bit marred.
A note on the Eggo Pop Tart. You might notice the yellow strips of icing overtop. I could not for the life of me figure out a good dupe of that, so I left it off my finished tart. It seems to be a swizzle of buttery icing, which I infused into the icing anyway.
I like to sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top of each pastry, but some salt would be great too. Enjoy one with coffee, or a glass of milk if you prefer. Perhaps they’ll transport you back to fond childhood memories of not knowing what high fructose corn syrup is and why it’s rather shunned in the culinary world now.
Good news for you – these have none. So, enjoy!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
A few more lunchbox treats to try:
Peach Ricotta Tarts with Lemon Thyme Honey
Extra Crinkly Nutella Fudge Brownies
homemade frosted maple waffle pop tarts
Ingredients
dough & filling
- 1 package pie crusts (2 sheets)
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
frosting
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- milk or water, as needed, to thin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 45 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- If needed, thaw the pie crusts on the counter for 15 minutes. Pop one back in the fridge. Flour a flat, clean work surface and roll the other crust to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut 8 rectangles approximately 4 x 3 inches. I achieved this by trimming the edges and rolling the scraps to make 2 additional rectangles, as the main part of the pastry only made 6.
- Lay the 8 rectangles on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the beaten egg.
- Remove the second crust from the fridge. Flour the surface again if needed, and roll out the crust. Slice into 8 rectangles and brush the tops with egg wash.
- Whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, flour, and cinnamon. Dollop 1 heaping tablespoon of filling in the centers of the rectangles on the baking sheet and spread gently, leaving 1/4 inch border. Lay a second unfilled rectangle, egg wash side down, on top of the filled rectangle. You will have 8 pop tarts.
- Crimp the edges of the pastries together with a fork. Set the baking sheet in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to chill the dough.
- Remove the baking sheet from the fridge. Poke a few holes in the tops of the pop tarts with a toothpick. Bake for 10 minutes until golden and crispy. Cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. If you're in a hurry, you can refrigerate the pastries for 15 minutes.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, butter, and vanilla. Add milk or water 1 tablespoon at a time until a thick but spreadable glaze forms.
- Spoon the glaze over the pop tarts. Let sit for at least an hour to harden the glaze. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or salt for garnish. Store pop tarts in the fridge for up to a week.
