Sourdough Poptarts
These sourdough pop tarts are a sweet, nostalgic treat made better with your sourdough starter discard. Buttery, flaky pastry envelopes a fruity jam filling—blueberry preserves in this case, but you can use whatever jam or fruit spread your family loves most! Think of them as a cross between your favorite childhood toaster pastry and a rustic hand pie with a sourdough twist.
Using sourdough discard in the crust gives these homemade pop tarts a richer flavor and an ultra-tender texture. They’re perfect for a special weekend breakfast, a lunchbox treat, or an afternoon snack with a cup of tea.
You’ll make a simple sourdough pastry dough (no laminating here!), roll it out, cut, fill, and bake. It’s easier than it looks, I promise!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s the nostalgic treat you didn’t know sourdough needed. Buttery, flaky pastry with a gooey jam center and sweet glaze on top? It’s everything you loved as a kid—only better.
- A fun and creative way to use sourdough discard. This isn’t just about reducing waste—it’s about turning your starter into something totally unexpected and totally delicious.
- Totally customizable. Use whatever jam or fruit preserves you have on hand, and switch up the glaze and toppings to suit the season or your mood. Think strawberry for summer, apple butter in the fall, or lemon curd in the spring.
If you love working with sourdough discard in pastry, don’t miss my all-butter sourdough pie crust, which forms the base for everything from galettes to hand pies. And for something a little more advanced, sourdough Danish pastries are a show-stopping treat packed with buttery layers and cream cheese filling. Both recipes pair beautifully with seasonal fruit and let your discard shine in sweet, flaky bakes.
How to make toaster pastries with sourdough discard
Here is a brief overview of home to make these homemade treats so you know what to expect. For the full set of written directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
Step One: Make the dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the grated cold butter and use your fingertips or a pastry blender to work it in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Stir in the sourdough discard and cold water until a rough dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix—it’s okay if it looks a little shaggy at this stage.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead it into a disc. Divide in half, wrap both portions in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours. This rest helps hydrate the dough and keep your layers nice and flaky.
Step Two: Roll and cut the dough
Once chilled, roll out one half of the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to trim the edges and cut the dough into rectangles about 3×4 inches.
Repeat with the second piece of dough. You should end up with 12 rectangles total—6 tops and 6 bottoms.
Step Three: Fill and assemble
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place 6 rectangles on it. Lightly beat an egg to make an egg wash, and brush the edges of each rectangle.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of jam or preserves into the center of each rectangle, spreading slightly but leaving a border around the edges. Place another rectangle on top of each one and press gently to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges all around.
Use a toothpick or fork to poke 2–3 small holes in the top of each pop tart so steam can escape during baking.
Step Four: Bake the pop tarts
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the tops of the pop tarts with the remaining egg wash.
Bake for 15–20 minutes (or 20–25 minutes if your tarts are larger) until the tops are golden and the bottoms are slightly darker. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Step Five: Glaze and decorate
In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and a splash of vanilla until smooth. If needed, add more milk a teaspoon at a time to reach your desired drizzle consistency.
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled pop tarts—or spread it for more coverage. Top with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or dried fruit bits if you’d like. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe tips:
- Keep it chill. For the flakiest layers, it’s important to keep your dough (and especially your butter) cold. If your dough starts feeling soft or sticky while rolling or shaping, pop it back in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to firm back up before continuing.
- Don’t overbake. Keep an eye on your oven during the last few minutes—these little pastries go from golden brown to too-dark pretty quickly. Aim for just golden tops and lightly browned bottoms.
- Use a parchment template. Want picture-perfect pop-tarts? Cut a rectangle template out of parchment paper and use it as a guide for uniform shapes.
- Food processor or box grater = your best friend. If you prefer speed and ease, a food processor is great for cutting the butter into the flour quickly without warming it up. No food processor? A box grater and your hands work beautifully too—and there’s less cleanup!
- Chill before baking. Once your pop-tarts are assembled, give them a quick rest in the fridge for 15 minutes. This re-chills the butter, helping your pastry bake up extra crisp and flaky.
How to store & reheat your sourdough pop-tarts
Here’s how to enjoy your creation for as long as possible (if you don’t eat them all right away that is!)
Storage
- Room Temperature: Once fully cooled, your sourdough pop-tarts can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days. To keep them from sticking, place a piece of parchment between each layer.
- Refrigerator: Want them to last a little longer? Store your cooled pop-tarts (glazed or unglazed) in the fridge for up to 1 week in a sealed container.
- Freezer – Baked (Best Without Glaze): You can freeze baked (but unglazed) pop-tarts for up to 3 months. Wrap each one individually and store in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
- Freezer – Unbaked: Prefer to prep ahead? Assemble the pop-tarts completely (through the egg wash step), then place them on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer to a container or freezer bag with parchment between each one and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating
- Reheating – From Room Temp or Fridge:
Warm your pop-tarts in a toaster oven or oven set to low for 1–2 minutes, just until heated through. They’ll be crisp and warm without overbaking. - Reheating – From Frozen:
Only reheat frozen pop-tarts that haven’t been glazed. Toast them on the lowest setting in short cycles, checking between rounds until warmed through. Let cool slightly before adding glaze, if desired.
Sourdough is better when shared
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rating below.
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Sourdough Poptarts
Turn your sourdough discard into flaky, homemade pop-tarts! These easy hand pies are filled with your favorite jam and baked to golden perfection—perfect for a fun breakfast or nostalgic treat.
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 pop tarts 1x
- Category: Pastry
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Sourdough Pie Crust:
250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
16g (4 tsp) sugar
8g (2 tsp) kosher salt
225g (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, chilled and grated
70g (1/4 cup) sourdough starter discard
60g (4 tbsp) cold water (plus extra teaspoon of ice water if needed)
Filling:
120g (1/2 cup) jam or preserves of choice (blueberry, strawberry, or your favorite flavor)
Sweet Glaze:
30g (2 tbsp) milk at room temperature (plus more as needed)
2g (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
120g (1 cup) powdered sugar
Egg Wash:
1 whole egg + 10g (2 tsp) water
Instructions
Dough Preparation
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt to create your flour mixture.
Add the grated chilled butter and mix with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles large crumbles.
Add the sourdough starter discard and cold water. Mix until the pastry dough comes together. Avoid over mixing.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently knead it into a disc shape.
Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate them for at least 1-2 hours. This dough chill time is essential for developing those flaky layers!
Assembly:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
On a floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll out one half of the dough into a large rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Using a bench scraper will help to lift and move the dough if it sticks.
Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife cut the dough into long rectangular shapes, approximately 3 x 8 inches. Repeat with the second half of the dough and any scraps.
Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of the dough with egg wash.
Spoon 1 tablespoon of jam onto the center of each brushed rectangle, leaving a 1/3-inch border around the edges.
Place the unfilled side of the dough rectangles over the jam-filled side.
Press down gently around the edges to seal, then crimp the edges with a fork.
Brush the top of each pop-tart with the egg wash for a golden, glossy finish.
Use a toothpick or fork to poke small holes on the top of the pop-tart to allow steam to escape during baking.
Baking & Finishing
Place the unbaked pop-tarts on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes (or 20-25 minutes for larger tarts), or until golden brown on top and slightly darker on the bottom.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly before glazing.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a pourable consistency.
Spread or drizzle the glaze over the slightly cooled pop-tarts.
Optional: Sprinkle with decorations like colored sugar or sprinkles. Let the glaze set for a few minutes, then enjoy!
Notes
Use any flavor of jam or preserves you wish.
