Apple Pie Pop Tarts with Cinnamon Icing

Enjoy a twist on a childhood favorite with these homemade Apple Pie Pop Tarts. Filled with a flavorful spiced apple puree and topped with a cinnamon icing, they’re perfect for breakfast or a nostalgic dessert.

Ingredients:

For the Pop Tarts:

• 2 pie crusts (either homemade or 2 sheets of store-bought pie dough/puff pastry)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 apples (like McIntosh, Granny Smith, or Honey Crisp), peeled, cored, and diced into ½ inch pieces
• ⅓ cup brown sugar (light or dark), packed
• 1¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated) or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1 egg (for egg wash)

For the Cinnamon Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• 2-3 tablespoons milk or cream

Instructions:

1. Apple Filling Preparation: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add diced apples, ensuring they’re coated evenly with butter. Introduce vanilla extract, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Stir occasionally, letting the apples soften for around 6-7 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk cornstarch and cold water together. Introduce this slurry into the apples, stirring and cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens. Turn off the heat, let the apple mix cool, and then puree it until smooth using an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor.
3. Assembling Pop Tarts: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. For the egg wash, whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water in a small bowl.
4. Flour your workspace and roll out one of the pie dough sheets/puff pastries into a 9″ x 12″ rectangle. Transfer this onto your prepared baking sheet.
5. Apply egg wash as a border about 1 inch from the crust’s edge. Evenly spread the apple puree over the crust, leaving that same 1-inch border.
6. Roll out the second sheet of dough in the same manner. Drape this over the filled crust, pressing the edges gently with fingertips to seal both layers. Crimp these edges using a fork. To allow steam to escape during baking, poke holes over the surface of the tart using either the fork or a toothpick.
7. Brush the assembled pop tart with the remaining egg wash and bake for 17-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Once baked, let it cool on the baking sheet for a bit, and then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Cinnamon Icing: In a medium-sized bowl, combine all icing ingredients, whisking until you achieve a smooth consistency. It should be thick but slightly runny. Generously spread this over the cooled pop tart, and slice it into 8 equal portions.

Notes:

• Pie Dough: You can either make your pie dough from scratch or opt for store-bought pie dough or puff pastry.
• Ginger: Depending on preference and availability, use freshly grated ginger or its ground form.
• Apples: Preferably use medium-sized apples, with recommended varieties being McIntosh, Granny Smith, or Honey Crisp.
• Storage: These delightful apple pie pop tarts can be stored in an airtight container. At room temperature, they last 2-3 days, and if refrigerated, they last 4-5 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them, reheat the unfrosted tarts in an oven at 350°F (175°C) for 7-10 minutes and then top with fresh icing.