Ingredients
Scale
For the dough:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/3 cup (75g) sourdough discard (straight from the fridge is fine!)
- 3–5 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup homemade jam (strawberry, raspberry, or honestly, whatever’s sitting in your fridge)
- OR… go bold with chocolate spread, fig preserves, or salted caramel (!).
Optional (but who skips glaze?):
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Let’s Start Mixing and Rolling
- First things first—combine your flour, sugar, and salt in a big bowl. Toss in those cold butter cubes, then get in there with your fingers (or a pastry cutter). You’re aiming for a texture that looks like uneven breadcrumbs here.
- Next, pour in the sourdough discard. If this is your first time working with discard, it’s thicker than it looks. Stir it together, then add ice water one tablespoon at a time. You’ll know it’s ready when the dough clumps together and doesn’t look dry.
- Fun fact: overworked dough makes sad pop tarts. So, knead it gently—just enough to bring it all together without turning into a rock-hard nugget. Wrap it up and pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill out.
The DIY Pop Tart Assembly Line
- Now comes the fun part! Roll out the dough into a big ol’ rectangle. (Okay yeah, rectangles are hard—I always end up with a weird blob shape and trim the edges. It’s fine.) You’ll want it to be about 1/8-inch thick.
- Cut the dough into smaller rectangles—aim for pairs since each tart has a top and bottom piece. Plop your filling onto one rectangle (around 1 tablespoon for jam, or more for adventure). Then, place a second rectangle on top and seal those edges with a fork.
Into the Oven They Go
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and space out your tarts. If you’re fancy, brush them with an egg wash (aka whisked egg + splash of water). It’ll give that golden shine you see at bougie bakeries.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until your kitchen smells so good you can’t stand it. Once they’re out, let ’em cool. Drizzle the glaze if you’re about that life—I mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla while I awkwardly wait.