Hey there, lovely!

How is 2018 treating you? On my end, it is super freaking busy. For those who like to stay in the loop, Aaron and I are pretty much settled in Colorado. We’re living the tiny home life on a goat farm in the mountains, about 20 minutes outside of Boulder.

Aaron recently secured a job at a dispensary, and I (because I don’t know how to stay still) acquired a fourth job at Wonder Press! With work picking up, I may soon leave Whole Foods… But for now, I’m enjoying the flow of “being” in all that I do.

Earlier this week, I found two whole hours to make a recipe. It was my first attempt at Pop Tarts. And while I’m not super pleased with the photos or the recipe itself, I think it’s good enough to share. After all, it’s vegan and is made with only a handful of ingredients.

I experimented with two different types of filling: blueberry and chocolate-almond. The second is pre-made and is a healthier version of Nutella. Both tasted great. My main complaint is that if you don’t roll the dough thin enough, it becomes too “bready” and sucks all the moisture out of your mouth. So beware.

However, this simple Pop Tarts recipe is still a great alternative to store-bought Pop Tarts, which are full of all kinds of yucky stuff. I don’t know about you, but I love to indulge in food that I know is made with whole foods ingredients and, of course, love.

So, without further ado, please enjoy this Pop Tart recipe, inspired by Minimalist Baker’s version.

Super Simple Blueberry Pop Tarts [Vegan]

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Serving Size: 10Pop Tarts

Ingredients:

2 cups flour (I recommend 1 cup whole wheat, 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour)

pinch of salt

2/3 cup cold vegan butter

2-3 Tbsp ice water

1-2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 Tbsp raw sugar (for topping)

COMPOTE:

2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 lemon, juiced

GLAZE:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp almond milk (or milk of choice)
dash of vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized pan, cook blueberries, lemon juice, and sugar for approximately 5-8 minutes on medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and smash down with a spoon. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
To prepare the crust, mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Then, cut in butter with a fork or pastry cutter until well-combined.
Using a tablespoon, drizzle cold water over the mixture. Add coconut oil and with gloves or a wooden spoon, mix until it starts to form a dough. Add more flour if the dough becomes too wet.
On a floured surface, shape the dough into a disc. Then, use a rolling pin to roll into a large rectangle.
Cut into 10 equal squares (or rectangles. As the photos show, I experimented with both) and carefully transfer each to the baking sheet.
Use a spoon to place about 1 1/2 Tbsp of filling onto each of the 6 squares. Leave a 1/4-inch border to seal the edges. Lightly seal the squares with a fork.
Poke a few holes in the top of each Pop Tart. Then, rub vegan butter on top and sprinkle cane sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow to cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, create your glaze by mixing powder sugar, almond milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
Once the Pop Tarts have cooled, top with the glaze (if desired). You may garnish with sprinkles, cinnamon, or your topping of choice.