While puff pastry is our top recommendation for its incredibly flaky, airy texture that puffs up beautifully in the oven, you can absolutely use pie dough as an alternative. Whether you prefer to make your own pie crust from scratch or opt for a convenient store-bought version (you’ll need two sheets), it will work wonderfully. Keep in mind that pop tarts made with pie dough will be flatter and have a more traditional crust consistency, but they will still be equally delicious and hold their festive shape perfectly.

Brushing your Christmas Tree Pop Tarts with an egg wash (a whisked egg) before baking serves a couple of important purposes. Firstly, it helps the pastry achieve a beautiful, rich golden-brown color as it bakes, giving your pop tarts an appealing, professional finish. Secondly, it contributes to a slightly crisper exterior, adding a lovely textural contrast to the soft interior and fruity filling. While not strictly mandatory for taste, it’s highly recommended for enhancing the visual appeal and overall texture of your homemade treats.

Certainly! Fruit preserves are fantastic for their robust fruit flavor and thicker consistency, which helps them stay contained within the pastry. However, you can easily substitute with jam or jelly. We particularly enjoy the heartiness and more pronounced fruit pieces found in preserves or jam. If using jelly, be aware that it might spread a bit more as it bakes due to its thinner consistency, but it will still taste delicious. Feel free to explore other filling ideas too, like Nutella, apple butter, or even a thick lemon curd for different flavor profiles!

The beauty of these Christmas Tree Pop Tarts lies in their festive decoration! You can use any of your favorite sprinkles to personalize them. We used classic Christmas-colored sprinkles (red, green, and white) to enhance the holiday theme, but feel free to get creative. Gold or silver sprinkles add elegance, nonpareils provide a fun texture, or you could even use edible glitter for extra sparkle. Don’t have any sprinkles on hand? No problem! They are absolutely delicious even without them. The choice is yours to make them as simple or as dazzling as you wish!

Yes, absolutely! Puff pastry needs to be properly defrosted or thawed before you attempt to unfold or cut it. Trying to work with frozen puff pastry will cause it to crack and break, making it impossible to create your pop tarts. Always follow the package directions for defrosting, as the required time can vary significantly depending on the brand. Typically, this involves leaving it in the refrigerator overnight or on the countertop for about 30-45 minutes. The key is for it to be pliable but still cold when you’re ready to work with it.

While these homemade pop tarts are undoubtedly at their absolute best when enjoyed fresh and warm from the oven, you can certainly store any leftovers. To keep them fresh, place them in an airtight container at room temperature on your countertop for up to 2 days. We do not recommend reheating them in the microwave or oven once they are iced, as the warmth will cause the delicate icing to melt and become messy. However, they are still incredibly delicious and satisfying when enjoyed at room temperature.

Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace & Pastry
Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and set it aside. This ensures a quick transfer once your pop tarts are assembled. Next, gently unfold your defrosted puff pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface. It’s crucial that the pastry is cold but no longer frozen; if it gets too warm, it becomes sticky and difficult to handle. Use your Christmas tree cookie cutter to neatly cut out as many shapes as possible from the first sheet. Gather the leftover pastry dough scraps, gently knead them back together to form a cohesive ball, and then roll them out to approximately ¼-inch thickness. Continue cutting out more Christmas tree shapes until all the dough is used. Place these pastry trees onto your prepared baking sheet. From two sheets of puff pastry, you should yield about 24 Christmas tree cut-outs, which will make 12 delightful pop tarts.

Step 2: Fill the Pastries
Once you have all your Christmas tree shapes cut out, select half of them to be your bottom layers. On each of these bottom layers, carefully spoon about 1 tablespoon of your chosen preserves. Gently spread the preserves, ensuring you leave a clear border around the entire edge of the tree shape. This space is essential for properly sealing the pop tarts, preventing any delicious filling from oozing out during baking. Don’t overfill, as this can also lead to messy leaks.

Step 3: Seal & Egg Wash
Now, take the remaining plain Christmas tree cut-outs and carefully place one on top of each filled pastry, creating a pop tart sandwich. Gently pinch the edges of the top and bottom layers together to initially seal them. To ensure a complete and secure seal, use the tines of a fork to press firmly around the entire perimeter of each pop tart, creating a decorative crimped edge. This not only looks nice but is vital for keeping the filling intact. In a small bowl, crack the large egg and whisk it thoroughly until scrambled. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the tops of all your assembled pop tarts with this egg wash. This will help them achieve that beautiful golden-brown color and slightly crispy finish.

Step 4: Bake to Golden Perfection
Carefully transfer your baking sheet with the pop tarts into the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until the pastry is beautifully puffed up and has turned a lovely golden brown color. Keep a close eye on them, as oven temperatures can vary. Once baked, remove the pop tarts from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet or a wire rack. It’s important they are fully cooled before icing to prevent the glaze from melting.

Step 5: Prepare the Festive Icing
While your freshly baked pop tarts are cooling, it’s the perfect time to prepare the sweet icing. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, an additional ½ cup of strawberry preserves (this adds color and flavor!), and the vanilla extract. Whisk all the ingredients together vigorously until you achieve a smooth, pourable, and lump-free glaze. If the icing is too thick, add a tiny bit more milk, a few drops at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.

Step 6: Glaze & Decorate
Once the pop tarts are completely cool to the touch – this is critical to prevent the icing from melting – it’s time for the fun part! Generously spread or drizzle the prepared icing over the top of each Christmas tree pop tart. You can use a spoon, a small offset spatula, or even dip the tops into the bowl of icing for a full coating. While the icing is still wet, liberally scatter your holiday sprinkles over each pop tart. The sprinkles will adhere beautifully to the fresh glaze, adding that irresistible festive sparkle. Allow the icing to set slightly, then your gorgeous and delicious Christmas Tree Pop Tarts are ready to be served and enjoyed!