Strawberry Lemonade Homemade Pop-Tarts | Healthy Air-Fried Treats! (2024)

Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

Healthy Strawberry Lemonade Homemade Pop-tarts that are the perfect good-for-you treat when you need a little pick me up.

My mom was what I call a real-world mom. We weren’t raised on house churned grass-fed butter, or organic free-range ducks from our backyard. Nope. We were a busy family. We were always on the run to some activity, class or job, so most of our meals were usually in the car. I would be lying if I said that these homemade pop-tarts weren’t a morning staple and that “blue” was the breakfast flavour of choice. Today, not a whole lot has changed.

Why This Recipe Works

Okay, so I am a dietitian and I prefer my pop-tarts from a bakery, not a box, and served at the dining room table (usually) after dinner as dessert, but I still have a serious nostalgic love for the things. I can’t believe I don’t have a homemade pop-tart recipe on my blog, so I figured this was the time to do it. I love this recipe because it’s

• Packed with more fiber than traditional pop tarts (~3 grams per serving)
• Customizable — perfect for picky eaters
• A great way to get kids involved in the kitchen!
• Completely vegan!

Key Ingredients

Strawberries & Cherries – These are needed to make the delicious filling for our homemade pop-tarts. Strawberries and Cherries are packed with antioxidants and naturally add some sweetness to reduce added sugar content.

Chia Seeds – Chia seeds add extra fiber and are packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids which ups the nutrient density of these homemade pop-tarts.

Wheat Pastry Flour – To ensure that these homemade pop-tarts turn out perfect, make sure you you purchase wheat PASTRY flour, not regular wheat flour! It may throw the texture off.

How to Make This Recipe

Chia Jam:

Step 1: In a saucepot, heat the cherries and strawberries until they start to bubble and get syrupy. Once super soft, mash them with a potato masher until the mixture is jammy, loose, and with some visible little bits of fruit in it.

Step 2: Add in the lemon juice and maple syrup, and taste. Adjust the lemon and maple syrup depending on the sweetness of your fruit.

Step 3: Take the mixture off of the heat, transfer it to a container and add in the chia seeds. Allow the mixture to set for at least 20 minutes, or until it thickens up. You’ll have lots of extra jam so you can use it on toast or on oatmeal throughout the week.

Pop-tarts:

Step 1: In a large bowl, mix flours, salt and sugar. Cut in the cold coconut oil with a pastry cutter or fork until you see tiny pea-shaped pieces in the dough.

Step 2: Drizzle in the vanilla and one tablespoon at a table, add in the ice cold water. It should be moist enough that you can form it into a ball without it flaking away, but not sticky.

Step 3: Cut the dough in half and lightly flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll out the dough to just a few millimeters thick then cut into 5 cm by 7 cm rectangles. Place the rectangles on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper.

Step 4: Place one heaping teaspoon of jam onto half of the dough rectangles in the centre. Then wet your finger and moisten all around the perimeter (around the jam). Top with another rectangle, and using your fork, crimp the edges to seal. Poke three sets of three holes into the top of the pop tart with your fork. Continue with remaining pop-tarts. Place the baking sheet in the fridge to set for 20 minutes.

Step 5: Heat the Philips Airfryer to 400 F. Add four pop-tarts to the fryer basket and set the timer for 10 minutes. Remove and repeat with the remaining pop-tarts until they’re all cooked. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes.

Lemon Glaze:

Step 1: In a bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, coconut oil and vanilla extract.

Step 2: Spread about a teaspoon of the icing on each of the homemade pop-tarts and decorate with your favourite sprinkles and sugars. Allow the icing to set and enjoy!

Expert Tips

Looking for the perfect air fryer for these homemade pop-tarts? I personally use this Philips Airfryer. If you haven’t used this amazing appliance yet, it essentially uses a unique TurboStar technology to get air circulation to each corner of the basket so you get perfectly fried food without the fat. Seriously, I don’t even add any oil to the basket and they cook 50% more evenly than other Airfryers while getting crispy and golden brown just like the butter-loaded pastries I ate as a kid. It’s also crazy fast (just 10 minutes to cook- you don’t even have to preheat!) and really easy to clean because it’s super non-stick and dishwasher safe.

Recipe FAQs

More Recipes You Might Like

Love delicious breakfast recipes like these homemade pop-tarts? Check out some of my favorite recipes below!

• BREAKFAST BREAD PUDDING MUFFINS WITH BERRIES
• CHOCOLATE PROTEIN PANCAKES WITH CHERRIES
• CHURRO FRENCH TOAST
• CHOCOLATE CHERRY COBBLER OVERNIGHT OATS

Now tell me, what are your favourite childhood treats? What did you have for breakfast as a child that you miss? Have you tried making these homemade Pop-tarts? Leave me a comment below with your thoughts!

Updated on March 12th, 2023