pop- tarts

Rhubarb Pop-Tarts

Rhubarb Pop-Tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. This recipe is for mini square hand pie breakfast pastries filled with a quite homemade rhubarb compote jam and a honey glaze icing. The hand pies can be made in advance and batches. These make fun morning treats or desserts. Learn how to DIY make from scratch pop-tarts here with simple pie dough and jelly on thewoodandspoon.com

I have just a short word of encouragement for you this morning that I’ll break down into a few short sentences: the words you say to people matter. The things you speak over them can be transformative. The love and encouragement you give away to others can change the way they see themselves forever. If I’ve gone in way too deep for a Wednesday morning, let me back up a minute and tell you what precipitated all of this, and then we’ll dive into these rhubarb pop-tarts.

The other day, my my parents moved out of their home of 21 years and they sent their movers to drop a few boxes and pieces of furniture that were mine. I started sorting through the boxes and found stacks of old artwork and drawings as well as piles of old letters from my elementary years. Birthday cards, Valentines, and even a few pen pal letters were strewn about my living room as I laughed and teared up at all the love people had given me over the years.

Rhubarb Pop-Tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. This recipe is for mini square hand pie breakfast pastries filled with a quite homemade rhubarb compote jam and a honey glaze icing. The hand pies can be made in advance and batches. These make fun morning treats or desserts. Learn how to DIY make from scratch pop-tarts here with simple pie dough and jelly on thewoodandspoon.com

One letter in particular was really meaningful to me. I found an old hardcover journal with a hand-written inscription and a card from my third grade teacher, Mrs. Graham. In the letter, she congratulated me on the outcomes of a national writing test that I took and told me how proud she was of my accomplishments. The journal, per her letter, was for me to continue writing in, and she encouraged me to keep practicing and refining those skills as I continued on in school. “You are a terrific writer, Katie! Never stop!”

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” -Dr. Suess

I don’t recall much about my first, fourth, or fifth grade teachers. My second grade teacher had a really long last name that I still can’t spell and a face that turned tomato red when she was angry with us. But I never forgot Mrs. Graham or that she believed in me. In moments when I’ve been scared to pursue a career as an author, as silly as it sounds, I’ve remembered her words and that there was someone out there who thought I had something good to say. Her words made me brave and honest and willing to share.

Rhubarb Pop-Tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. This recipe is for mini square hand pie breakfast pastries filled with a quite homemade rhubarb compote jam and a honey glaze icing. The hand pies can be made in advance and batches. These make fun morning treats or desserts. Learn how to DIY make from scratch pop-tarts here with simple pie dough and jelly on thewoodandspoon.com

Our Words Matter

I think about this a lot when I speak with my own children. We spend a lot of time calling out talents and characteristics in them both because I want them to feel empowered to let those parts of themselves shine. I want my daughter to be eager to befriend a new kid at school because she knows how friendly and kind she is to others. I want my son to be joyful and sprinkle the world with his silliness and laughter because he knows how clever he is.

A new goal of mine is to let my mother, sister, friends, husband, hell,  EVERYONE, know what goodness and beauty they bring to my life so they’ll continue to share it with me and the other people they rub shoulders with on a daily basis. The words we share with others can empower them to rise up and be better versions of themselves. So let’s share freely.

Rhubarb Pop-Tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. This recipe is for mini square hand pie breakfast pastries filled with a quite homemade rhubarb compote jam and a honey glaze icing. The hand pies can be made in advance and batches. These make fun morning treats or desserts. Learn how to DIY make from scratch pop-tarts here with simple pie dough and jelly on thewoodandspoon.com

Rhubarb Pop-Tarts

These rhubarb pop-tarts are another lovely little rendition of one of my favorite treats. I adore homemade pie crust and filling bite-sized bits of it with jam and icing has got to be one of the most fun ways to snack. These rhubarb pop-tarts are nothing more than flaky crust, a quick homemade rhubarb jam, and a sweet and floral honey icing, and they make for a delicious snack, breakfast or dessert.

Rhubarb Pop-Tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. This recipe is for mini square hand pie breakfast pastries filled with a quite homemade rhubarb compote jam and a honey glaze icing. The hand pies can be made in advance and batches. These make fun morning treats or desserts. Learn how to DIY make from scratch pop-tarts here with simple pie dough and jelly on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Pop-Tarts

To make your own rhubarb pop-tarts, we start with the crust. Flour, sugar, and salt are combined before fat is cut into the dry ingredients. We bring the dough together with ice water and allow it to chill until firm. You can do this step in advance if you’d prefer, and homemade pie. crust also freezes nicely when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Next, we make the jam. Fresh or frozen rhubarb can be cooked down with sugar until it is thick, flavorful, and bubbly. Allow it to cool completely before filling your tarts.

To shape the rhubarb pop-tarts, simply roll out the dough super thin and use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut out small squares. You can also use a small round cookie cutter if you’d prefer, but here, I’ve used a clean plastic sewing ruler like this one to make sure each of my squares are the same size. Trim out the squares, spoon jam on half of them, and then crimp a second square on top to seal in the filling. Allow the tarts to chill in the freezer prior to baking.

Rhubarb Pop-Tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. This recipe is for mini square hand pie breakfast pastries filled with a quite homemade rhubarb compote jam and a honey glaze icing. The hand pies can be made in advance and batches. These make fun morning treats or desserts. Learn how to DIY make from scratch pop-tarts here with simple pie dough and jelly on thewoodandspoon.com

Frosting the Tarts

After baking the rhubarb pop-tarts, the honey icing comes together quickly and adorns these simple treats. They taste best within two days, but you can make and freeze unglazed tarts for a few weeks and re-flake in the oven. Feel free to batch the recipe to serve a crowd, or keep the prep short and sweet to make just a few. These hand pies are a great way to use up the leftover rhubarb you may have floating around your fridge and freezer, so snap to it and get to baking! The season won’t last forever! Happy baking to you all and thanks for following along! Have a great week!

If you like these rhubarb pop-tarts you should check out:

Blueberry Lemon Pop-Tarts

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tarts 

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts

Cranberry Pear Pop-Tarts

Print

Rhubarb Pop-Tarts

These rhubarb pop-tarts are simple homemade hand pies made with flaky pie crust, a quick rhubarb jam and a simple honey glaze icing.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 60
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 180
  • Yield: 10
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 2 1/4 cups (290 gm) of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup (113 gm) butter
  • 1/2 cup (113 gm) shortening
  • 5 tablespoons ice water
  • For the Rhubarb Jam:
  • ¾ pound rhubarb, chopped
  • 6 tablespoons (75 gm) sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water

For the honey icing:

  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon milk

For the rhubarb drizzle (optional):

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 11/2 tablespoons rhubarb jam
  • 12 teaspoons of water, as needed

Instructions

To prepare the pastry:

  1. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
  2. Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until it is the consistency of a course meal with small, pea-sized chunks of butter throughout. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, tossing gently until pastry comes together in moist clumps. Divide dough in half and pat into two round, flat disks. Wrap with Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

To prepare the rhubarb jam:

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized pot over low heat. Stir to combine and continue stirring regularly until all the sugar has dissolved. You can test this by carefully rubbing a little bit of the liquid in the pot between two fingers- it should feel smooth.
  2. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring regularly until the mixture comes to a simmer. Allow it to simmer for about 10minutes until the rhubarb has broken down and the mixture is approximately applesauce consistency. Remove from heat and place in a heat-proof bowl to cool in the fridge. This jam will keep in the fridge for approximately 2-3 weeks.

To prepare the pop-tarts:

  1. Roll out one disk of pastry to 1/8” thickness on a floured surface. Use a ruler and a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut 3” squares out of the dough. Each Pop-Tart will require two pieces (one for top and one for bottom). You can gather any extract pieces of dough and repeat this process to get enough pieces.
  2. Place 2-3 teaspoons of cooled filling on top of half of the rounds.
  3. Top the filled rounds with a second circle of crust and use a fork to crimp the edges. Vent the top of each rectangle by poking the top of the pastry with a fork 2-3 times. Freeze the pop tarts on the baking sheet for at least 2 hours or up to a week.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the tarts, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool before topping with glaze.

To prepare the icing:

  1. Whisk the powdered sugar, honey, and milk together. Add extra powdered sugar to thicken and extra milk to thin the glaze. Spoon a small amount onto each poptart. Follow up with the rhubarb drizzle, if desired. Again, combine the sugar, rhubarb jam, and water with a whisk. Add extra powdered sugar to thicken it and extra water to thin it. Drizzle on and enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Derby Hand Pies

Derby Hand Pies by Wood and Spoon. These are mini pop tart pies filled with bourbon pecan pie filling and topped with a chocolate ganache and pecans. Inspired by the famous Kentucky derby party dessert, these little bite sized desserts are great for feeding a festive crowd while watching the derby. Read more about making these tiny southern pies on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

Today’s post will be short and sweet. I am knee-deep in nesting mode (hello chalk paint! hello oxyclean! hello rearranging the furniture!), and have set aside this week to prep my kiddos’ rooms as much as possible prior to baby girl arriving. Yes, we’re only 31 weeks into this pregnancy, but when the urge to nest hits, Mama Bird can’t back down, okay? Today we’re talking about these mini derby hand pies just in time for the Kentucky derby. It’s my favorite sporting event of the year, and once you get a taste of this chocolate and bourbon goodness it might end up being yours too.

Brett and I were married on my grandparent’s Kentucky farm the week before the Derby. I keep memories of the day tucked in the corners of my brain like well-loved photographs that I get to revisit over and over again. The ceremony, party, and events leading up to both were far from perfect, but it felt cozy and personal and will forever hold a warm and fuzzy place in my heart.

Derby Hand Pies

Derby Hand Pies

These derby hand pies remind me of that day. Loaded with chopped nuts and rich chocolate, these bourbon-spiked bars contain all the essence of classic derby pie flavors in each and every bite along with an extra-thick shortbread crust that is really so delicious. Derby pie is the quintessential Kentucky Derby dessert, and those rich flavors always make me think of the bluegrass state and our wedding day.

If you’ve hung around this blog long enough, you probably recall the derby pie bars and derby pie cookies I made in the past. These derby hand pies are another take on the classic race day dessert, and they are a cute and sassy way to level-up just a regular old pie. I love anything that can be served in mini or individual servings, and if you’re planning a Derby Day party (or to celebrate our anniversary?) these would be a fun and cheeky treat to consider serving.

Derby Hand Pies

Making the Hand Pies

To make them, we start with a pie dough. My favorite flaky pie crust comes together quickly and can be made in advance. Allow the dough to chill for a few hours or overnight and make the filling in the meantime. Just like a pecan pie, brown sugar, corn syrup, nuts, and more simmer on the stove until thick and goopy. We let the filling cool completely so that it stays scoopable and doesn’t squish out the sides of the pie dough.

Roll out your dough as thin as your dare and cut out rounds of dough. Stuff as much filling in between two circles of two as you can and then crimp the edges with a floured fork. After a quick brush of an egg wash, these derby hand pies bake up golden and flaky. To finish them off, we make a simple ganache to spoon on top of each pie and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Delicious, y’all.

Derby Hand Pies

I hope you consider cheers-ing to these derby hand pies this weekend. Be sure to check out a few of my other bourbon favorites below to meet all of your baking needs for the weekend’s festivities. Happy Tuesday and Happy Baking!

If you like these derby hand pies you should make:

Derby Pie Cookies

Derby Pie Bars

Bourbon Truffles

Brown Butter Bourbon Madeleines

Brown Sugar Apple Bundt Cake

Print

Derby Hand Pies

These derby hand pies are miniature versions of the classic Kentucky Derby dessert! Give these tiny pies with bourbon, chocolate, and nuts a shot!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 35
  • Cook Time: 35
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 14
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 13/4 cups (210 gm) of all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 11/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm) butter
  • 1/3 cup (70 gm) shortening
  • 5 tablespoons (approximately) of ice water

For the filling:

  • 1 cup (200 gm) sugar
  • 2/3 cup (200 gm) corn syrup
  • 1/3 cup (40 gm) unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 11/2 cups (170 gm) pecans, finely chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon

For the hand pies:

  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup (60 gm) heavy whipping cream
  • 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • Extra pecans, if desired

Instructions

To prepare the pastry:

  1. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
  2. Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until it is the consistency of a course meal with small, pea-sized chunks of butter throughout. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, tossing gently until pastry comes together in moist clumps. Pat the dough into a round, flat disk. Wrap with Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

To prepare the filling:

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and eggs. Stir in the pecans, salt, and bourbon. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce the heat to low and keep at a simmer for 10 minutes. Once thickened, remove from heat and pour into a separate bowl and allow to chill in the fridge until barely scoopable.

To prepare the hand pies:

  1. Allow the dough to sit out about 5-10 minutes to allow it to become rollable. On a floured surface using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to just shy of 1/8”. Make sure to keep your surface under the dough floured so it doesn’t stick! Cut out 2-1/2” rounds of dough using a biscuit cutter or a sharp knife and rim of a glass. Place the rounds on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Whisk the egg in a small bowl with a teaspoon of water and using a pastry brush or basting brush to brush a thin layer of egg wash around the perimeter of the dough on half of the circles. Spoon 2-2-1/2 teaspoons of the cooled filling into the center of these dough pieces and top each with a round of dough that doesn’t have the egg wash. Use the floured prongs of a fork to crimp the edges and arrange them on the baking sheet 1-1/2” apart. Repeat this process with any remaining dough by re-rolling and cutting and filling. Place the prepared pies in the freezer for at least 3 hours to chill.
  2. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 and brush a thin layer of  the remaining egg wash on the top of the pies. Vent the top by pricking a fork into the top of each and bake until bronzed, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven to cool while you prepare the topping.
  3. Gently heat the heavy whipping cream on the stove or in the microwave until just barely bubbling. Pour the cream over top of the chocolate in a small bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap for 5 minutes. Whisk the melted mixture together to combine and allow it to sit out about 10 minutes until it becomes a thickened mixture that won’t spill over the edges of the pies. Spread a small round of the ganache on top of each cooled pie and top with additional chopped pecans, if desired.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Blueberry Lemon Pop-Tarts

Blueberry Lemon Pop-tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple hand pies filled with lemon zest, fresh blueberries, and sugar. They're topped with a sweet and tart glaze and a a bit of sugar. The homemade pie dough is flaky and easy to assemble for personal handheld desserts. Find the recipe and learn more about this end of summer treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

IT’S FRIDAY, IT’S FRIDAY. I’m the happiest girl in the world because I have just survived one of the busiest weeks I’ve had in forever. Remember last week when I said I needed to slow down a little, stop and smell the roses for a minute? Well let’s just give that notion a big fat LOL, because my life is moving along at 90 MPH and there’s not a thing I know to do about it.

Blueberry Lemon Pop-tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple hand pies filled with lemon zest, fresh blueberries, and sugar. They're topped with a sweet and tart glaze and a a bit of sugar. The homemade pie dough is flaky and easy to assemble for personal handheld desserts. Find the recipe and learn more about this end of summer treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

First, we celebrated Aimee’s birthday. Not surprisingly, it was the most adorable thing ever. She takes so much joy in every intentional act of love towards her, and it made loving on her all the more fun. Every gift, every cupcake, every rendition of the “Happy Birthday” song put the cutest little smile in between those squishy chipmunk cheeks, and the look on her face, that bubbling over of joy, made this Mama red-nosed and teary eyed. Also, any kid that chooses to celebrate their birthday looking like a straight-up diva is a queen in my book. Just look at her all jazzed up.

Blueberry Lemon Pop-tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple hand pies filled with lemon zest, fresh blueberries, and sugar. They're topped with a sweet and tart glaze and a a bit of sugar. The homemade pie dough is flaky and easy to assemble for personal handheld desserts. Find the recipe and learn more about this end of summer treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

After the birthday festivities were over, I went into full-on house mode. Remember how I said we were building a house? Well, we’re actually really close to being done. Like, so close that I’m probably currently a little high on touch-up paint fumes and excitement. This week was spent installing light fixtures, plumbing parts, and countertops, as well as grouting tile, outfitting garage doors, and so much more. Seriously, if I could invite you all over for a huge party to celebrate this rad addition to our life, I totally would. As it turns out, I’m actually super broke at the moment, what with the house-building and all, so let’s raincheck the party for when I have more dollars. 

Blueberry Lemon Pop-tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple hand pies filled with lemon zest, fresh blueberries, and sugar. They're topped with a sweet and tart glaze and a a bit of sugar. The homemade pie dough is flaky and easy to assemble for personal handheld desserts. Find the recipe and learn more about this end of summer treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

Finally, on this Friday morning, I am sharing with you what will likely be the last summery recipe of the year. If we’re being honest, an ice cream recipe or two might sneak in over the coming months, but this is definitely the last summery fruit recipe. Starting next week, we’re going to go hard on all the fall flavors, mainly because they’re seasonally appropriate but also because they’re my favorite. So savor every last bit of today’s blueberry lemon pop-tarts, because the next few months are going to be a caramel-dipped, pecan-studded, mint chocolate and gingerbread dreamland, okay?

Blueberry Lemon Pop-tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple hand pies filled with lemon zest, fresh blueberries, and sugar. They're topped with a sweet and tart glaze and a a bit of sugar. The homemade pie dough is flaky and easy to assemble for personal handheld desserts. Find the recipe and learn more about this end of summer treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

So. Blueberry lemon pop-tarts. We’ve done the pop-tart thing here before. You guys are familiar with the hand pies and lattice covered berry desserts. But there was a blueberry lemon pop-tart shaped hole in my heart that had to be satisfied, and I know you guys understand those needs that have to be met. I think you’re going to be really glad that we listened to our instincts on this one.

These little babies are my favorite pie dough filled with fresh berries, lemon zest, sugar, and not a whole lot else. Summer fruit always speaks for itself, so my motto is here is less is more. The pie crust is buttery, flaky, and the slightest bit salty, so every bite is the perfect balance of fresh, tart, sweet, and savory. Don’t you just love a treat like that?

Blueberry Lemon Pop-tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple hand pies filled with lemon zest, fresh blueberries, and sugar. They're topped with a sweet and tart glaze and a a bit of sugar. The homemade pie dough is flaky and easy to assemble for personal handheld desserts. Find the recipe and learn more about this end of summer treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

To make them, we start with the pie crust. Whiz all the dry ingredients for the crust together in a food processor and pulse in the fat until pea-sized clumps are present throughout the mixture. Add ice cold water to the machine, pulsing until a dry dough comes together. Allow the dough to rest in the fridge for an hour or two.

To continue prepping your blueberry lemon pop-tarts, cook the filling ingredients in a saucepan until thick  and cut out rounds of pie dough for the mini pies (hint: I use these biscuit cutters). Fill and crimp each tart and allow them to firm up in the freezer for a bit. When you’re prepared to devour homemade pop-tarts, pop them in the oven and don’t pull them out until they have a little suntan. Allow them to cool and then top them with the simple glaze I’ve written out below. A pop-tart just isn’t a pop-tart without frosting, so slather it on thick and don’t forget the sprinkles- the more, the merrier. 

Blueberry Lemon Pop-tarts by Wood and Spoon blog. These are simple hand pies filled with lemon zest, fresh blueberries, and sugar. They're topped with a sweet and tart glaze and a a bit of sugar. The homemade pie dough is flaky and easy to assemble for personal handheld desserts. Find the recipe and learn more about this end of summer treat on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

These blueberry lemon pop-tarts are the ones to beat. They’re simple, delicious, and such a cute ending to the crazy week/month/summer I’ve had. I hope you’ll give them a try this week and share them with all of your BFFs. You deserve it. Happy Friday and happy baking!

If you like these blueberry lemon pop-tarts you should check out:

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tarts

Strawberry Fig Pop-tarts

Blueberry Galette with Cornmeal Crust

Blueberry Lemon Crumb Bars

Cranberry Pear Pop-Tarts

 

Print

Blueberry Lemon Pop-Tarts

The blueberry lemon pop-tarts are fresh, end-of-summer treats to use up all that delicious produce! With a simple glaze and a gooey berry filling, these pop-tarts are a cheeky nod to the childhood favorite breakfast.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 60
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 180
  • Yield: 9

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 13/4 cups (210 gm) of all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 11/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm) butter
  • 1/3 cup (70 gm) shortening
  • 5 tablespoons (approximately) of ice water

For the filling:

  • 1 cup (170 gm) fresh blueberries (or thawed from frozen)
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 large egg

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup (115 gm) powdered sugar
  • 23 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

To prepare the pastry:

  1. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
  2. Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until it is the consistency of a course meal with small, pea-sized chunks of butter throughout. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, tossing gently until pastry comes together in moist clumps. Pat the dough into a round, flat disk. Wrap with Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

To prepare the filling:

  1. Combine the blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and stir regularly to break up the blueberries until the mixture is thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Spoon into a heat-safe bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the jam. Allow to cool at least to room temperature.

To prepare the pop-tarts:

  1. Whisk an egg in a small bowl for the egg wash and set aside.
  2. Roll out the disk of pastry to 1/8” thickness on a floured surface. Using a 2-1/2″ biscuit cutter, gently cut rounds of dough. Each Pop-Tart will require two rounds (one for top and one for bottom). Use a pastry brush to paint the egg wash around the perimeter of half of the circles. Place one to one and a half teaspoons of cooled filling in the center of the rounds with the egg wash. Top the filled rounds with a second circle of crust and use a fork to crimp the edges. Freeze the pop tarts on the baking sheet for 2 hours. Refrigerate the whisked egg in the meantime.
  3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Vent the top of each rectangle by poking the top of the pastry with a fork 1-2 times and brush with the remaining egg wash, if desired. Bake the tarts, uncovered, for almost 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool before topping with glaze.

To prepare the glaze:

  1. Whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of juice until smooth. You can add an additional tablespoon of juice if desired, but be sure to keep the glaze thick enough to stay on the pop-tart. You can test how it spreads on the back of a large spoon or try it out on a single pop-tart before you glaze all of them.

Notes

  • This recipe cane easily be double to increase yield!

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tarts

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tart by Wood and Spoon Blog. These are simple homemade hand pies made with a raspberry champagne jam and a simple champagne glaze icing. Homemade pie dough makes little crimped round tarts that are filled with the simple cornstarch thickened jam. When cool, the desserts are topped with a frosting to sweeten the treats. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

Do you ever wonder how you wound up where you are in life- the events and people and moments that have made you who you are today?

I went to college at Samford University in Birmingham, AL, and the four years I spent there were primarily focused on the tight-knit group of friends that I became apart of. There were best friends, a few who dated, sisters and brothers, and the relationships that formed in the midnights and bags of popcorn we shared somehow became deeply woven into who I was, who I am even today.

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tart by Wood and Spoon Blog. These are simple homemade hand pies made with a raspberry champagne jam and a simple champagne glaze icing. Homemade pie dough makes little crimped round tarts that are filled with the simple cornstarch thickened jam. When cool, the desserts are topped with a frosting to sweeten the treats. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.
photo by dreamtown co.

In the years that have passed since graduation, some things have changed. There’s been marriage and children, brokenness and death. People have lost touch and moved away. But despite all the change and years that separate us from our 22-year-old selves, there’s still this unmistakable bond, a realness and connection that is so tangible and electrifying that I think you could feel it if you witnessed us together even just for a second. Truly, it’s a remarkable something unlike anything I’ve ever known.

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tart by Wood and Spoon Blog. These are simple homemade hand pies made with a raspberry champagne jam and a simple champagne glaze icing. Homemade pie dough makes little crimped round tarts that are filled with the simple cornstarch thickened jam. When cool, the desserts are topped with a frosting to sweeten the treats. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood. Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tart by Wood and Spoon Blog. These are simple homemade hand pies made with a raspberry champagne jam and a simple champagne glaze icing. Homemade pie dough makes little crimped round tarts that are filled with the simple cornstarch thickened jam. When cool, the desserts are topped with a frosting to sweeten the treats. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

We gathered together, all of us friends with our spouses and children, at the lake this past weekend. During that time, we told the same jokes and played the same games. We shared meals together and held each other’s babies. We talked about how things used to be and made plans for the future, and for a few days, we were entirely different yet somehow exactly the same.

“We were entirely different yet somehow exactly the same.”

In the quieter moments of the weekend, I caught myself wondering what would be the sum of all the math we’ve been doing; the addition, division, and multiplication of our group that shaped who we are individually and together. The humans we’ve grown into are a product, in part, of the lessons we learned and experiences we shared during our time together, and watching my friends laugh and move and play like resurrected versions of the 20-year-olds I grew up with was a reminder that what we have is so rare and special that I’ll likely never replicate it again in my life, not even in a million years.

Something about that togetherness felt almost holy, and the lump in my throat even now as I write this is proof enough that those relationships from my formative years have affected me to my core. They made so much of who I am today.

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tart by Wood and Spoon Blog. These are simple homemade hand pies made with a raspberry champagne jam and a simple champagne glaze icing. Homemade pie dough makes little crimped round tarts that are filled with the simple cornstarch thickened jam. When cool, the desserts are topped with a frosting to sweeten the treats. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.
photo by dreamtown co.

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” – C.S. Lewis

Have you experienced this before? Do you have a friendship that is so intricately tangled with who you are that you can’t tell what belongs to you or was imprinted on you by them along the way? I’m ending our lake weekend away with friends feeling like the richest girl on earth and so sure of those relationships. I know I could go anywhere, for any length of time, and I’d be carrying those people with me, leaving traces of our story like pins on a map that tell of who we are and what we became together. It’s one of the best feelings I know.

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tart by Wood and Spoon Blog. These are simple homemade hand pies made with a raspberry champagne jam and a simple champagne glaze icing. Homemade pie dough makes little crimped round tarts that are filled with the simple cornstarch thickened jam. When cool, the desserts are topped with a frosting to sweeten the treats. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tarts

I won’t say much about these raspberry champagne pop-tarts. These mini pies are sweet and special, like a tiny celebration in a bite-sized form. With a simple fruit and booze filling and my favorite pie crust wrapped around it, these raspberry champagne pop-tarts are equal parts simple and delicious. Although the recipe only yields a few, you can easily double it to feed a crowd. It’s the perfect dessert for sharing at your upcoming summer celebrations. Give them a try and let me know what you think! Love to you all and have a great weekend!

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tart by Wood and Spoon Blog. These are simple homemade hand pies made with a raspberry champagne jam and a simple champagne glaze icing. Homemade pie dough makes little crimped round tarts that are filled with the simple cornstarch thickened jam. When cool, the desserts are topped with a frosting to sweeten the treats. Find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

If you like these raspberry champagne pop-tarts you should try:

Elderflower Champagne Cupcakes

Strawberry Fig Pop-tarts

Cranberry Pear Pop-tarts

Raspberry Streusel Cake

Berry Rhubarb Tart

Raspberry Lemon Linzer Cookies

Print

Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tarts

These raspberry champagne pop-tarts have a raspberry champagne jam filling and a tender, flaky pie crust shell. A simple champagne glaze tops each one!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 180
  • Yield: 9

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 13/4 cups (210 gm) of all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 11/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gm) butter
  • 1/3 cup (70 gm) shortening
  • 5 tablespoons (approximately) of ice water
  • 1 large egg

For the raspberry champagne jam:

  • 1 cup (130 gm) fresh raspberries (or thawed from frozen)
  • 1/3 cup (80 gm) champagne
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • pinch of salt

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup (115 gm) powdered sugar
  • 23 tablespoons champagne

Instructions

To prepare the pastry:

  1. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
  2. Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until it is the consistency of a course meal with small, pea-sized chunks of butter throughout. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, tossing gently until pastry comes together in moist clumps. Pat the dough into a round, flat disk. Wrap with Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

To prepare the jam:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and stir regularly to break up the raspberries until the mixture is thick and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Spoon into a heat-safe bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the jam. Allow to cool at least to room temperature.

To prepare the pop-tarts:

  1. Whisk an egg in a small bowl for the egg wash and set aside.
  2. Roll out the disk of pastry to 1/8” thickness on a floured surface. Using a 2-1/2″ biscuit cutter, gently cut rounds of dough. Each Pop-Tart will require two rounds (one for top and one for bottom). Use a pastry brush to paint the egg wash around the perimeter of half of the circles. Place one teaspoon of cooled filling in the center of the rounds with the egg wash. Top the filled rounds with a second circle of crust and use a fork to crimp the edges. Freeze the pop tarts on the baking sheet for 2 hours. Refrigerate the whisked egg in the meantime.
  3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Vent the top of each rectangle by poking the top of the pastry with a fork 1-2 times and brush with the remaining egg wash, if desired. Bake the tarts, uncovered, for almost 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool before topping with glaze.

To prepare the glaze:

  1. Whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of champagne until smooth. You can add an additional tablespoon of champagne if desired, but be sure to keep the glaze thick enough to stay on the pop-tart. You can test how it spreads on the back of a large spoon or try it out on a single pop-tart before you glaze all of them.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for mini round pop tarts make of butter pie crust pasty and simple homemade strawberry fig preserves. Top with an easy confectioner's sugar icing glaze and sprinkles for a fun breakfast or dessert. Find the recipe for the jam and these simple mini hand pie pastries on thewoodandspoon.com

Strawberry fig pop-tarts. Does your inner kid just squeal with delight? POP-TARTS, okay? Pop-tarts for grown-ups- finally!

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for mini round pop tarts make of butter pie crust pasty and simple homemade strawberry fig preserves. Top with an easy confectioner's sugar icing glaze and sprinkles for a fun breakfast or dessert. Find the recipe for the jam and these simple mini hand pie pastries on thewoodandspoon.com

In college, my friends used to joke that I had a tape worm. Now, I’ve never had a tape worm, but it’s my understanding that such creatures are not a joking matter. To be clear, if you currently have a tape worm, you also have my sincerest apologies. Truly.

The point is, I used to be able to eat like I was eating for five. Food would enter my body with zero care in my mind as to where it would go next. Dessert? Duh. Seconds? Of course, thank you for offering. I had an insatiable appetite, a voracity for food and the act of dining, but as luck and genetics would have it, you wouldn’t know it by looking at me. At my largest, I had decent curves and an enviable rack, so I typically  ate without a care on the regular.

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for mini round pop tarts make of butter pie crust pasty and simple homemade strawberry fig preserves. Top with an easy confectioner's sugar icing glaze and sprinkles for a fun breakfast or dessert. Find the recipe for the jam and these simple mini hand pie pastries on thewoodandspoon.com

Body Changes

Today, status post a couple of kids and two months away from entering a new decade of life, I have a different understanding with my body. The understanding is that if I eat, I will be filled. If I eat more than I burn, I will gain weight. If I eat an extra helping of dessert every day this week, I will likely have a muffin top in my loosest jeans next week. My butter intake is directly related to the amount of cottage cheese that  I will sport on my hind parts next summer, so I have to exercise self-control at times. That includes busting it at the gym, taking the stairs, and passing on seconds most days of the week. My rubber band waistline is not what it used to be, so I have to work hard if I want to keep my current wardrobe around.

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for mini round pop tarts make of butter pie crust pasty and simple homemade strawberry fig preserves. Top with an easy confectioner's sugar icing glaze and sprinkles for a fun breakfast or dessert. Find the recipe for the jam and these simple mini hand pie pastries on thewoodandspoon.com

Unfortunately, my desire for food has not changed. I dream about lunch at breakfast and cheat on my dinner with thoughts of dessert. I’m the girl who eats the gooey cheesy parts off their kids’ sandwiches and finishes their milkshake just in time to drink their husband’s. I’m not above eating French fries out of a greasy paper bag and a brownie “a la mode” is always an “a la HECK YES!”

“a la mode?” is always an “a la HECK YES!”

While I should maybe have some degree of embarrassment or cause for concern (after all, I am a dietitian!?!),  food is just apart of who I am now. I love to make it, I love to eat it. I enjoy the beauty of God’s creation with every bite of macerated berry, shaved truffle, and caramelized shallot that enters my gullet, so while I work hard on the backend to keep my, um, backend looking good, the truth remains that I’m really just here for the food.

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts

Like these strawberry fig pop-tarts. A guilty pleasure indeed, but one that evokes a lot of the playful, childlike memories that I have of food: begging my mom to buy pop-tarts, but settling for toast instead; lusting after that 75-cent, foil-wrapped treat in the vending machine at school when all I had to spend was a quarter. Pop-tarts are a treat that now, as an adult, I don’t make room for in my diet, but when I get the chance to make some of my own, I don’t pass it up.

This recipe for strawberry fig pop-tarts is fantastic for two reasons. First, the filling is an easy peasy strawberry fig preserve that I love to make. Every year, I pick figs and quadruple the recipe so that I can preserve the fruit to enjoy all year round. The second reason you need these strawberry fig pop-tarts in your life is because the crust on these babies is really nothing more than my all-time favorite pie crust. So basically, when you eat these pop-tarts, you’re really getting pie with an extra helping of crust. YA WELCOME.

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for mini round pop tarts make of butter pie crust pasty and simple homemade strawberry fig preserves. Top with an easy confectioner's sugar icing glaze and sprinkles for a fun breakfast or dessert. Find the recipe for the jam and these simple mini hand pie pastries on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Pop-Tarts

To make these strawberry fig pop-tarts, we start by making the preserves. Add some sugar to a pot of chopped or mashed fresh figs and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Add a few scoops of strawberry gelatin (I told you this was the easiest recipe) and cook for a few minutes until thick and bubbly. Let the preserves cool in the fridge while you make your crust.

Add some flour, salt, and sugar to the bowl of a food processor and pulse in some butter and shortening until pea-sized clumps form. The butter adds the flavor and the shortening adds the flake, so trust when I say that this is a crust worth writing home about. Add some ice cold water to the flour until it begins to form a dough. Divide the mixture in half, patting it into flat disks, and allow to chill in the fridge for a few hours.

Assembling the Pop-Tarts

Assembly for these strawberry fig pop-tarts can happen up to a week in advance. Roll out your dough on a floured surface and use a biscuit cutter to cut out the tops and bottoms of your dough. Spoon a bit of preserves on half of the rounds and use a fork to crimp the tops on to each one. Place the pop-tarts in the freezer to set up properly before baking.

Fresh from the oven, these pop-tarts can be messy, but doesn’t that make it taste better anyways? Allow the little pies to cool before adorning them with a spoon of glazed icing. I tossed on some sprinkles too because YOLO, right?

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This recipe is for mini round pop tarts make of butter pie crust pasty and simple homemade strawberry fig preserves. Top with an easy confectioner's sugar icing glaze and sprinkles for a fun breakfast or dessert. Find the recipe for the jam and these simple mini hand pie pastries on thewoodandspoon.comThese strawberry fig pop-tarts are incredibly fun and delicious, likely the spunkiest dessert you’ll eat all year. Make these little buddies before the summer is up and don’t forget to just enjoy food from time to time. Be sure to check out my nomination for the “Best Baking and Sweets” category of the SAVEUR Blog Awards. You can vote as many times as you want from now until September 8 by heading to the link in the sidebar of my site. I’ll be popping in this weekend with another treat because I luh you guyz, so happy Monday and have a great week!

If you like these strawberry fig pop-tarts, be sure to check out:

Cherry Lime Hand Pies

Honey Mascarpone Tart with Figs and Salty Graham Cracker Crust

Cranberry Pear Pop-Tarts

Blueberry Galette with a Cornmeal Crust

Peach Berry Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Print

Strawberry Fig Pop-Tarts

Mini strawberry fig pop-tarts are made with buttery pie crust and homemade preserves, topped with a simple sugar glaze. 

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 45
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 12

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 2 1/4 cups (290 gm) of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup (113 gm) butter
  • 1/2 cup (113 gm) shortening
  • 5 tablespoons ice water

For the strawberry fig preserves:

  • 2 cups figs (about 1 pound before stemmed), stemmed and quartered/ mashed
  • 11/2 cups (300 gm) sugar
  • 11/2 ounces of strawberry gelatin ( like Jell-O)

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup (125 gm) powdered sugar
  • 23 teaspoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • food coloring, if desired

Instructions

To prepare the pastry:

  1. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
  2. Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until it is the consistency of a course meal with small, pea-sized chunks of butter throughout. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, tossing gently until pastry comes together in moist clumps. Divide dough in half and pat into two round, flat disks. Wrap with Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

To prepare the strawberry fig preserves:

  1. Add the figs and sugar to a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Mash and stir often until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is well combined. Add the gelatin and bring to a boil, stirring frequently while the mixture cooks for about 7-8 minutes. Mash the figs more if you’d like and then pour the contents into a large canning jar or heat-proof container. Store in the fridge to cool.

To prepare the pop-tarts

  1. Roll out one disk of pastry to ¼” thickness on a floured surface. Using a 3″ biscuit cutter, gently cut rounds of dough. Each Pop-Tart will require two rounds (one for top and one for bottom).
  2. Place one tablespoon of cooled filling on top of half of the rounds.
  3. Top the filled rounds with a second circle of crust and use a fork to crimp the edges. Vent the top of each rectangle by poking the top of the pastry with a fork 2-3 times. Freeze the pop tarts on the baking sheet for at least 2 hours or up to a week.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the tarts, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool before topping with glaze.

To prepare the glaze:

  1. Whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons of milk, and vanilla. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. You want the glaze to be fairly thick but still pourable. Add food coloring if desired. Once pop-tarts have cooled completely, top each pastry with a bit of glaze and allow to set.

Notes

  • If you’d like, feel free to can these preserves! You can triple (or even quadruple!) the recipe and process several batches of cans. See the Ball website (freshpreserving.com) for more help on preserving
  • You will have extra preserves. Save them in an air-tight container in the fridge!

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Cherry Lime Hand Pies

Cherry Lime Hand Pies Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This mini hand pies are personal pop tart desserts filled with ripe summer black and red cherries and zesty lime. A great alternative to fried pies, these desserts are sweet, make ahead, and use a buttery, homemade pie crust that gets flaky and delicious. The recipe is simple but learn all about how to make hand pies and homemade pop-tarts here on thewoodandspoon.com

Everyone cue the candles and the birthday serenades. Today is my old man’s birthday and we’re celebrating with these cherry lime hand pies!

I read something in a book recently that struck a chord. In “Cold Tangerines,” the author, Shauna Niequist, talks about how we often think of our stories as being chiseled in stone- permanent and defined. Shauna suggests that instead, we ought to embrace the art of writing in pencil, living with a willingness to not plan our futures to death. Living in freedom because our story’s uncertainty is one of the few things we get to be certain of.

Once Upon a Time

Growing up, I wasn’t a serial dater or anything, but I certainly had my fair share of romances. In middle school, I had a boyfriend who I never actually spoke words to. We’d pass notes in Pre-Algebra and I’d clutch that sweaty piece of notebook paper in my hands until the gel ink bled and the paper curled to the shape of my palm. No amount of writing “Mrs. Katie SanPedro” on the cover of my spiral notebook could have validated that joke of a relationship, but for 12 year old me, that was it.

Later, at 17, I fell for the bad boy. I planned my lip piercing and changed my hair, all in an effort to become his girlfriend/groupie/MySpace profile picture. Thick eyeliner and a new playlist on my iPod wasn’t enough to lock him in, and it finally fizzled when I found out he made out with a girl at his high school prom (HINT: it wasn’t me). I’m kind of embarrassed for that girl now, but what she learned that year helped write the script for the years that followed.

Over the next 6 years, I fell in love twice and sold out entirely to the idea of being in love. I gave my heart away and planned my future with men who, deep down, I knew would never be my husband. I thought, “If I try harder or loosen up or love more fiercely, maybe it will work this time. Maybe he will be the one.”

Thankful for Being Wrong.

Thank God I was wrong.

I met Brett at an unassuming time in my life and something clicked. He wasn’t perfect. He looked, talked, and walked different from any guy I ever would have cast to play the role of “mine.” And he came with a past, a ledger of heartache and broken years, but he carried them with a sincerity that was raw and beautiful. His strength and self-assuredness allowed me the room to be vulnerable, the space to trust and feel hopeful again. I can remember thinking, “Ok, this is it. Now my life is beginning. This is when it starts.”

Marriage is… Work?

Now, 4 years into marriage and a few breaths away from a new decade, my life is still far from what I planned. Getting married, moving to a new town, and living with a man and two tiny humans that call you “Mama” is enough of a change of pace to trick you into thinking that you know where life is taking you. But amazingly, I’m still feeling my way through the dark at times. Bills, tired eyeballs, and a hell of a lot more work than 26 year old me thought she was marrying into are enough to assure myself that I am far from being able to begin writing in ink. I’m the leading lady of a story that will continue to be scribbled in pencil, the ending forever unknown, at least on this side of heaven.

But I’m starting to be okay with the unknown, or at least I’m trying to be. Each chapter I live makes me smile knowingly at the pages that came before it, as if I’m telling those former versions of myself, “Buckle up. You’re in for a ride, and you’re gonna want to stick around for the ending. Also, quit stressing. It’ll be okay.” I’m thankful that 12, 17, or 22 year old me didn’t plan my 29 year old today. I’m finally thankful for this pencil-written story.

Cherry Lime Hand Pies

To be honest, these cherry lime hand pies have zero to do with Brett’s birthday. He’s already requested mint chocolate sandwich cookies for his special day, but I’m sharing this recipe with you today because these little pies remind me of my bowl of cherries life that I live with him- different from how we both imagined it would be, but sweet and beautiful none the less. He’s proof that it’s okay to write in pencil and to trust in something bigger to jot out your endings. So happy birthday, you old man. These pies are for you.

I was inspired to make these cherry lime hand pies because of a certain sparkling beverage at America’s favorite chain drive-in. Cherry limeade will forever be the one non-alcoholic, non-milkshake beverage that I am willing to spend calories on, because, let’s be honest- it’s delicious. When summer’s bounty of cherries rolls through, I’m tempted to throw them all in a pie and be done with it, but these cherry lime hand pies are a cheeky and fun way to celebrate those juicy reds. So let’s dive in!

How to Make Hand Pies

To start, we need a perfect pie crust. No ordinary pie crust will do, so obviously we will make my favorite, perfect every time pie crust. You can make this ahead of time and freeze, if desired, or just make it a couple of hours in advance so that the dough can chill well. Next, we move on to the filling. Fresh cherries, lime zest, and a bit of cornstarch and sugar round out the majority of the ingredients. They all cook, popping and bubbling, on the stovetop until the whole lot of it becomes thick, rich, and syrupy sweet. Allow the mixture to cool in the fridge completely before you start to assemble your pies.

Filling Hand Pies

When you’re reading to start shaping and filling your cherry lime hand pies, roll out the dough to a thin sheet. Use a large biscuit cutter or a sharp rim of a glass to trim out rounds of dough. Plop a scoop of cherry lime filling right in the middle, and fold the dough over itself, crimping and sealing the edges as you go along. I use a rotary pastry cutter like this to crimp and seal my pies. Give each pie a brush of egg wash and a sprinkle of sugar for color and crunch and then bake them away in a super hot oven.

Baking the Hand Pies

Once baked and slightly cooled, these cherry lime hand pies are flaky, buttery, and full of super sweet juicy fruit. The lime isn’t the star of the show here, so don’t expect a tart hand pie. Instead, you’ll find that subtle lime flavor, cozied up in the background of those syrupy cherries, taking the edge off of what would otherwise be an ultra sweet dessert. Each bite of fruit is surrounded on both sides by flaky pastry, so you can celebrate that extra measure of buttery, flaky goodness. Who doesn’t love the crust the most anyways? So do yourselves a favor- skip the pies and jump straight to the hand pies. Personal dessert, no sharing, extra crust, summer fruit, everyone wins… you get the picture.

Cherry Lime Hand Pies Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This mini hand pies are personal pop tart desserts filled with ripe summer black and red cherries and zesty lime. A great alternative to fried pies, these desserts are sweet, make ahead, and use a buttery, homemade pie crust that gets flaky and delicious. The recipe is simple but learn all about how to make hand pies and homemade pop-tarts here on thewoodandspoon.com

If you want an alternative to those summer fruit pies, I hope you’ll give these cherry lime hand pies a try. Make them for your next summer picnic or backyard shindig and think of me when you dive into all that ripe summer deliciousness. Oh, and don’t forget that there is still time to nominate blogs for the legendary Saveur Blog Awards. If you love the recipes, photos, and TMI life stories that you find on this site, I hope you’ll consider nominating moi. Love you guys times a million, always.

If you like these cherry lime hand pies, check out:

Cranberry Pear Mini Pop-Tarts

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Peach Berry Pie

No-Churn Cherry Chip Ice Cream

Black Forest Ice Cream Cake

Print

Cherry Lime Hand Pies

These cherry lime hand pies are flaky, golden pastries filled with juicy cherries and tart lime zest. The perfect personal dessert!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 45
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 7

Ingredients

  • 1 Recipe Pie Dough (See Notes)
  • ¾ Pound Sweet Cherries, stemmed, cored, and quartered
  • Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • Zest of 1 lime (about 11/2 teaspoons)
  • 1 egg
  • Turbinado or sparkling sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Add the cherries and lime juice to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes until the cherries have softened and the juices have released.
  2. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and lime zest. Add the sugar mixture to the cherry mixture and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove to a heat safe dish and allow to cool completely to room temperature on the counter or in the fridge.
  3. Once the cherries are cooled, roll out the pie dough until it is 1/8” thick. Use a 4” biscuit cutter (see notes) to cut out flat circles of dough for the hand pies. Combine the scraps and, avoiding overworking the dough, re-roll it and continue cutting circles. Place the circles on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Work quickly so that your dough stay chilled. If it gets too warm, put the sheet pan in the freezer or fridge briefly.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Use a pastry brush to paint the perimeter of each dough circle. This will help your edges to stick and crimp together nicely. Spoon out 1 tablespoon of cherry lime filling into the center of each circle and fold them in half, pinching the edge of each half circle to seal. You can use a pastry cutter or the back of a fork to crimp the edges to further seal. Place the sheet pan of hand pies in the freezer to firm up for 2 hours or until well frozen.
  5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush the hand pies with the egg and water mixture and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar if desired. Using a paring knife, cut three small slits in the bottom half of each pie to vent the filling. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pies are golden and well baked. Allow to cool briefly before enjoying.

Notes

  • See my blog archives for my favorite pie dough. You will need ½ of that recipe. You can save the remaining half in the freezer wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
  • If you don’t have a 4” biscuit cutter, you can use a glass or a bowl with a 4-4-1/2” diameter as your stencil and cut the circles out with a knife. I used a rim of a martini glass for my stencil! Do not use a smaller cutter or stencil, as you will not have enough room to put adequate filling in your pies.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Cranberry Pear Mini Pop-Tarts

cranberry pear mini pop tarts recipe by the wood and spoon blog by kate wood. this recipe makes mini hand pie type pop-tarts filled with bits of pears (or apples!) and cranberries. They are baked in the oven until golden and flaky and the whole thing gets topped with a powdered sugar glaze. This is a great way to use leftover pie crusts or to make individual pie crusts. Find the recipe at thewoodandspoon.com

If you follow me on Instagram or have known me for longer than ten minutes, you have probably gathered that I have a bit of a sweet tooth. God bless decent genetics and enough spare time to exercise occasionally because otherwise, I’d be in deep. 

Surprisingly though, I’m a bit of a health-nut//control freak when it comes to my daughter, Aimee. It’s really important to me that she eats appropriately (even if mom cheats a little every now and then daily), so she’s typically pretty limited on what she’s allowed to have. 

Truth be told, this is in part due to me not wanting to deal with a picky eater, and even more embarrassingly, because I don’t always want to share my treats. The day she learned to say the word “cookie”, I pretty much melted and knew my days of solo cookie consuming were over. She’s a girl after my own heart.

pastry dough for cranberry pear mini pop tarts

Needless to say, Aimee has not tried a lot of the foods I really loved when I was a kid. Because my diet as a kid was often a mash-up of processed food faves, I was usually the girl you wanted to make a trade with at the lunch table… and for the record, no, the leftovers from your mom’s mystery meat with cream of whatever soup sauce was NOT a plausible trade for my pizza Lunchable. Good try, though. 

One of my faves growing up was Pop-Tarts. If we’re being honest, I still probably love them, it’s just been a minute since I’ve ventured to that region of the grocery store. After becoming confident with my favorite pie crust recipe, I decided it was time to take a stab at the illusive Pop-Tart.

Ya’ll.

Homemade Pop-Tarts, or this recipe at least, is essentially a mini, personal-sized pie with DOUBLE CRUST. [Drops Mic]

cranberry pear mini pop tarts

Hot out of the oven, these teeny pie bites have a buttery, flaky crust, and tart fruit filling that is as diverse as it is easy to make. If you want to make strawberry filling… well, make strawberry filling! If you’re feeling blueberry and lemon… bake away! Quite often I will use stocked up preserves from the summer and spread those on to the pastry- super simple. No one will ever guess it’s just jam.

We usually have a good variety of pears at our grocery store in the winter months, so I opted to try out a pear and cranberry variety. My house smelled like a winter wonderland while these were in the oven, and I really think this flavor combination makes for a grown-up, sophisticated way of saying, “um, yes, I still love Pop-Tarts.”

Both the pastry and the filling can be made in advance and they require very little active kitchen time. In a pinch, you could always try refrigerated pie crust from the grocery store, but you have my word that the homemade route is the best way to go.

Give these tarts a try and let me know what you think! If you discover a new flavor that is next level, please fill me in.

Happy baking! Oh, and for the record… I won’t be sharing these with Aimee.

cranberry pear mini pop tarts

 

Print

Cranberry Pear Mini Pop- Tarts

An updated take on the classic pastry, these cranberry-pear mini pop-tarts include a flaky crust and tart cranberry pear filling that is delicious treat to serve to kids and adults alike!

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 45
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 12

Ingredients

For the filling

  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup finely diced pear (I used Bartlett but any firm pear for baking will do)
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 tsp. corn starch
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For the pastry

  • 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 5 Tbsp. ice water

Instructions

To prepare the filling

  1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan.
  2. Combine all other ingredients and add to the pan with the butter. Stir frequently over medium heat until cranberries have burst and filling is thick and somewhat uniform, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

To prepare the pastry

  1. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
  2. Cut in butter and shortening with a pastry cutter or fork until it is the consistency of a course meal with small, pea-sized chunks of butter throughout. Add water one tablespoon at a time, tossing gently until pastry comes together in moist clumps. Divide dough in half and pat into two round, flat disks. Wrap with Saran wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

To assemble

  1. Roll out one disk of pastry on to a floured surface to 1/4″ thickness. Using a 3″ biscuit cutter, gently cut rounds of dough. Each Pop-Tart will require two rounds (one for top and one for bottom).
  2. Place one tablespoon of cooled filling on top of half of the rounds.
  3. Top the filled rounds with a second circle of of crust and use a fork to crimp the edges. Vent the top of each rectangle by poking the top of the pastry with a fork 2-3 times. Freeze the pop tarts on the baking sheet for at least 2 hours or up to a week.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the tarts, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool and top with sifted powdered sugar or a glaze of choice.

Notes

  • I used a simple powdered sugar glaze for the pop-tarts pictured, but feel free to get creative!

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!