If you were born after the year 1964, you have probably had Pop-Tarts at some point in your life. Pop-Tarts were a revolutionary way to eat breakfast back in the day, because of the convenience and ease of eating already-prepared breakfast foods. But with the modernization of food production also came highly processed ingredients that increased the stability of a food product’s shelf life.
We decided to bring back good old home economics and make our own version of healthy pop tarts from scratch. This healthy pop tart recipe is Paleo-friendly, gluten and grain free, and free of dairy.
To make a healthy pop tart recipe, I started with cassava and almond flours. Both types of flour are naturally gluten and grain free, making them great alternatives to traditional wheat or all-purpose flour. Making homemade dough is not an easy task, especially without gluten. From a baking perspective, gluten helps provide structure and elasticity to dough. It also helps the dough to rise. Since many people struggle with digesting gluten, the paleo diet is a good alternative for baking recipes and ideas. In order to recreate a conventional texture and structure in paleo baked goods, you usually need two different types of flours or starches.
You really want a flaky type of crust when making a homemade pop tart recipe. Using a solid type of fat like coconut oil will help achieve that. It is important, however, to keep the coconut oil solid and to use other cold ingredients like cold water and a cold egg. When mixing the dough, the dough will be a little chunky throughout, but will mesh together easily when you ball it up in order to roll it out. The egg helps bind the flour together while also helping it rise when baking.
It is important to use excess cassava flour to cover the surface and rolling pin when working with the dough. This prevents the dough from sticking so you can create an even, flat area of dough to work with. Cut out even rectangles for each side of these paleo raspberry pop tarts, using a ruler if necessary to keep them straight. Be sure to cut out an even number of rectangles so that you have a top and bottom crust for this healthy pop tart recipe. I was able to make five total homemade pop tarts.
Layer the bottom dough rectangle with the homemade raspberry filling, leaving room around the edges. Top each rectangle with the top dough layer. Gently press the edges together with your fingers or a fork to create lines around the edges. A baker’s tip: Cut small openings on the top crust layer to release steam while baking and prevent big air bubbles from occurring.
To create a delicious frosting, I used the Vital Proteins Mixed Berry Collagen Peptides to complement the raspberry filling. It contains dried berries and cherries combined with classic Collagen Peptides. The frosting is so smooth and creamy, no one could even guess there is collagen protein in there!
If you want a delicious breakfast treat that is healthy, paleo-friendly and reminiscent of a childhood treat, you definitely will want to make this healthy pop tart recipe.
Homemade Pop Tart Recipe
Yields 5 Homemade Pop Tarts
Dough Ingredients:- 1 C cassava flour
- ½ C almond flour
- ½ t sea salt
- 2 T maple syrup
- 4 T coconut oil, solid
- ¼ C cold water
- 1 egg
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 T lemon juice
- ¼ C water
- 1 T chia seed
- 1 T coconut sugar (optional)*
- ¼ C coconut butter or manna
- ¼ C coconut oil, melted
- 2 T maple syrup
- 1 scoop Vital Proteins Mixed Berry Collagen Peptides
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in cassava flour, almond flour and salt and whisk together.
- Add in maple syrup, solid coconut oil, cold water and egg and whisk together using a hand-held or standing mixer until a uniform dough is created.
- On a clean surface, sprinkle extra cassava flour to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Add extra cassava flour onto a rolling pin, and roll out the dough flat until its about ¼ inch thick. Cut 3 inch by 4 inch rectangles from the dough.
- Roll out the dough as many times as needed until you cut 10 even rectangles pieces of dough.
- In a small pot, place raspberries, lemon juice, water, chia seed and coconut sugar (if desired) inside.
- Heat to medium-low heat until mixture is simmering and turn to low. Stir every few minutes and remove from heat once the mixture has reduced by about half and is thick in texture.
- Lay 5 pieces of the dough onto the parchment paper on the baking sheet. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of raspberry filling onto the piece of dough, leaving about one-fourth an inch around the edges. Continue this for the other four pieces.
- Place the five remaining dough pieces on top of each raspberry-filled piece.
- Gently press the edges together and use a fork to create lines all around the edges. Use a knife to cut small openings on top of the dough to help release steam while baking.
- Place in the oven and bake for 18 minutes. While pop tarts are baking, whisk together coconut butter, melted coconut oil, maple syrup and Mixed Berry Collagen Peptides in a small mixing bowl.
- Whisk together until smooth. When pop tarts are baked and slightly cooled, spread mixed berry frosting onto each pop tart and serve immediately.