Once you try these Homemade Toaster Pastries, you will never go back to the store-bought stuff! Flaky, buttery, tender and filled with sweet strawberry spread. They are perfect as an on-the-go breakfast or as an after school treat! Looking for more back-to-school snacks you can feel good about serving? Make sure to also check out my Ham and Cheese Rolls, Honey Garlic Glazed Chicken Nuggets, Chocolate Dipped Cinnamon Pecan Biscotti and Earl Grey Tea Cakes. It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties that I tried my first toaster pastry. We don’t have them in Brazil and the idea of pastry filled with jam sounded absolutely delicious! But… they were quite underwhelming. They were overly sweet and quite dry and soft, lacking the flakiness I had envisioned. Needless to say, I haven’t touched them ever since! Until now. You see, now that I have kids, I feel obligated to let them enjoy all the perks of a classic American childhood. And that includes toaster pastries. So I decided to come up with a homemade recipe of these popular toaster pastries, and I’m quite happy with the results! They are everything I envisioned before I actually had store-bought. The combination of the buttery, flaky crust with the sweet strawberry filling really delivers! If you’re looking for a nice back-to-school treat that is delicious but easy to make, look no further. These homemade pastries will hopefully win your heart like they’ve won mine!
What are Toaster Pastries?
Toaster pastries are a popular American treat. They are filled with something sweet (usually fruit) and sometimes frosted. They are enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack. Originally called fruit scones, they are sold precooked but designed to be warmed in a toaster or microwave. That being said, toasting is not necessary, as they are edible right out of the packaging!
Ingredients
To make strawberry toaster pastries, you will need:
Flour – You will need all-purpose flour to make the pie dough. I don’t recommend using pastry flour, as it makes a very tender crust, and we need the crust to be somewhat sturdy for these treats.Sugar and Salt – To enhance the flavor of the crust.Butter – You’ll need lots of butter (2 sticks + 2 tablespoons) and it has to be ice cold! Water – A little bit of ice water to form the pie dough, plus a few tablespoons to make the icing.Strawberry Jam – I am a fan of Welch’s® Natural Strawberry Spread for its vibrant and refreshing fruit flavors. You’ll use it to fill the pastries and to give a little color to the icing.Egg – For the egg wash.Confectioners Sugar – To make the icing.Vanilla Extract – To flavor the icing.
OPTIONAL: sprinkles for decorating!
What to use to fill the toaster pastries?
There are so many toaster pastries varieties at the store! Filled with fruit (strawberry, cherry, Concord grape, raspberry), brown sugar cinnamon, s’mores, chocolate fudge and many more! Here am I focusing on strawberry spread-filled toaster pastries, but you can experiment with other flavors if you’d like. If you choose to make them with strawberry, like me, I highly recommend Welch’s Naturals Strawberry Spread, which I find at Walmart. Not only it tastes delicious, but it is sourced from real fruit with no artificial colors/flavors and no high fructose corn-syrup. And 100% of profits go to American family farmers! ♥️
How to Make Homemade Toaster Pastries
Making toaster pastries at home is as easy as making pie crust and filling it with jam! Yes, you will need to take a few precautions so your pastries don’t leak in the oven, but I consider this to be a recipe most people can make, achieving good results. And, as with everything in life, practice makes perfect! The more you make these, the better they will be! If pie crust is something you struggle with, you can buy pie dough in the supermarket. But the results won’t be as buttery/flaky! Recommended tools and equipment: Large bowl or food processor, baking sheet, parchment paper, rolling pin, pastry brush. Here’s how I make this homemade toaster pastry recipe. As always, you will find the printable (and more complete) version of the recipe at the end of this post!
Step 1: Make the dough.
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl or in your food processor.Add the cubed cold butter and work it into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly drizzle ice cold water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring with a wide rubber spatula and folding the mixture over itself until it forms a dough.Form the dough into a ball and divide in half. Press each half into a disc and wrap them tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up and relax the gluten, which will make it easier to roll. You can also keep this dough in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Step 2: Cut the dough and assemble the pastries.
Roll each dough disc into a 1/8-inch thick rectangle, about 8″ x 12″. Trim off the edges and mark 3 in intervals across the dough rectangle. Using a pastry wheel, bench knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough all the way across. You should get 4 rectangles.Repeat with the second disc. You should end up with 8 rectangles total.Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of the bottom part of each rectangle, leaving a half inch border.Brush the borders with egg wash, then carefully fold the top part over the bottom, using your fingers to press firmly around the pocket of filling, to seal the dough well.Using a fork, press a pattern on the sides.Place the unbaked pastries in a baking sheet and pop in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm them up.
Step 3: Bake and Frost!
Brush the pastries with egg wash.Bake the pastries at 375º until golden. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting!Make the frosting by whisking the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon jam and vanilla extract. Add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until you reach icing consistency!Once the pastries are cool, drizzle or spread the frosting on them and, if desired, garnish with sprinkles or crushed freeze dried strawberries.
Storage and Freezing
Store your homemade toaster pastries in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate for up to a week. FREEZING – When unglazed, these pastries also freeze well. Once they are completely cool, arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil, and freeze until solid. Once they are solid, you can transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge. REHEATING – If you wish to reheat them, place them in the oven – at 350ºF – for about 10 minutes. NOTE: Do not attempt to reheat homemade toaster pastries upright in a toaster. The filling might leak and burn!
