Patriotic Pop-Tarts

Kick off Memorial Day with golden, flaky Patriotic Pop-Tarts, filled with red, white, and blue fillings — strawberry and blueberry preserves and a creamy vanilla cheesecake filling — finished with a glossy icing and festive sprinkles. Using frozen puff pastry is the key to creating the perfect, crispy vessel for the decadent jam and cream cheese fillings. 

This is also a fantastic way to get the kiddos involved, and you can even let them decorate their own tarts with a variety of sprinkles or colored icing. 

Bring a touch of patriotic flair to your breakfast table with these homemade pop-tarts, which are incredibly easy to make and sure to please any crowd. They make for a delightful breakfast option or a sneaky dessert!

Patriotic Pop-Tarts

Serves 8 tarts | Prep Time: 10 – 15 Mins | Cook Time: 15 -20 Mins

Ingredients

• 1 (14 oz.) box puff pastry, 2 sheets, thawed in the fridge overnight before baking 
• Flour for dusting
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract 
• ⅓ cup strawberry preserves 
• ⅓ cup blueberry preserves 
• 1 egg

Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tbsp. milk
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract 
• Pinch of salt
• Sprinkles for decorating

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, 2 tbsp. powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Set aside.  
3. On a clean countertop, dust with flour and roll out one sheet of puff pastry into a large rectangle about 12”-15” by 8”-10”. Use a pizza cutter to cut into 4 equal rectangles/strips. Repeat with the 2nd sheet of puff pastry; you’ll have 8 strips total. 
4. On one half of each puff pastry strip, leaving a ½-inch border around the edge, add a vertical line to the left center of strawberry preserves (1-2 tsp.), followed by a line of cream cheese (~ 1 tbsp.), and finally a line of blueberry preserves (1-2 tsp). You’ll have lines of red, white, and blue. 
5. Beat 1 egg in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to paint around the edges of the filling. Fold over the other half end of the strip, push out any air inside, and use a fork to crimp around the edges of the pop-tart. Repeat with all the remaining strips. 
6. Place the pop-tarts on the lined baking sheets and brush the tops with egg wash. 
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. 
8. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable (yet thick). 
9. Let the pop-tarts cool slightly. Spread the icing over each tart and sprinkle immediately with red, white, and blue sprinkles or sanding sugar. 
10. Serve immediately.