Last updated on October 16th, 2026 at 03:56 pm
These homemade pumpkin pie pop tarts have crisp edges, a spiced pumpkin center and a maple cinnamon glaze. The pastries are easy to make as the filling is cooked briefly and the recipe includes refrigerated pie crust, so you don’t have to make dough from scratch.
The important steps are simple: cool the filling, portion it out, seal the edges and chill the pastries before baking. Let them cool thoroughly and glaze them. For other fillings and pastry styles, see our homemade Pop Tarts recipes.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- The filling is cooked first. A short cook thickens the pumpkin mixture so it is easier to portion without spreading onto the pastry edges.
- The pastry stays cold. Refrigerated crust keeps preparation simple, while the short freezer rest firms the assembled pastries before baking.
- The filling and glaze stay controlled. One level tablespoon leaves room for a firm seal. Adding the glaze only after cooling helps it stay on top instead of running off. time each solve a different problem: flavor, structure, and a glaze that stays where you spread it.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Stir pumpkin puree, brown sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes until thick and spreadable. Cool completely.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment, and cut sixteen 3-by-5-inch rectangles from two refrigerated pie crusts.
- Place eight pastry rectangles on the tray. Add 1 level tablespoon cooled filling to each, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush only the border with egg wash.
- Top with the remaining pastry rectangles, press out air, crimp firmly with a fork, prick each top 3-4 times, and brush with the remaining egg wash.
- Freeze the assembled pastries for 10 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20-22 minutes, rotating once, until the edges and bottoms are golden.
- Cool on a wire rack. Whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and cinnamon into a thick glaze, spread it over the pastries, and add optional jimmies.
Notes
- Store fully cooled glazed pastries airtight at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days.
- Freeze sealed unbaked pastries for up to 1 month.
- Reheat in an oven or toaster oven rather than a slot toaster.
Ingredient Notes
The recipe card lists the full quantities. These notes explain what to choose and how each ingredient helps.
Tips for Store-Bought Pie Crust Pop Tarts
This recipe already uses two refrigerated pie crusts; they are the main method, not an extra shortcut. For store-bought pie crust pop tarts, choose a crust made without lard and keep the dough cool while cutting and filling.
If the crust cracks when you unroll it, follow the package’s brief softening instructions. If it becomes sticky or difficult to lift, chill it again before continuing.
Packaged crusts vary in size and thickness. Check that yours can provide the sixteen matching rectangles needed for eight pastries before adding any filling.
Pumpkin Puree Versus Pumpkin Pie Filling
Use plain, unsweetened pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin pie mix already contains sugar and spices, so it is not a direct substitute for the puree in this recipe.
When comparing pumpkin puree versus pumpkin pie filling, check the ingredient label. Plain puree contains pumpkin, while pie filling already includes sugar and spices. King Arthur Baking’s pumpkin baking guide explains why substituting pie filling for puree can make a recipe too sweet or heavily spiced.
Brown Sugar, Flour, and Spice
- Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness and a mild molasses flavor. Measure it packed, as listed in the card.
- All-purpose flour: Helps thicken the pumpkin filling during cooking. Stir it in thoroughly so no dry pockets remain.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Seasons the plain puree. Do not use sweetened pie filling in addition to the listed sugar and spice.
- Vanilla and salt: Round out the filling’s flavor. Choose an alcohol-free vanilla extract or flavoring.
Egg Wash
The egg wash is one large egg beaten with one tablespoon of water. Brush a thin layer onto the bare pastry borders before sealing, then brush the assembled tops.
Avoid puddles along the edges. The dough still needs firm pressing and crimping to seal.
Maple-Cinnamon Glaze
Powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and cinnamon make the glaze. Start with one tablespoon of milk and add more gradually, staying within the amount in the recipe card.
The glaze should spread with a spoon rather than pour off the pastry. The vanilla belongs in the pumpkin filling; no extra vanilla is needed in the glaze.
The fall-colored jimmies are optional. Check their ingredients and choose gelatin-free sprinkles.
How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts
Prepare the filling first so it can cool while you organize the pastry and baking sheet.
Total time: 1 hour and 22 minutes
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Thicken and cool the filling
– Combine the pumpkin puree, packed light brown sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan.
– Cook over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom to prevent sticking. The filling should become thick and spreadable, not runny. A spoonful should hold its shape rather than immediately flatten.
– Transfer it to a shallow bowl and let it cool completely. Warm filling will soften the pastry and make assembly harder. -
Prepare the Oven and Cut the Pastry
– Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
– Work with one crust at a time, keeping the other refrigerated. Use a ruler and sharp knife to cut matching 3-by-5-inch rectangles, gently rerolling scraps as needed.
– You need sixteen pieces: eight bottoms and eight tops. Count them before filling, and pair pieces of similar size. Keep the cut pastry chilled if it starts to soften. -
Fill the Bottoms and Brush the Borders
– Beat the egg with one tablespoon of water to make the egg wash.
– Arrange eight pastry bottoms on the lined sheet, leaving space between them. Spoon one level tablespoon of completely cooled filling onto each piece.
– Spread the filling gently, leaving a clean ½-inch border all around. Brush that bare border lightly with egg wash.
– Do not divide all the filling among the pastries simply to use it up. Set aside any remaining filling rather than overfilling the centers. -
Seal and vent
– Place a matching pastry rectangle over each filled bottom.
– Press gently around the filling to push out trapped air, then press the borders together. Crimp the edges firmly with a fork without cutting through the dough.
– Prick each top 3–4 times to let steam escape. Brush the tops lightly with the remaining egg wash.
If filling has reached an edge, wipe it away before pressing that section closed. -
Chill and bake
– Freeze the assembled pastries for 10 minutes.
– Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20–22 minutes, rotating the sheet once during baking.
– Look for golden edges and bottoms, not just a browned top. Carefully lift one pastry with a spatula to check underneath. If the bottoms are still pale, continue baking and check again shortly.
– Transfer the pastries to a wire rack and let them cool completely. -
Glaze and finish
– Whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and one tablespoon of milk until smooth.
– Add a little more milk only if needed. Stop when the glaze is thick enough to spread and stay on the pastry.
– Spread it over the cooled tops and add the optional jimmies while the glaze is still wet. Let the glaze set before stacking or packing the pastries.
Tips and Variations
Tips for Crisp Pastry and Firm Seams
- Keep the dough cool. If it becomes floppy or sticky, pause and chill it. Warm dough is harder to move and seal neatly.
- Measure the filling level. A heaped spoonful can push filling into the border and weaken the seal.
- Keep the border clean. Egg wash belongs on bare dough, not on top of the pumpkin filling.
- Check underneath. A golden top does not always mean the bottom has finished baking.
- Cool before glazing. Even slightly warm pastries can thin the glaze and make it run.
Air Fryer Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts
To make air fryer pumpkin pie pop tarts, assemble, seal, vent, and chill them as described above.
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Arrange the pastries in a single layer with room around them for airflow. Cook for 8–10 minutes per batch, checking from 8 minutes and continuing as needed until the pastry is cooked through and the bottoms are golden.
Basket size, pastry thickness, and airflow affect cooking time. Keep the remaining pastries chilled while each batch cooks, and cool them before glazing.
For a separate guide to this cooking method, see these air fryer homemade pop tarts.
Vegan Pumpkin Pop Tarts
For vegan pumpkin pop tarts, choose a vegan pie crust and use plant milk in the glaze.
Replace the egg wash with a light brushing of plant milk on the borders and tops. Press and crimp the borders carefully; plant milk will not give exactly the same finish as egg wash, and the pastries may brown less deeply.
The pumpkin filling does not need an egg or dairy substitute. Check the sugar, vanilla flavoring, and optional sprinkles to make sure they meet your requirements.
Storage and Freezing
Storing Baked Pop Tarts
Let the pastries cool completely before putting them in a container. Refrigerate them in an airtight container, separating stacked layers with parchment so the glaze does not stick.
For a make-ahead batch, leave the pastries unglazed when possible. Add the glaze after reheating and cooling, rather than warming an already decorated top.
Refrigerate any unused cooked filling separately.
Freezing Before Baking
Follow the recipe card’s make-ahead method: freeze the sealed, unbaked pastries on a parchment-lined tray until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container for up to one month.
Separate layers with parchment and keep the pastries unglazed.
Bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C), allowing extra time beyond the usual baking window. Use golden edges and bottoms as the finishing cue rather than relying only on the timer.
Cool completely before glazing.
Reheating
Use an oven or toaster oven to warm the pastries and refresh the edges. Unglazed pastries are easier to reheat neatly; an existing glaze may soften or melt.
Do not put glazed homemade pop tarts in a slot toaster. Glaze can drip into the appliance, and filling can escape through a seam.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Homemade Pop Tart Ideas
Choose another filling based on the flavor you want:
- For another warm-spiced filling: Homemade apple cinnamon pop tarts use cooked apples for a fruit-filled alternative.
- For a classic jam filling: Homemade strawberry pop tarts pair strawberry filling with a strawberry glaze.
- For a different berry flavor: Homemade blueberry pop tarts offer a blueberry-filled pastry with icing that sets.
Save These Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts
Save these homemade pumpkin pie pop tarts for a fall breakfast or baking day. Keep the pastry cold, leave room for the seal, and wait until the pastries are cool before glazing.
For another individually portioned pumpkin dessert, try these mini pumpkin cheesecakes.
