Sourdough Discard Pop Tarts with Blueberry Filling
I still remember ripping open that silver foil package as a kid and splitting a pop tart with my brother. We always ended up with strawberry or chocolate, and we fought over who got to pick the flavor every single time. These days my pick is blueberry, mostly because frozen blueberries are a pantry staple in my kitchen. That’s how these sourdough discard pop tarts became a regular around here.
These are flaky and buttery, with a quick blueberry jam made right on the stove and a simple glaze made with that same blueberry juice. They’re a great way to use up your sourdough discard, and blueberry is just where I started. Any fruit works, so make them with whatever you love.
They’re also easier than you’d think. There’s no yeast, no rise time, and no lamination, just mix, chill, roll, fill, and bake. They keep in the fridge for about a week, although I can’t promise they’ll last that long. And like everything I post here, I made this, photographed it, and ate it before I wrote a single word of this post.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses your discard. One cup of sourdough discard goes straight into the dough, so nothing gets tossed.
- Flaky, buttery crust. Cold butter cut into the flour gives you real layers, no lamination required.
- Homemade jam in minutes. Frozen blueberries, a little sugar, and lemon juice cook down on the stove.
- Any fruit works. Strawberry, peach, cherry, apple, or a jar of your favorite jam all fit.
- Glaze with a purpose. The icing uses the blueberry juice from the filling, so it hints at what’s inside.
- Beginner friendly. There is no rise time and no proofing, just mix, chill, roll, fill, and bake.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- Sourdough discard. One cup, straight from the fridge. Since these are sweet, use discard that isn’t too old so there are no sour off-notes.
- Cold butter. Cut into pea-sized pieces so the crust bakes up flaky. Keep it cold.
- All-purpose flour. The base of the dough.
- White sugar and salt. A little sweetness in the dough and a pinch of salt to balance it.
- Milk. Only if the dough needs a little help coming together.
- Frozen blueberries. My pantry staple. They cook down into a jammy filling on the stove.
- Lemon juice and cornstarch. The lemon brightens the filling, and a cornstarch slurry thickens it so it doesn’t leak.
- Egg. For the egg wash, so the tops bake up golden.
- Powdered sugar and blueberry juice. For the glaze. Milk works too.
Equipment
You don’t need anything fancy for this one. (Some links below are affiliate links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.)
Pastry cutter: For cutting the cold butter into pea-sized pieces. No pastry cutter? Two forks or a box grater on frozen butter work too.
Pastry brush: For the egg wash.
Baking sheets: For baking the pop tarts.
Parchment paper: Keeps the pop tarts from sticking.
Rolling pin: For rolling the dough into an even sheet.
Kitchen scale: For the gram measurements.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A great use for your discard. One cup goes straight into the dough, so nothing gets tossed.
- Flaky, buttery crust. Cold butter cut into the flour gives you real layers.
- Homemade jam in minutes. Frozen blueberries, a little sugar, and lemon juice cook down on the stove.
- Any fruit works. Strawberry, cherry, peach, apple, or a jar of your favorite jam all fit.
- A glaze that matches. It uses the blueberry juice from the filling, and it gives a rich color that hints at what’s inside the pastry.
- No rise time. No yeast and no proofing, just mix, chill, roll, fill, and bake.
- Make-ahead friendly. They keep in the fridge for about a week.
Tips for Success
- Keep the butter cold. Those pea-sized pieces are what make the crust flaky. If the dough gets warm and sticky while you work, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Don’t skip the chill. Thirty minutes in the fridge makes the dough much easier to roll and helps it hold its shape in the oven.
- Add the milk slowly. Only use it if the dough won’t come together, a tablespoon at a time.
- Use fresh discard. Older discard can taste sour, which shows up more in a sweet recipe.
- Cool the filling completely. Warm jam melts the butter in the dough and makes sealing messy.
- Don’t overfill. About 1 1/2 tablespoons per pop tart is plenty. Too much will push out the sides.
- Roll and cut an even number of pieces. Every pop tart needs a bottom and a top.
- Poke the holes. Vent every top layer with a fork so steam can escape and the pop tarts don’t burst.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use milk instead of an egg wash? Yes. Brush the tops with a little milk instead. They’ll bake up a bit lighter and less shiny than with egg, but still golden.
Can I use a different fruit? Yes. Cook down any frozen or fresh fruit with a little sugar and lemon juice, or use a thick store-bought jam. For the glaze, use the juice from whichever fruit you cooked, or swap in milk and a drop of food coloring.
Can I use jam from the store? Yes. Pick a thick jam, because thin, runny jam will leak out the sides. If yours is loose, cook it down briefly or stir in a little cornstarch slurry.
Can I use fresh blueberries instead of frozen? Yes. Cook them the same way until they break down and thicken.
Why did my pop tarts burst open? Usually it’s too much filling, edges that weren’t sealed well, or top layers that weren’t vented. Use about 1 1/2 tablespoons per pop tart, crimp the edges with a fork, and poke holes in the top.
How long do they keep? In an airtight container in the fridge, about a week, though they tend to disappear sooner.
Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes, and letting the dough sit for a few days really helps to deepen the sourdough flavor. But I typically bake mine right away since we don’t like to wait ðŸ¤
If you make this, tag me @thattablefortwo, I’d love to see it!
Breakfast · Dessert · Snack
Sourdough Discard Pop Tarts
Flaky, buttery sourdough discard pop tarts filled with homemade blueberry jam and topped with a simple glaze. Swap in any fruit, and they keep in the fridge (if they last that long…)
Ingredients
Pop Tart Dough
Blueberry Filling
Egg Wash
Glaze
Equipment
Instructions
- Make the filling. Cook the frozen blueberries on the stove with the lemon juice and sugar until they break down into a jammy filling. Spoon off a little of the juice and save it for the glaze. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and keep cooking until the filling thickens, then let it cool completely.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Cut in the butter. Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter to cut it into pea-sized chunks.
- Add the discard. Stir in the sourdough discard until a dough starts to form. If it’s too crumbly to come together, add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Chill the dough. Form the dough into a disc and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before rolling.
- Preheat. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll and cut. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut it into rectangles. Cut an even number of pieces, because every pop tart needs a bottom and a top.
- Fill. Place the bottom pieces on the lined baking sheet. Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cooled filling in the center of each, leaving a border.
- Top and seal. Lay a second rectangle over each one and press the edges to seal, using a fork to crimp.
- Vent. Poke holes in the top layer with a fork so steam can escape and the pop tarts don’t burst in the oven.
- Egg wash. Brush the tops with the beaten egg.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Make the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar with the blueberry juice (or milk) until smooth. Add a drop of food coloring if you like.
- Glaze. Let the pop tarts cool, then spread or drizzle the glaze over the tops and let it set.
Notes
- Any fruit filling works. Use a thick jam, or cook down fruit with a little sugar and lemon juice.
- Use fresh sourdough discard since this is a sweet recipe.
- Milk can replace the egg wash. They’ll bake up a bit lighter.
- Storage: keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week.
- Time saver: the jam is mostly hands off, so cook it while the dough chills. That brings the total down to about 1 hr 25 min.
Nutrition is an estimate per serving and will vary with brands and portion sizes.
Leave a Reply