Vegan Pumpkin Butter Pop-Tarts Recipe

Dreamy Vegan Pumpkin Butter Pop-Tarts Recipe: Cozy Fall Magic

Vegan pumpkin butter pop-tarts represent a delightful twist on a classic childhood treat that reinvents nostalgic memories into a plant-based delight.

Sweet autumn flavors dance through these homemade pastries, promising a culinary adventure beyond store-bought expectations.

Crafting these delectable squares allows you to control ingredients and infuse personal creativity into every bite.

Warm spices mingle with smooth pumpkin, creating a comforting sensation that bridges childhood whimsy with sophisticated baking techniques.

Flaky pastry envelops a rich, spiced filling that captures the essence of seasonal celebrations.

Each pop-tart becomes a canvas for expressing culinary imagination and embracing wholesome, compassionate cooking practices.

The combination of simple ingredients and mindful preparation elevates this recipe from mere snack to a meaningful gastronomic experience.

Why Pumpkin Butter Pop-Tarts Deserve a Spot on Your Table

  • Craft Seasonal Comfort: These pop-tarts capture the warm, cozy essence of autumn with rich pumpkin butter filling, transforming a classic breakfast treat into a vegan delicacy that celebrates seasonal flavors.
  • Elevate Home Baking: The recipe empowers home bakers with a straightforward method using a food processor, making complex pastry techniques accessible and enjoyable for all skill levels.
  • Customize Your Indulgence: Versatile and adaptable, these pop-tarts allow creative freedom with homemade pumpkin butter and optional maple icing, letting bakers personalize their sweet experience.
  • Quick Weekend Treat: With minimal ingredients and simple steps, these pop-tarts can be prepared in under two hours, making them perfect for relaxed weekend mornings or spontaneous baking adventures.

Ingredients That Fill These Autumn Pastries

Crust Ingredients:
  • Unbleached All-Purpose Flour: Base for the pop-tart dough, provides structure and texture.
  • Raw Cane Sugar, Coconut Sugar: Adds subtle sweetness and helps with golden browning.
  • Fine Sea Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness.
  • Plant-Based Butter: Creates flaky, tender crust with rich flavor.
  • Ice Cold Water: Helps bind ingredients and create a smooth dough.
Filling Ingredient:
  • Pumpkin Butter: Smooth, spiced autumn-inspired spread for pop-tart filling.
Maple Icing Ingredients:
  • Powdered Sugar: Creates smooth, sweet glaze for topping.
  • Maple Syrup: Provides natural sweetness with distinct maple flavor.
  • Almond Milk: Helps thin and smooth the icing consistency.
  • Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and warmth to the icing.
  • Ground Cinnamon: Brings warm, complementary spice to the maple icing.
Sealing Ingredient:
  • Coconut Oil: Helps seal pop-tart edges and create golden finish.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Bake These Vegan Treats

Step 1: Prepare The Pastry Dough

Gather these ingredients:
  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Salt
  • Cold vegan butter
  • Ice water

Blend flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor for a few seconds. Add cold vegan butter and pulse until the mixture looks like rough crumbs. Slowly pour ice water while pulsing until the dough comes together smoothly.

Step 2: Chill The Dough

Divide the dough into two equal portions. Wrap each section in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the pastry.

Step 3: Roll And Cut The Pastry

Remove chilled dough from refrigerator. Roll out each portion on a lightly floured surface until thin. Cut into rectangular shapes about 3 inches long. Place cut pieces back in refrigerator for 10 minutes to maintain firmness.

Step 4: Create Pumpkin Butter Filling

Ingredients for filling:
  • Pumpkin puree
  • Maple syrup
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Vanilla extract

Mix all filling ingredients in a small bowl until well combined and smooth.

Step 5: Assemble Pop-Tarts

Spread pumpkin butter on half of the pastry rectangles. Leave a small border around edges. Cover with remaining pastry rectangles. Seal edges using a fork to create crimped borders.

Step 6: Chill And Prepare For Baking

Place assembled pop-tarts on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to help them maintain shape during baking.

Step 7: Bake The Pop-Tarts

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake pop-tarts for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Step 8: Create Maple Glaze

Ingredients for glaze:
  • Powdered sugar
  • Maple syrup
  • Vanilla extract

Whisk ingredients together until smooth and drizzling consistency.

Step 9: Finish And Serve

Allow pop-tarts to cool completely. Drizzle maple glaze over the top. Serve and enjoy your homemade vegan treat!

Quick Tips for Flaky Pastry and Gooey Centers

  • Chill Dough Thoroughly: Refrigerate the dough for the full 30 minutes to ensure flaky, tender pastry that's easy to handle.
  • Roll with Precision: Use a cold marble surface or chilled baking sheet to prevent butter from warming up while rolling out the dough.
  • Seal Edges Carefully: Press edges firmly with a fork to create a tight seal and prevent filling from leaking during baking.
  • Maintain Cold Temperature: Keep assembled pop-tarts chilled before baking to help maintain their shape and create a crisp exterior.
  • Let Cool Completely: Allow pop-tarts to cool entirely before adding maple icing to prevent melting and ensure a smooth, clean finish.

How to Store and Warm Leftovers for Later

  • Refrigerate: Store leftover pop-tarts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, keeping them fresh and preventing staleness.
  • Freeze: Wrap individual pop-tarts in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag to preserve for 2-3 months, ensuring a delicious treat is always within reach.
  • Reheat: Warm refrigerated or thawed pop-tarts in a toaster oven at 350°F for 3-4 minutes, restoring their crispy texture and bringing back that fresh-baked flavor.

Tasty Add-Ons to Enjoy with Your Pop-Tarts

  • Brew Warm Spiced Chai: Complement the pumpkin butter's cozy flavor with a creamy chai tea, its cardamom and cinnamon notes dancing perfectly with the pop-tart's seasonal warmth.
  • Pair with Vanilla Almond Milk: The smooth, nutty milk balances the pop-tart's sweet maple icing and provides a cool, refreshing contrast to the pastry's warm, flaky texture.
  • Serve Alongside Caramel Apple Compote: This rich, autumn-inspired side adds depth to the pop-tart, creating a symphony of fall flavors that enhance the pumpkin butter's natural sweetness.
  • Enjoy with Spiced Pecan Coffee: A robust coffee infused with pecan and warming spices elevates the pop-tart's buttery crust and brings out the deeper, more complex pumpkin notes.

Creative Versions of This Pumpkin Snack

  • Spiced Apple Butter Pastry Pockets: Swap pumpkin butter for homemade apple butter and add cinnamon to the dough for a warm, autumnal flavor profile.
  • Chocolate Hazelnut Breakfast Squares: Replace pumpkin butter with vegan chocolate hazelnut spread and sprinkle crushed hazelnuts on top for extra crunch.
  • Berry Jam Handheld Treats: Use your favorite seedless berry jam instead of pumpkin butter, adding a bright and tangy alternative to the original recipe.
  • Savory Herb Breakfast Parcels: Create a savory version by filling with caramelized onion spread and incorporating rosemary or thyme into the pastry dough for a sophisticated brunch option.
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Vegan Pumpkin Butter Pop-Tarts Recipe

Vegan Pumpkin Butter Pop-Tarts Recipe


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4.8 from 37 reviews

  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x

Description

Homemade vegan pumpkin butter pop-tarts bring nostalgia and comfort to autumn afternoons. Flaky pastry envelops smooth pumpkin filling, creating a delightful treat you’ll savor with each delicious, warm bite.


Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients:

  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cold plant-based butter, cubed
  • ½ cup pumpkin butter

Sweeteners and Seasonings:

  • 3 tablespoons raw cane sugar (or coconut sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Liquid Ingredients:

  • 610 tablespoons ice cold water
  • ½ tablespoon almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

Instructions

  1. Create a fine, uniform mixture of flour, sugar, and salt by pulsing in a food processor.
  2. Incorporate cold butter into the dry ingredients, processing until the texture resembles rough, uneven crumbs.
  3. Slowly introduce ice water while pulsing the processor, allowing the dough to gradually come together into a cohesive mass.
  4. Separate the dough into two portions, wrap each securely in plastic film, and refrigerate for half an hour to firm up.
  5. Gently roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface, cutting into precise rectangular shapes.
  6. Return the cut pastry rectangles to the refrigerator for 10 minutes to maintain their crisp edges.
  7. Carefully spread pumpkin butter across half of the chilled dough rectangles, leaving a small border around the edges.
  8. Brush coconut oil along the pastry edges to help seal, then delicately place the remaining dough rectangles on top.
  9. Crimp and press the edges firmly with a fork to create a secure seal and decorative border.
  10. Chill the assembled pop-tarts for an additional 20 minutes to help them maintain their shape during baking.
  11. Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the pop-tarts until they turn golden brown and crisp, approximately 15-20 minutes.
  12. Allow the pastries to cool completely on a wire rack, then generously drizzle with maple icing for a sweet finish.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough and assembled pop-tarts ensures a flaky, tender crust that melts in your mouth.
  • Keep leftover pop-tarts refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days, perfect for quick breakfast or snack moments.
  • Prep Time: 70 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 12
  • Calories: 250
  • Sugar: 12 g
  • Sodium: 200 mg
  • Fat: 10 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 38 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
Alex Reed

Alex Reed

Founder & Lead Content Writer

Expertise

Recipe Development and Testing​, Culinary Education​, Food Writing and Blogging​, Sustainable Cooking Practices, Global Cuisine Exploration

Education

Johnson & Wales University

  • Degree: Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Comprehensive training in classical and contemporary cooking techniques, kitchen management, and menu development. Emphasized hands-on experience in diverse culinary traditions.​

Le Cordon Bleu Paris

  • Program: Diplôme de Cuisine
  • Focus: Advanced instruction in French culinary techniques, including sauce preparation, pâtisserie, and haute cuisine.​

Alex Reed is an inventive chef and food creator with a passion for dishes that balance taste, health, and sustainability. 

Trained at Portland Community College and holding an Advanced Pastry Arts certificate from Oregon Culinary Institute, Alex brings more than 10 years of practical culinary experience to every recipe he develops. 

His background uniquely blends traditional cooking skills with modern, mindful eating principles. As the founder of Beard and Bonnet, Alex creates recipes that encourage readers to cook confidently.

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