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This vegan maple pumpkin pop tarts recipe features an irresistible maple icing and the flakiest, tastiest pastry crust made with coconut oil!
I’m not even going to lie, this vegan pop tarts recipe has me bouncing off the walls with excitement. Could be the sugar rush, could be the fact that it combines the most fantastic fall flavors with one of my all-time favorite childhood treats. Who’s to say.
Growing up I absolutely lived for pop tarts, and now that I think about it I was pretty crazy about their savory counterpart, hot pockets, too. I guess I was just really into handheld pastries that contained any sort of yumminess enrobed in a buttery, flaky crust. Isn’t everyone?
So being able to make them now from scratch without any of those weird artificial ingredients and preservatives I had no idea I was consuming as a child (no judgement, mom) is kind of the coolest thing ever to me.
So without further ado, may I present this all-natural Vegan Maple Pumpkin Pop Tarts recipe. Undoubtfully, the most autumnal pop tarts flavour imaginable – all accented with an irresistible maple icing.
Why these Vegan Maple Pumpkin Pop Tarts outshine your childhood memories:
- They are super easy to make. The vegan pie dough comes together within minutes using a food processor and does not even need to be chilled before rolling it out.
- By adding naturally sweet banana to the pumpkin filling, we can reduce the amount of sugar in this pop tarts recipe.
- Maple sugar sprinkled on top adds a nice crunch and a festive touch to these autumnal pop tarts.
- I included a vegan egg wash in the recipe to help the pop tarts achieve a lovely golden hue.
I’ve been shying away from dairy more and more lately, so for these Vegan Maple Pumpkin Pop Tarts, I decided to experiment with a vegan pie crust.
Vegan Pie Crust is made with solid coconut oil in place of butter, and I have to say the results are simply mouthwatering. Super flaky, and not a trace of coconut flavor (if that sort of thing turns you off). I will definitely be using this pie crust recipe again and again.
To chill or not to chill the pie dough:
The first time I made this vegan pie dough I chilled it like I would with any pie crust recipe and then had quite a difficult time rolling it out to the desired thinness and size, even after letting it rest and come to room temperature.
So I scrapped it, started over, and this time rolled out the dough immediately and had no trouble at all. So that’s why the recipe does not include chilling time for the dough.
What’s your experience with vegan pastry doughs? To chill or not to chill?
Tips for this vegan pop tarts recipe:
- When making the maple icing, make sure to use a high-quality maple extract, like this one from Frontier Co-Op . It yields vastly superior flavor to the artificial maple extract I had used previously.
- For the pumpkin filling, you can use canned pumpkin or make the filling yourself (see FAQ section below).
- When making the pie dough, add your cold water slowly and stop when the dough starts to come together.
Variations on this pop tarts recipe:
- Instead of pumpkin puree, you can also use mashed butternut squash or sweet potatoes.
- For a low-sugar pop tarts recipe, swap powdered sugar for Swerve or simply serve them unglazed.
- You can swap almond milk for coconut milk in both glaze and pie dough.
- Coconut sugar can be used instead of brown sugar when making the pumpkin filling.
FAQ:
Can I make pumpkin puree from a fresh pumpkin?
Yes, of course, you can. Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Cut the pumpkin ( or squash, if using) in half, stem to base. Remove seeds and the pulp using a spoon. Cover each half with foil. Bake in the preheated oven, foil side up, 1 hour, or until tender.
Scrape the pumpkin meat from shell and puree it in a blender. Strain to remove any remaining stringy pieces.
How do I store these Vegan Maple Pumpkin Pop Tarts?
Homemade pop tarts can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for about 2-3 days, or they can be frozen unglazed.
Can I reheat these Vegan Pumpkin Pop Tarts?
Reheating them works best if they are unglazed so if you want your pop tarts warm, make sure to only glaze as many pop tart as you feel you can eat in one sitting. You can slowly reheat them in a 320 F warm oven for about 5 minutes.
If you make these Vegan Maple Pumpkin Pop Tarts, share a picture on Instagram with #LePetitEats, I just love seeing your kitchen creations!
This vegan maple pumpkin pop tarts recipe features an irresistible maple icing and the flakiest, tastiest vegan pastry crust made with coconut oil!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword pop tarts, pumpkin pop tarts, vegan pop tarts
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 340 kcal
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING:
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 mashed banana
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
FOR THE DOUGH:
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup solid coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/3 cup ice water plus more if necessary
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup
FOR THE ICING:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp. almond milk
- 1/8 tsp. maple extract
- Maple sugar for topping (optional)
Instructions
For the filling:
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, mashed banana, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove until well combined. Chill in the refrigerator while dough is being prepared.
For the dough:
Place flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add coconut oil and pulse until a crumbly texture forms. Gradually add 1/3 cup water and continue to pulse until dough just begins to come together. Add more water if necessary.
Turn dough onto a clean, dry surface that has been dusted with flour and knead into a flat disc.
Cut disc half and place one half onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick and 9x12 inches in size. Cut dough into eight rectangles each measuring 3×4 inches. Use a ruler to help make this process easier and more accurate. Repeat with the remaining disc for a total of sixteen rectangles.
Arrange eight of the rectangles spaced evenly apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of chilled pumpkin filling into the center of each rectangle, spreading evenly but leaving it on each side so that the filling does not spill outside the edges when baking.
Dampen fingertips with water and dab along uncoated edges of pop tarts. Top each with another rectangle, then press to seal edges with fingertips or the tines of a fork. Cut a few slits in the top of each pop tart to allow steam to vent. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before baking.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk together almond milk and agave syrup and lightly brush over the top of each pop tart. Bake tarts until golden, rotating racks once halfway through baking, about 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the icing:
Make the maple icing by whisking together powdered sugar, almond milk and maple extract until a thick but spreadable consistency is reached. If the glaze is too runny, gradually add more powdered sugar. If too thick, whisk in more almond milk 1 teaspoon at a time.
Pour a small amount of icing over pop tarts and allow to set for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with maple sugar (optional).
Recipe Notes
Instead of pumpkin puree, you can alsouse mashed butternut squash or sweet potatoes.
For a low-sugar pop tarts recipe,swap powdered sugar for Swerve or simply serve them unglazed.
