Air Fryer Cherry Homemade Pop-Tarts are quick and easy to make at home using only a package of refrigerated pie crusts and cherry pie filling. Better than any store-bought box of toaster pastries, these handheld sweet treats are pure pastry perfection!
Easy Homemade Pop-Tarts
Air Fryer Cherry Pop-Tarts are a homemade copycat version of the childhood classic toaster-ready treat. This recipe is so simple because it uses a premade pie crust that is stuffed with a fruit filling, then quickly air-fried until the edges are golden brown and flakey, and topped with a sugary glaze and sprinkles.
I love making fun food that can double as a delicious breakfast or dessert, especially when I can control the contents and not worry about feeding my family preservatives or ingredients I can’t pronounce.
With their warm and gooey filling and crispy tender crust, these are the best-tasting pop-tarts that will make you excited to get out of bed–because breakfast should never be boring!
For more easy-to-make air fryer recipes, check out my Air Fryer Garlic Knots, Air Fryer, Donuts, Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks, Air Fryer Apple Chips, and so many more!
Why We Love This Air Fryer Cherry Pop-Tarts Recipe
- Quick and easy to make with only a pie crust and fruit filling.
- Premade pie dough speeds up the cooking process.
- Better than buying a box of Pop-Tarts–the box only brags that they’re baked with real fruit!
- Perfect air fried pastries with flaky, slightly crumbly edges and fruit filling drizzled with a sugary glaze.
- Delicious sweet treat that the whole family will love.
- Great for breakfast, dessert, or a quick snack on the go.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour for dusting, optional: Depending on your pie dough, you may not need to use any flour.
- Package of refrigerated pie crusts (contains two pie crusts): You can make homemade dough as well if you prefer.
- Cherry pie filling
- Water
- Powdered sugar
- Whole milk: If you use half and half or heavy cream, you will have a slightly thicker consistency for your glaze. You might need to add some extra lemon juice if it gets too thick.
- Lemon juice (~ ½ a lemon): Lime juice will also work–either fresh or from concentrate.
- Sprinkles, optional garnish
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Substitutions and Additions
- Fruit Flavors: If you want to use another flavored pie filling or jam, feel free to do so. There are so many different flavors to choose from; have fun experimenting with strawberry, raspberry, apricot, peach, or blueberry.
- Fun Fillings: There are so many ways you can customize your pop tart with your favorite flavors.
- Chocolate: You can fill your pop tart with Nutella or another chocolate spread and make a chocolate frosting for the top.
- Nut Butters: Use your favorite nut butter as a filling for an extra dose of protein. You can even add chopped bananas or chocolate chips to it for added flavor and texture.
- S’mores: Place marshmallows and chocolate chips in the center of your pastry and top the icing with crushed graham crackers for a campfire twist.
Recommended Tools
- Air Fryer
- Rolling pin
- Knife or pizza cutter
- Measuring tools
- Medium mixing bowl
- Mixing tools
How to Make Air Fryer Homemade Pop Tarts
This homemade Pop-Tarts recipe is a quick and easy way to replicate the classic puffed pastry, but made even better at home! These pop tarts are a perfect way to start your morning or a delicious way to end your day.
- Cut The Pie Crust: Roll out your pie crust to a ¼ inch thickness using a rolling pin and cut even 3 inch by 4 inch sized rectangles with a knife or pizza cutter.
Pro Tip: If there’s leftover dough, combine the dough and roll it out again to create as many rectangles as possible. - Fill With Fruit: Fill half of the rectangles with ½ – 1 Tablespoonful of cherry pie filling.
- Seal and Slit: Wet the edges of each fruit-filled rectangle with water and top with an “empty” rectangle, lining up the edges. Seal each pop tart with a fork by pressing down on the edges. Spray the tops with cooking spray and cut 2-3 slits on the tops.
- Cook and Cool: Cook in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned along the edges. You will need to do multiple batches. Cool completely before glazing.
- Drizzle and Decorate: Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice until smooth and drizzle the glaze over the cooled pop-tarts. Decorate with sprinkles.
- Serve: Plate and serve cool. Enjoy!
Tips
- Be sure to make slits on the tops of the dough before you air fry the pop-tarts. This allows the steam to escape from inside and keeps the dough from bubbling up, and allows the crust to cook more evenly.
- These pop-tarts are delicious with or without the glaze.
- If you want flatter pop-tarts, use ½ Tablespoon of the pie filling instead of 1 Tablespoon. More pie filling will make the pop-tarts more like a pastry.
- Be sure that you don’t overcrowd the air fryer – if you need instructions on how to air fry be sure to check this post out. . You need to make sure that there is enough room for the air to circulate for these to become crispy.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Place your poptarts in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also place them in the refrigerator for 6-7 days.
- To Reheat: Use the air fryer at 300 degrees Fahrenheit to reheat your pop-tarts for 1-2 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to use a ruler to cut out straight and measured edges for my rectangles. I know without one that my rectangles always come out looking really lopsided and uneven. You could also use a rectangular cookie cutter if you have one.
Besides making fruity pop-tarts, you can fill these with Nutella, real fruit, brown sugar and cinnamon, marshmallow fluff and chocolate, or any other type of Pop-Tart combination that you prefer.
If your pie crusts get too dry to keep rolling out, add a tiny bit of water to them, knead them, and try again, adding flour as necessary to keep them from sticking.
Other Easy Copycat Recipes
- Copycat Disney Churros
- KFC Coleslaw
- DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat Recipe)
- Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme
- Bang Bang Shrimp (Copycat Bonefish Grill)
- Chicken Enchilada Soup (Chili’s Copycat)
- Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies
Air Fryer Cherry Homemade Pop-Tarts
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour for dusting optional
- 14.1 ounce package of refrigerated pie crusts contains two pie crusts
- 10-12 tbsp cherry pie filling
- Water
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice ½ a lemon
- Sprinkles optional garnish
Instructions
- Lightly flour a hard surface with the all-purpose flour and then roll out and flatten your pie crusts to a ¼ inch thickness using a rolling pin.
- Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut even 3 inch by 4 inch sized rectangles out of the dough. If there’s leftover dough, combine the dough and roll it out again to create as many rectangles as possible.
- Fill half of the rectangles with ½ – 1 Tablespoonful of cherry pie filling.
- Use a pastry brush to wet the edges of each rectangle containing the filling with water.
- Place the empty rectangles atop the rectangles with cherry filling, lining up the edges.
- Press down on the edges of each pop tart with the tip of a fork to seal them.
- Spray the tops of the pop tarts with cooking spray and then use a knife to create 2-3 slits on the tops of all the pop tarts.
- Cook in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned along the edges. You will need to do multiple batches.
- Once the pop tarts are done cooking, set them aside to cool.
- In the meantime, whisk the powdered sugar, whole milk, and lemon juice in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled pop tarts, top with sprinkles, optional, and then plate and serve cool.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Place your pop tarts in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also place them in the refrigerator for 6-7 days.
- To Reheat: Use the air fryer at 300 degrees Fahrenheit to reheat your pop tarts for 1-2 minutes.
- Be sure to make slits on the tops of the dough before you air fry the pop tarts. This allows the steam to escape from inside and keeps the dough from bubbling up, and allows the crust to cook more evenly.
- These pop tarts are delicious with or without the glaze.
- If you want flatter pop tarts, use ½ Tablespoon of the pie filling instead of 1 Tablespoon. More pie filling will make the pop tarts more like a pastry.
- Be sure that you don’t overcrowd the air fryer. You need to make sure that there is enough room for the air to circulate for these to become crispy.
