Introduction

These flaky homemade gluten-free pop tarts filled with fresh strawberry jam are a delightful treat for breakfast or snack time. Made from a blend of gluten-free flours and topped with a bright hibiscus icing, they offer a perfect balance of sweetness and texture. Plus, they’re easy to customize with your favorite fillings!

A close-up view of nine square toasted pastries with crimped edges on a metal cooling rack over a white marbled surface. Eight of the pastries have a thick layer of smooth, bright pink icing spread unevenly on top, decorated with colorful, small cylindrical sprinkles in yellow, purple, green, white, and orange. One pastry is plain, without icing or sprinkles, showing a golden-brown crust with small holes neatly arranged on its surface. In the upper right corner, there is a white bowl filled with more mixed colorful sprinkles. The overall scene shows a fresh, playful dessert setup. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

¾ cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free oat flour
½ cup + 1 tablespoon Bob’s Red Mill millet flour (plus more for rolling)
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill sweet rice flour
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon Bob’s Red Mill xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon + 1 pinch kosher salt
¾ cup cold unsalted butter (sliced into 12 tablespoons)
4-6 tablespoons ice water
1 large egg (whisked)
Optional: 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
1½ lbs fresh or frozen strawberries (thawed)
1½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1½ tablespoon Bob’s Red Mill cornstarch
3 tablespoons dried hibiscus tea leaves or 3 hibiscus tea bags
½ cup water
1½ cups powdered sugar (sifted)
½ teaspoon honey
Optional: Sprinkles

Instructions

Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together oat flour, millet flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt.
Step 2: Add cold butter and quickly break it into the flour mixture with your hands until the biggest pieces are about almond-sized.
Step 3: Dribble in ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork or hands after each addition, until the dough just holds together but is not sticky. Knead gently and divide into two portions.
Step 4: Lightly dust a work surface with millet flour and roll each dough half into a ¾-inch thick rectangle. Dust the top with millet flour and fold into thirds like a letter, then fold into thirds again to form a square. Repeat the folding and press into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least an hour.
Step 5: While dough chills, prepare the strawberry jam: puree strawberries (with ¼ cup water if fresh), strain through a fine sieve into a pot. Whisk sugar and cornstarch, add to pot with lemon juice. Boil then simmer 40 minutes until thickened. Chill.
Step 6: Remove one dough portion, let soften 5-10 minutes, then roll into a 9×12-inch rectangle on a millet-floured surface. Cut into nine 3×4-inch rectangles and refrigerate while repeating with second dough portion. Reroll scraps to cut extra shapes if desired.
Step 7: Brush egg wash over one rectangle, place 1 heaping tablespoon chilled strawberry jam in the center. Top with a second rectangle and seal edges, crimping with a fork. Repeat for all pop tarts on a parchment-lined sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart.
Step 8: Use a chopstick or skewer to poke 9 vent holes on top of each tart. Chill for 15 minutes.
Step 9: Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush each pop tart’s top with heavy cream, milk, or remaining egg wash for shine. Bake for 39-42 minutes until golden and crisp.
Step 10: Remove from oven and gently press down with a cloth or spatula to release steam and flatten slightly. Let cool completely before icing.
Step 11: Prepare pink hibiscus icing: Boil water, steep hibiscus leaves for 10 minutes, strain and cool. Whisk honey and 1½ tablespoons of hibiscus tea concentrate into powdered sugar. Add more tea slowly until glaze is thick but spreadable.
Step 12: Spoon 1-2 teaspoons glaze onto each pop tart and spread gently. Add sprinkles if desired.

Tips & Variations

For an extra flaky crust, keep your butter cold and work quickly when incorporating it into the flour.
Feel free to substitute the strawberry jam with other homemade or store-bought fruit preserves.
To speed cooling, place jam or icing in the freezer for short bursts, stirring occasionally.
If you don’t have hibiscus tea, you can use a few teaspoons of natural pink food coloring or beet juice for the glaze color.
Use gluten-free flours you trust for best results, and consider a blend similar to the one in this recipe for texture balance.

Storage

Store cooled pop tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be refrigerated for up to a week. To reheat, warm them in a toaster oven or regular oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes until heated through and crisp. Avoid microwaving to preserve flakiness.

How to Serve

The image shows three rectangular toaster pastries on a white plate with a white marbled texture beneath. Two pastries are stacked, each with two main layers: a golden-brown flaky crust on the bottom and top, with a dark purple berry filling layer in the middle. The top crust is covered with bright pink icing, dripping slightly down the sides, and decorated with small, colorful sprinkles in shades of yellow, purple, and blue. The third pastry lies flat behind the stack, showing similar details. More colorful sprinkles are scattered around on the white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes! The dough can be prepared and chilled overnight or frozen for up to a month. Just thaw completely and bring to room temperature for easier rolling before assembling.

What if I don’t have xanthan gum?

Xanthan gum helps provide structure and elasticity in gluten-free doughs. If you don’t have it, try using guar gum as a substitute, or omit it but expect a more delicate dough that may be harder to handle.