Paleo Strawberry Heart Pop Tarts (Vegan Friendly, Gluten Free)

Gutsy Baker
Jan 29, 2021
6 min read

Updated: Feb 5, 2024

These gluten free strawberry Pop Tarts taste just like the originals but made with cleaner ingredients! With just a few steps, you can make the dough and filling in advance, place in the fridge, and assemble and bake when you're ready! The perfect gluten free paleo dessert for Valentine's Day, or any day!

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WHY I MADE GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY POP TARTS

These paleo and vegan pop tarts are by far my most popular recipe, I’ve made them in so many flavors. I’ve had many reach out and thank me that they are so happy they can eat ‘real pop tarts’ again. The best part of recipe developing for others who have restricted diets is to create these old favorites and bring back that happiness and joy. They are safe for a low fodmap diet and the perfect paleo dessert. I even eat these for breakfast.

If you are looking for a fun weekend bake or need a fun little Galentine’s Day treat for your gals, these heart shaped strawberry Pop Tart bbs are cute and taste delicious. Significant others love these too! Make now or Pin for later!

These Strawberry Heart Shaped Pop Tarts are paleo, gluten free and easily vegan!

You would honestly never know. I used almond flour/tapioca starch for the flour base, dairy free butter, touch of sea salt and coconut sugar for the dough. And boiled down fresh strawberries with a touch of maple syrup for the filling. These taste true to a real strawberry Pop Tart! I’ve had those who have been gluten free for years make these and couldn’t believe how much they tasted like ‘childhood’, and how they’ve missed Pop Tarts!

Are these Strawberry Heart Pop Tarts easy to make?

Yes! I’d say these are easy level baking. You'll just mix the dough ingredients together, roll out and cut into hearts with a cookie cutter or into rectangles and fill the centers. Place another piece of dough on top, seal the edges and pop into the oven. Spread some icing and you have yourself the most delicious little pop tart and hand pie!

The 5 minute jam filling!

Don’t be intimated by making this filling. You literally just heat and smash the berries on the stovetop, add a touch of sweetener and some tapioca starch to gel it up into a jam. It takes just about 5 minutes.

How do I make my own unrefined powdered sugar?

To make your own unrefined powdered sugar, place any granulated sweetener in a high speed blender for 30-60 seconds. I use my Vitamix and place the sugar in my dry container. I suggest powdered monkfruit in this recipe. I think coconut sugar is a little too overpowering for the strawberry. Powdered sugar is great to have on hand for frostings, icings, and shortbread cookies so I like to make a bunch and store it for later.

How to store the paleo strawberry pop tarts?

Store the pop tarts in a vented container or dish covered with aluminum foil for 1-2 days on the counter, and then transfer to the fridge in an airtight container. Try to lay them flat, if you stack them they may get soft and stick together. These can also be frozen for 3+ months!

INGREDIENTS IN PALEO STRAWBERRY POP TARTS:

Strawberries: You can use fresh or frozen. Alternatively you can substitute for raspberries or blueberries

Coconut Sugar: My baking sugar of choice. It’s low glycemic and safe on most low carb diets. It doesn’t taste like coconut! But you can replace this with any other granulated sweetener

Almond Flour: My go to paleo flour, it is a neutral flavor and adds moisture. It unfortunately can’t be substituted

Tapioca Starch/Flour: This starch is half of your dough. It binds and absorbs moisture from the almond flour. You may substitute with arrowroot starch

Non Dairy Butter or Real Butter: Gives a buttery flavor to the crust, a must in all pie crusts

Egg: Binds together the dough. You can substitute for a flax or chia egg

Sea Salt: balances out sweetness in all baking recipes

For the icing:

Unrefined or Regular Powdered Sugar: I always make my own unrefined powdered sugar by putting any granulated sweetener in a high speed blender for 30 seconds. I think traditional powdered sugar works best for this icing, but you can also use powdered monkfruit here for a paleo option. It's just a little sweeter.

Vanilla Extract: Just a touch for the icing

Strawberry filling: You make this quick 5 minute jam, divide it to be used in both your pop tarts and also for the icing

What do I need for these paleo strawberry pop tarts?

Optional heart shaped cookie cutter, if making heart shapes
A rolling pin
Parchment paper for rolling
Large baking Sheet
Fork for crimping edges and poking holes before baking
Hand mixer/beater for the frosting

Recipe notes to make the perfect homemade strawberry Pop Tarts:

To make these vegan, use a flax egg for the dough. Mix 1 tbsp of ground flax or ground chia with 3 tbsp of water and let sit for 3-5 minutes
For the icing, I find using powdered coconut sugar is a bit too overpowering for the strawberry flavor. I suggest using powdered monkfruit. Or you can use the icing I used for my blueberry pop tarts here, adding 2 tbsp of strawberry filling to the recipe. It is made with coconut butter and is a paleo option.
Work with COLD dough. It will be hard to work with once it gets to room temperature. The best way to do this is refrigerate half the of the dough while you are rolling the first half.
You can use any heart shaped cookie cutter here, but I recommend one that is no smaller than 3”. Alternatively, you can make traditional pop tarts by cutting the dough into 2” x 4” rectangles.
You can make the dough and filling in advance, place in the fridge, and assemble and bake when you're ready!

How to make gluten free strawberry Pop Tarts:

(see recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions)

1. Make the filling. Boil down strawberries on stove with a splash of water. Once they’re hot, smash them until puréed. In small bowl, mix together the tapioca starch and hot water until dissolved.

2. Add in this tapioca water and the maple syrup/sweetener to the strawberries and mix well. Taste and make more sweet if needed. Take off stove and let cool, it’ll gel up like jam. For thicker or seedier jam, add 1 tbsp chia seeds to the mix. I didn’t strain mine, I kept the seeds/skins but strain if you’d like! Set aside 2 tbsp of strawberry filling for the icing.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a larger baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Mix all the dough ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until chilled.

5. Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper for the easiest rolling. Roll out to about 1/8” thick. If using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out shapes and transfer to the baking sheet. If you are making traditional pop tarts, cut into 2”x 4” rectangles. Repeat until all dough is used.

7. Transfer half of your shapes to the lined baking sheet.

8. Now spoon about 1-2 tbsp of filling on half of the cut outs, and top with the another cut out. Use your finger to gently press down edges to seal. Then use a fork to make the little seal marks. Poke your fork on top of each pop tart so air can be released. Option to brush them with egg or milk for browner tops. Bake for 15 minutes until edges are brown.

9. Prepare icing. Strain the 2 tbsp of strawberry filling through a mesh strainer so it's smooth. Then mix together all ingredients in a small bowl until an icing forms. Cover until ready to use.

10. Remove pop tarts from oven. Once completely cool, spread the icing over the top with the back of small spoon or butter knife. Let set for 10 minutes. Add sprinkles or extra drizzles if preferred.

11. Store in a vented container or dish covered with aluminum foil for 2 days on the counter, and then transfer to the fridge in an airtight container. Try to lay them flat, if you stack them they may get soft and stick together. These can also be frozen for 3+ months!