Fun Friday: Gluten-Free Pop Tarts

I was inspired to make these gluten free “Pop Tarts” after attending Rebecca Reilly’s Gluten Free Dumplings cooking class last week. She mentioned that you could use the apple dumpling dough to make pop tarts. I added almonds and coconut flour to Rebecca’s dumpling recipe to add protein and fiber to the pastries to make these gluten free pop tarts a little more of a balanced meal for my kids. They loved these gluten free pop tarts and asked for them the next day. Although these look like pop tarts and are fun, they are more labor intensive than regular pop tarts. But they are also healthier when they are homemade.

1&1/2 cup gluten free flour mix
1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup sugar (maple sugar, if you have)
2&1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup spectrum organic shortening (or butter)
2 or 3 eggs

1. Mix together all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine well so xanthum gum is distributed well. You can use a food processor or your hands, if you know how to make pastry dough.
2. Cut the shortening into the flour mix by pulsing the food processor or using your fingertips. Work the dough until it is the textured of a coarse meal and the shortening is evenly distributed.
3. Crack two eggs in a cup and make a well in the center of the dough and add the eggs in with a fork. If the dough is too dry add an additional egg. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide in two and pat into two flat cakes.
4. Refrigerate until ready to roll out.

To make Pop Tarts:
1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Roll out one half of dough between two plastic bags which you can cut open. Use a little flour so it doesn’t stick to plastic.
3. When rolled out completely, remove one side of plastic and turn it onto a baking sheet.
4. Use an index card to cut each pop tart.
5. Fill with filling–leaving 1/3 inch of sides without filling.
6. Roll and cut additional dough to make tops of tarts.
7. Use water or egg wash on edge of bottom crust.
8. Put top crust on top of filled tart and use a fork to press edges together.
9. Brush with an egg glaze. (1 egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon water or coconut milk.)
10. Bake for 15-17 minutes until dough is cooked.
11. Serve or top with glaze. (Mix together 1/4 cup confectioners sugar and 1-2 teaspoons water in small bowl to make a glaze or see my maple glaze recipe.)

Makes 5-6 “pop tarts”.

* or 1 cup gluten free brown rice flour, 1/4 cup tapioca starch and 1/4 cup sweet rice flour