These sourdough discard Pop-Tarts bake up light, flaky, and tender, with buttery layers that hold together beautifully. They’re easy to make with discard or a longer ferment if you prefer. Enjoy them on slow mornings or as busy weekday breakfasts.
For more from-scratch breakfast recipes, try these Raspberry and White Chocolate Sourdough Scones made with Fresh Milled Flour, and they pair just as well with Sourdough Cherry Hand Pies with Fresh Milled Flour or a Sourdough Salted Caramel Apple Dutch Baby Pancake for cozy, wholesome breakfast bakes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Discard-friendly dough – This recipe uses sourdough discard without requiring a long ferment, so you can bake the same day or do a longer ferment if you want.
- Light and flaky texture – Cold butter and gentle handling create tender layers that bake up flaky while still holding their shape around the filling.
- Flexible timing – The dough performs well with a short chill or a longer rest, giving you consistent results.
- Pantry ingredients – The dough comes together with simple pantry staples, keeping the recipe simple without specialty ingredients or hard-to-find ingredients.
- Tried and true method – I’ve baked these sourdough Pop-Tarts so many times and share the exact steps below so you can get the best results every time.
Ingredients
Variations & Add-Ins
- Brown sugar cinnamon – Swap the jam for a brown sugar and cinnamon filling for a classic, bakery-style Pop-Tart that bakes evenly and stays soft inside.
- Fruit fillings – Strawberry, blueberry, cherry, or raspberry jam all work well, as long as the filling is thick enough to avoid leaking.
- Chocolate filling – Use a chocolate spread or thick ganache-style filling for a richer pastry that pairs well with the buttery crust.
- Glaze variations – Add cinnamon, citrus zest, or a splash of maple syrup to the glaze for subtle flavor changes without altering texture.
Recipe Tips
Use cold butter – Cold butter creates flaky layers. Chill the dough fully and work quickly to prevent softening before baking.
Use a food processor when possible – A food processor brings the dough together quickly and evenly, producing the most consistent, flaky results during testing.
Mix until just combined – Stop mixing as soon as the dough forms. Overmixing develops gluten and can make the crust tough.
Rest the dough before rolling – A short rest relaxes the gluten and helps the dough roll smoothly without shrinking.
Roll the dough evenly – Even thickness helps the Pop-Tarts bake at the same rate and prevents weak spots that can tear or leak.
Leave space around the filling – A clear border keeps the filling contained and allows the edges to seal properly.
Seal the edges firmly – Press gently, then crimp with a fork to secure the layers and prevent filling from escaping.
Vent the tops before baking – Small vents allow steam to escape so the pastries bake evenly without splitting.
How To Make Sourdough Discard Pop-Tarts
Step 1:Mix the dry ingredients – In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flour, maple syrup, cane sugar, and salt. Pulse briefly to distribute evenly.
Step 2: Cut in the butter – Add the cold cubed butter and pulse or cut in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with visible pea-sized pieces of butter. Cold butter is what creates flaky layers during baking.
Step 3: Add the sourdough starter – Add the sourdough discard and pulse just until the dough begins to clump together. Stop mixing as soon as it forms a cohesive dough to avoid overdeveloping gluten.
Step 4: Choose same day or overnight – Press the dough into a flat rectangle and wrap tightly. SAME DAY BAKING: For same-day baking, refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. OVERNIGHT: For overnight fermentation, refrigerate for 8–12 hours. The next day, let the dough sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before rolling. The flavor will deepen slightly and the dough may feel softer, so keep it chilled while shaping.
Step 5: Roll and cut – Roll the chilled dough to about ⅛ inch thickness. Trim edges and cut into evenly sized rectangles. Re-roll scraps once if needed.
Step 6: Fill the pastries – Spoon jam into the center of half the rectangles, leaving a clear border around the edges for sealing.
Step 7: Seal the edges – Lightly brush the edges with water or egg yolk. Place a second rectangle on top and press gently to remove air pockets. Crimp with a fork to seal completely.
Step 8: Vent and chill – Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut small vents in the tops. Chill 10–15 minutes while the oven preheats to 375°F to help maintain structure.
Step 9: Bake – Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. Cool completely before glazing.
Step 10: Glaze and serve – Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and optional lemon extract until smooth. Spoon over cooled pastries and allow the glaze to set before serving.
Freezing & Storage
- Room temperature or refrigerator – Store baked Pop-Tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 3 days to keep the filling stable.
- Freezer – Freeze fully baked and cooled Pop-Tarts in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months to preserve texture.
- Reheating or refreshing – Reheat thawed Pop-Tarts in a 325°F oven for 5–8 minutes until warmed through, adding glaze after reheating if needed.
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More Sourdough Breakfast Recipes from the Cottage
Another favorite from my kitchen to yours, where the seasons guide the table, and every meal is an act of love — may this recipe become a favorite in your kitchen too.
With gratitude & love,
Emily
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Sourdough Discard Pop-Tarts Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Pastry cutter
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Fork
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour 260 grams
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup 39 grams
- 2 teaspoons cane sugar 8.25 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt 6 grams
- 1 cup cold salted butter cubed 226 grams
- 1 cup sourdough starter or discard 240 grams
Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted 170 grams
- 2 tablespoons whole milk 30 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 grams
- ¼ teaspoon lemon extract optional 1 gram
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients – In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flour, maple syrup, cane sugar, and salt. Pulse briefly to distribute evenly.
- Cut in the butter – Add the cold cubed butter and pulse or cut in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with visible pea-sized pieces of butter. Cold butter creates flaky layers during baking.
- Add the sourdough starter – Add the sourdough discard and mix just until the dough begins to clump together. Stop as soon as it forms a cohesive dough to prevent developing excess gluten.
- Rest the dough – Press the dough into a flat rectangle and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes for same-day baking, or refrigerate 8–12 hours for overnight fermentation. If fermenting overnight, let the dough rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before rolling, and keep it chilled while shaping as it may feel softer.
- Roll and cut – Roll the chilled dough to about ⅛ inch thickness. Trim the edges and cut into evenly sized rectangles, re-rolling scraps once if needed.
- Add the filling – Spoon jam into the center of half the rectangles, leaving a clear border around the edges to allow proper sealing.
- Seal the pastries – Lightly brush the edges with water or egg yolk, place a second rectangle on top, and press gently to remove air pockets. Crimp with a fork to seal completely.
- Vent and chill – Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and cut small vents in the tops. Chill for 10–15 minutes while the oven preheats to 375°F to help maintain structure.
- Bake – Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. Allow to cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare the glaze – Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and optional lemon extract until smooth and spoonable. Adjust thickness with small amounts of milk if needed.
- Glaze and set – Spoon or spread glaze over cooled pastries and allow it to set before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Emily Rider
Home miller, sourdough baker, and seasonal from-scratch cook since 1999. Here at The Modern Day Cottage, I share recipes and the comforting rhythms of cottage living to help you mill flour at home, master sourdough, and bake confidently with freshly milled grains.
