There’s nothing like the nostalgic taste of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. These Homemade Peanut Butter and Jelly Pop Tarts take that lovable flavor combo and wrap it in a delicious, flaky pastry dough. They’re the perfect handheld treat for kids (and adults) and are healthier than the store-bought pop tarts you grew up on!

Why Make PB and J Pop Tarts at Home

Convenient: I love the grab and go nature of Peanut Butter and Jelly Pop Tarts. These little hand pies make a convenient and easy to grab option on busy mornings.
Familiar Flavors: Peanut butter and jelly is about as classic of a flavor combo as you can ask for. It’s not difficult to get kids to enjoy a pop tart, but making PB&J pop tarts creates an even more irresistible snack!
Healthier Option: When I learned how many preservatives and extra ingredients the store-bought pop tarts had in them, I was less than enthused at the thought of serving them to my own kids. So I decided to start making my own homemade pop tarts. If you can believe it, they turned out even more delicious than the ones I grew up eating.

The Ingredients

One of the best parts about this recipe is that you only need three ingredients to make them. Here some tips for each:

Peanut Butter

Using a thick, creamy peanut butter works best for this recipe. If you’re using organic peanut butter just make sure to stir really well so that you don’t have a ton of oil that may leak out of the pastry.

Jam or Preserves

You can use jam (smoother texture) or preserves (chunkier texture) for these pop tarts. It just depends on what you prefer (or have on hand). Any of your favorite flavors will do! We’ve made these with strawberry, raspberry and grape jelly and they all turned out super tasty.

Pie Dough

I always use this perfect pie crust when I make this peanut butter and jelly pop tarts recipe. It’s really easy to make. You can make the pie dough ahead of time and keep it stored in the freezer until you’re ready to whip up these pop tarts too, which is a huge win for saving time!

Tips for Making The Dough

Keep it Cold: It’s important to use cold butter and shortening when making pie dough and to continue to keep it chilly when you’re rolling it out.
Make it Ahead of Time: You can make the pie dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge tightly wrapped for up to three days. Longer than that you’ll want to freeze it.
Use a Ruler: To get uniform rectangular pop tarts, use a ruler to make sure they’re the perfect size and shape. I use a pizza cutter to easily cut the dough.
Make Fun Shapes: If rectangles aren’t your vibe, use a cooker cutter to cut out fun shapes! Just ensure you use a large enough cookie cutter and don’t overfill the pastry so you can prevent the PB&J from leaking out. I love doing this for the kids, especially when I’m wanting to serve something fun for a holiday like Valentine’s Day or St. Paddy’s!

How to Make Peanut Butter and Jelly Pop Tarts

Preheat oven:

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Roll Out Dough:

Roll the pie crust 1/4 inch thick and cut into rectangles, about 2×3 inches. Use a ruler if necessary.

Add Filling:

Place one rectangle on a lightly floured work surface, top with 1 teaspoon each of the peanut butter and preserves in the very center.
Lightly dip your index finger into a cup of water and “brush” the border of the dough around the filling with the water. This will allow the two sides of the rectangle to adhere to one another.

Top and Seal:

Top with another rectangular piece of pie dough. Take the tines of a fork and gently press down along the edges to adhere making sure the mixture stays inside the tart.
Using a fork or toothpick, poke a few small holes in the tops of the pastry to allow steam to escape.

Bake:

Place the pop tarts on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes or until golden.

FAQs for Peanut Butter and Jelly Pop Tarts

What if I don’t want to make homemade pie dough?

No biggie! If you don’t have the time (or patience) to make homemade pie dough for this dessert, you can use your favorite brand of store-bought refrigerated pie dough.

Can I try different fillings other than peanut butter and jelly?

Absolutely! Leave out the jelly and make just peanut butter pop tarts, or visa versa! Or go completely off book and make your own creation. I had a reader suggest s’mores pop tarts by adding nutella and a couple mini marshmallows! YUM! I also have Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts, Fruit Pop Tarts and Raspberry Cream Cheese Heart Tarts recipes you can try too!

Can I make these pop tarts ahead of time?

Yes! You can prepare the pop tarts up to the point of baking, then cover and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours before baking. Alternatively, you can freeze unbaked pop tarts for longer storage. See freezing instructions below.

Storage/Freezing Instructions

To Store: Store PB&J Pop Tarts in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Place unbaked tarts on a cookie sheet and flash freeze for one hour. Remove, place in a freezer safe container or bag, label and freeze for up to 3 months. You can bake from frozen and add an extra 2 minutes to the cook time when ready to enjoy!

More Fun Ways to PB&J!

There’s nothing better to a kid than a homemade peanut butter and jelly pop tart as an after school snack or breakfast treat. I like to put them in a lunch box for a nice surprise too! This homemade pop tarts recipe is so easy and delicious you’ll be making it all the time! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions and tag me on social media if you make these.