Valentine’s Day Pop Tarts

Surprise your family this year with sweet Valentine’s Day pop tarts! Handheld Valentine’s pastries are super easy to make, flaky on the outside and filled with your choice of strawberry or cherry jam. These festive heart shaped hand pies are perfect as snacks or desserts that everyone will LOVE. Try this recipe once and I’m certain you’ll be adding this it to your list of must-make Valentine’s Day treat ideas every year!

Heart Shaped Valentine’s Day Pastries

Who doesn’t love heart shaped foods on Valentine’s Day? I promise there will be smiles all around when you serve your family a plate of these lovely and delicious jam-filled hand pies!

This easy recipe uses store bought pie dough and only a few additional simple ingredients to make crisp and tender treats. And, they are way better than packaged pop tarts.

Valentine’s pastries are ready to serve in under and hour and are great to prepare ahead of time. Just cut, stuff, bake, and drizzle – and ZING! as quick as Cupid’s arrow they are ready to enjoy.

Ingredients to Make Valentine’s Day Pop Tarts

This 5-ingredient Valentine’s pastries recipe uses pantry staples and just a few special goodies to make the easiest and tastiest heart shaped desserts for your VDay celebration.

Here’s the ingredients we used:

• Packaged pie crust (or homemade pastry crust): any brand works here or use our homemade crust recipe
• Strawberry or cherry jam (or preserves of choice). I don’t recommend using runny jelly as it’s likely to ooze out of the pastries.
• An egg for the egg wash. This helps the pastry to bake evenly on top.
• Confectioners sugar. There’s no substitute for using powdered sugar to make the icing for the top.
• Heavy cream is essential for the icing glaze we use on top.
• Food coloring – I used red for pink frosting

Recommended equipment:

• I recommend Wilton’s Nesting Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter Set for making these Valentine’s treats. This set offers a variety of sizes and edges for your baking needs. They’ll work well for cutting cookies, cookie bars, brownies, sandwiches, pastries, and dough.

How to Make The Best Heart Shaped Desserts

Heart-shaped foods are sure to set a festive tone in your home for the holiday! And by using pre-made store bought pie crust, making these Valentine’s day pop tarts is so simple!

With just 3 easy steps, you will spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your loved ones on this day of love.

These treats are ready to enjoy as a snack or dessert in under an hour with no special tools needed. Here’s how to make warm and sweet Valentine’s pastries for you and your loved ones this season:

1. First, roll out the packaged pie crust and cut into strips, or use a heart shaped cookie cutter to stamp out heart shapes. Place jam in the middle of half of the pastries. Then, use a pastry brush (or your finger) to lightly add water to the edge of the pastry. Use a fork to poke steam vents the top pastries (those without jam) pieces. Then center them on top of those with jam, and crimp with a fork. Lightly brush egg wash over each of the heart shaped desserts.
   
2. Bake the Valentine’s Day pop tarts at 400 degrees Fahrenheit on a baking sheet with a silicone mat (Silpat) or parchment paper for 15 minutes, until the heart shaped hand pies are golden. Transfer to a wire rack once done, and let cool.
   
3. While the pastries are cooling, make the icing by combining the confectioners sugar and heavy cream in a small dish. If you want to tint the frosting, add a drop of food coloring. Drizzle over or frost the warm heart shaped pop tarts, and allow to dry before serving as desserts or snacks.

How to Store Homemade Heart Shaped Pop Tarts

Hand pies will keep well for up to 2 days on the counter at room temperature in an airtight container. For longer storage, they can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days. But I doubt sweet heart-shaped foods like these will last long in your house around the holiday!

TFN Tip: I recommend microwaving refrigerated Valentine’s pastries on a paper towel for about 15 seconds or so before enjoying. Or, air fry them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.

These Valentine’s Day pop tarts are also great for freezing! Let them cool completely before wrapping each pie in plastic wrap, then store them together in an airtight plastic bag. They will keep well for about 3 months in the freezer.