Apple Bourbon Pop Tarts

Name: Apple Bourbon Pop Tarts
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 pound homemade or store-bought pie dough; 3 Autumn Glory apples (, peeled, cored and cubed (about 3 cups)); ¼ cup brown sugar; 2-4 tbsp bourbon (, or more to taste); 2 tbsp maple syrup; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; Pinch of sea salt; 1 tsp cornstarch; 1 tbsp filtered water; 1 tbsp unsalted vegan butter (, melted); ½ cup powdered sugar; 1 ½ tsp unsweetened soy milk; ½ tsp bourbon; ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Print recipe

Fall, Christmas/Thanksgiving

1 hour 10 mins Prep: 30 mins Cook: 25 mins Refrigeration time: 15 mins

Serves 8

Sweet, spiced apples surrounded with a deliciously flaky pie pastry and topped with a luscious bourbon glaze, these pop tarts are everything I love about the colder months and the holidays.

Ingredients

1 pound homemade or store-bought pie dough

Filling

3 Autumn Glory apples , peeled, cored and cubed (about 3 cups)
¼ cup brown sugar
2-4 tbsp bourbon , or more to taste
2 tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp filtered water
1 tbsp unsalted vegan butter , melted

Cinnamon Bourbon Glaze

½ cup powdered sugar
1 ½ tsp unsweetened soy milk
½ tsp bourbon
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Recipe

Step 1
Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add apples, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of bourbon, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt.
Step 2
Cook for 15 minutes or until the apples are beginning to soften, stirring regularly.
Step 3
Taste and add more bourbon if desired.
Step 4
In a small bowl, make a slurry with the cornstarch and the water. Pour over the cooked apples and stir.
Step 5
Transfer the apples into a bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Step 6
Divide your pie dough in half and roll out the first half onto a floured surface.
Step 7
Cut 8-9 rectangles of about 2.5 x 4” and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 8
Divide the apple filling between these rectangles, leaving about 1/4” of space around the filling (pop tart bases).
Step 9
Roll out the second half of pie dough and cut 8-9 rectangles again (pop tart tops).
Step 10
Brush water onto the free space around your pop tart filling and cover each pop tart base with a filling-free rectangle.
Step 11
Use a fork to seal the edges.
Step 12
Brush pop tarts with melted butter and poke 6 holes in each pop tart using a toothpick.
Step 13
Place in the fridge while you preheat your oven to 375ºF.
Step 14
Once hot, bake pop tarts for 25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
Step 15
Let cool completely and top with a drizzle of Cinnamon Bourbon Glaze.

Common Questions & Swaps

What pie crust do you use? I use a pie crust from a local brand that I purchase in store, but any store bought pie crust will do, as long as it is vegan (if you are vegan yourself of course).
I am not a fan of using powdered sugar, do you have an alternative? I have never really played with alternative powdered sugars, but you could try substituting it with powdered monk fruit, like Sara from Real Balanced did.
Can I replace the bourbon? In the filling, you could replace it with 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice or if you have rum on hand, I think it would be delicious here, in equal quantities to the bourbon. For the glaze, simply replace it with the same amount of plant based milk or again, use some rum.

Apple bourbon pop tart, cut in half with center showing

Pop tarts being filled with cooked apples.

This recipe was created in the context of an Instagram partnership with SuperFresh Growers and Autumn Glory Apples.

Who else already has one foot in the holiday season? Maybe both feet? I am definitely getting there… After watching Dash and Lilly last week on Netflix, I just feel in such a festive mood. I want to play Christmas music daily and simply cannot wait for the first real snowfall to take out my holiday pyjama!

Of course, one of the biggest parts of holidays is the food! To be perfectly honest, I start planning my holiday menu right after Halloween. I generally create a big list of recipes I have pinned during the year or ones I have been meaning to try for a long time. To that list, I add a couple of classics as well as some of my mom’s very own creations.

In the sweet department, I am always looking for desserts that have a perfect balance of warming spices, richness and once in a while a little something festive. And in today’s case, we are talking BOURBON.

Not only is the bourbon incorporated in the filling of these magnificent pop tarts, but also in the glaze.

The bourbon pairs wonderfully with the deliciously sweet autumn glory apples, the flaky pie crust and of course the cinnamon, making these pop tarts a wonderful holiday treat!

Well on that note, if you are looking for a new recipe to add to your holiday baking list, you should give this one a try. These Apple Bourbon Pop Tarts are fun to make, delicious and also quite festive.

If you end up trying this recipe, adding it to your yearly cookie box, enjoying it on Christmas day with coffee or simply trying it for a delicious snack to have on hand, be sure to share your version on IG and tag me (@muriellebanackissa).

Have a wonderful week my friends!