These Strawberry Gin Smash Pop-Tarts are a hundred times better than the kind that come in those thin foil pouches. The pastry is buttery and flaky, super tender and easy to bite into, and the jam is fresh and sweet from the use of real strawberries (unlike the store-bought brand which uses dried strawberries, dried pears, and dried apples in its filling***), mint, and the slight kick of gin. Eat them as is still warm from the oven or top with the Mint Gin Icing and you have a classic childhood breakfast pastry that tastes better than even nostalgia will have you remembering.
These pop-tarts start with an incredibly easy pastry. Rub cold butter into a bowl of flour, sugar, and salt, and bring it all together with ice cold water spiked with vanilla and vodka and you have a pastry that is light, flaky, and tender enough to melt with every bite.
These are essentially just hand-pies covered in icing and there is nothing wrong with that (besides the fact that I was trying to save pies for next year…oops). You could always cheat and use a store-bought pie crust or jam to make your own pop-tarts, but it’s so easy to make everything on your own. Plus, it will be fresher and far more satisfying if you do. Most of the time required in putting these together is spent waiting for the dough to rest and chill or for the jam to cool. You can get everything prepped and go to the movies or run some errands then come back to put these together.
These are great for breakfast, or dessert, with a cup of coffee or tea, or with a cocktail. With the strawberry and the mint, you get the bright flavors of summer all wrapped up in one buttery parcel.
You can also make these kid-friendly by removing the gin. Just replace the gin in the icing with some extra tablespoons of milk and replace the gin in the jam with another tablespoon of lime juice. But if you feel that the kids are perfectly fine with the boxed version and you want to keep these for yourself, no one would judge you for it. Sometimes, the best things need to remain your own little secret for as long as possible.
***I have nothing against dried fruit as I use it often, but when you’re making jam–especially one with such summery flavors–the fresher you can get, the better!
| Cook Time | 20-25 minutes |
| Servings |
pop-tarts
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- 340 grams all purpose flour (about 2 1/3 cup spooned and leveled)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 226 grams unsalted butter cold and cubed (1 cup or 2 sticks)
- 1 cup water cold
- 1 cup ice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp vodka
- 200 grams strawberries (about 1 1/2 cups cut into quarters)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 5-8 leaves fresh mint finely chopped
- 1/4-1/2 cups gin
- 1 Tbsp lime juice (about 1/2 large lime)
- 1/4 cup black chia seeds
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp gin
- 1-2 Tbsp milk
- 5 leaves fresh mint finely chopped
Ingredients
Pastry*
Strawberry Mint Gin Jam
Mint Gin Icing
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- In a large bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, and salt. Add the butter, and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until you're left with pea-sized pieces of butter coated in flour. In a measuring cup, stir together the water, ice, vanilla extract, and vodka. Add this mixture 1-2 Tbsps at a time to your bowl of pastry dough and stir with a knife until the dough just begins to come together (this should be about 6-10 Tbsp--be careful not to get it too wet!).
- Once the dough begins to come together, use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball. Squeeze and pinch the dough with your fingertips to bring it all together. Split the dough in half and shape into two flat discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.
- In a large saucepan, mash the strawberries. Add in 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, finely chopped pieces of 5-8 mint leaves, 1/4-1/2 cup of gin, and 1 Tbsp lime juice. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Lower to medium heat and allow to simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chia seeds and allow to simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the jam begins to thicken. Dip a spoon in the jam and drag your finger through it, if the jam doesn't run, it should be good to remove from the heat and leave to cool. Transfer to a large shallow dish or bowl (I usually use a large pyrex tupperware)** and allow to cool completely.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Remove one disc of pastry from the refrigerator and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes to soften. Lightly dust your work surface, and a rolling pin, with flour and roll out the pastry dough until about 2mm thick. You should have a rectangle about 8" x 12". Cut into 3" x 4" rectangles and line on the prepared baking sheet--these will be the bottoms of the pop-tarts. Pop the baking sheet into the freezer to chill and repeat the rolling and cutting process with the other disc of dough--these will be the tops of your pop-tarts.
- Remove the pastry rectangles from the freezer. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the jam into the center each square. Top with a second square of pastry and use your fingers to press the pastry down around the jam, setting the jam in place while you fill the rest of the pop-tarts. Repeat until you have 8 filled pop-tarts. Using a fork, press down around the edges of the pastry. Return the pan to the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer. Whisk together 1 egg with 1 Tbsp of water. Brush the tops of the pastries with this egg wash. Prick the top of each pastry 6-8 times with a fork so that the steam has somewhere to escape.
- Bake 15 minutes. Rotate the pan in the oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the tops are a light golden brown and the pastries are fully cooked through (if you lift them up, the bottom will be a light golden brown as well). Allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Sift 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar into a large bowl. Add 5 finely chopped mint leaves, 2 Tbsp gin, and 1-2 Tbsp of milk. Whisk together until smooth and pourable. Using a spoon, spoon the icing over the top of the pop-tarts, spreading slightly to the edges. Allow to set.
*If you don't want to make your own pastry, you can always use store-bought pie crust to make your pop-tarts. (I definitely recommend making your own though!).
**Pouring the jam into a dish with a large surface area will help it cool faster.