Introduction

These Deck The Halls Pop-Tart Ornaments are a festive and fun holiday treat that doubles as charming decorations. Made with flaky pie dough and filled with your favorite preserves or Nutella, they’re perfect for gifting or adding a homemade touch to your holiday display.

The image shows several rectangular pop tarts with a golden brown crust, placed on a white marbled surface. Each pop tart has a thick layer of white icing on top, decorated with a zigzag of black icing that mimics string lights. Attached to the black icing are colorful dots in red, blue, yellow, green, purple, and orange, resembling Christmas light bulbs. One pop tart is broken open, showing a shiny red fruit jam filling inside. Red ribbons loop through a hole at the top of some pop tarts, giving a festive, ornament-like look. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 (14-oz.) box pie dough (for 2 crusts)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg
8 to 9 Tbsp. cherry or other fruit preserves, or Nutella
1 cup (115 g) confectioners’ sugar (or more)
1 tsp. corn syrup (optional)
Kosher salt
Colored gel icing, for decorating
Ribbon or string, for hanging (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Let the pie dough sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one round of dough into a rectangle about 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick, dusting with flour as needed. Cut into 5″ x 3″ rectangles using a cookie cutter, pastry wheel, or knife. Reroll scraps to make a total of 6 rectangles. Repeat with the second dough round for 12 rectangles total. Place them on two parchment-lined baking sheets.
Step 3: In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tsp. water. Lightly brush the edges of 6 rectangles with the egg wash. Dollop about 1 heaping tablespoon of fruit preserves or Nutella in the center of each. Top with the remaining 6 rectangles, pinch the edges to seal tightly, and crimp with a fork. Lightly brush the tops with more egg wash.
Step 4: Bake the pastries until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. If using ribbon, use the end of a chopstick or thin skewer to make a hole about 1/2″ from the top before baking. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Step 5: In a medium bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup (if using), a pinch of kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon water. Add more water in 1/2 teaspoon increments until the glaze is smooth but not runny. Add more sugar if needed to thicken.
Step 6: Spread about 2 tablespoons of icing over each cooled pastry. Decorate with colored gel icing to create festive designs. Let the icing set for at least 15 minutes before tying with ribbon or string, if desired.

Tips & Variations

Use different flavors of fruit preserves or Nutella to vary the taste and colors of your pop-tart ornaments.
Make sure to seal the edges well to prevent the filling from leaking during baking.
If you don’t have corn syrup, you can omit it; the glaze may be less glossy but will still taste great.
For extra festive flair, sprinkle edible glitter or colored sugar on the icing before it sets.

Storage

Store these pop-tart ornaments in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can be gently reheated in a low oven (around 300°F) for a few minutes if you prefer them warm, but they’re delicious served at room temperature as well.

How to Serve

The image shows two square-shaped pastries with golden-brown crusts on a white marbled surface, one whole and one broken in half to reveal a thick, dark red jelly filling inside. On top of each pastry is a smooth layer of white icing, decorated with a string of colorful small candies in green, purple, red, blue, orange, and yellow, connected by thin lines of dark chocolate icing. Crumbs are scattered around the broken pastry, adding texture and detail. A bright red ribbon weaves through the background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use homemade pie dough for this recipe?

Yes, homemade pie dough works great. Just be sure it’s chilled and rolled out to the appropriate thickness before cutting and assembling the pastries.

How do I prevent the pop-tarts from puffing up too much while baking?

Pinching and crimping the edges tightly helps to seal in the filling and reduce puffing. Also, avoid overfilling the center to prevent leakage and excessive rising.