Homemade Black Sesame Pop Tarts

These mummy homemade black sesame pop tarts are the perfect breakfast, dessert, snack for the Halloween season. These spooky pop tarts are amazingly buttery, flakey, nutty, and sweet.

When I was a kid I loved eating those store-bought pop tarts especially the brown sugar and strawberry flavors. I mean bring on the nostalgia. Now as an adult, I've learned to love and even prefer the homemade version of a pop tart. With a homemade pop tart, the outside crust is even more buttery and flakey and you can fill it with any which flavor of your choosing and you can shape it however you please. These homemade black sesame pop tarts are filled with a sweet nutty toasted black sesame paste and are wrapped in a homemade flakey buttery crust.

This Asian fusion twist on an American classic treat will be a new family favorite. Plus how adorably spooky are these mummified black sesame pop tarts. Pair this with a cold glass of brown sugar milk tea or some ube Lofthouse cookies and you are set for a tasty treat!

Kitchen Equipment For this Recipe

• Food processor: using a food processor makes the dough process 100x easier in my opinion. However, if you do not have one don't fret! You can simply mix the dough together by hand with a fork or a pastry cutter.
• Pastry Mat: the pastry mat makes rolling out the dough so much easier. The non-stick on the plastic wrap prevents the dough from sticking to your work surface if the internal temperature in your home is too warm and the dough begins to melt.
• Rolling Pin: I like using a French rolling pin because I feel like I can have more control with one but this is just personal preference.
• Baking Sheets: these Nordic Ware Aluminum baking sheets are my go-to and have lasted me for years.
• Slip mat: using a slip-mat has become my most prized possession for all of my bakes. It allows these homemade black sesame poptarts to slip off easily without any sticking.
• Ruler: a ruler is key in achieving the perfect 3x4 inch rectangles!
• Pizza Cutter: alternatively you can use a knife but I find that using a pizza cutter allows for a more seamless cut.

Ingredients For This Recipe

These homemade black sesame pop tarts do not require any special ingredients. You'll most likely have most of these ingredients in your pantry already.

• All purpose flour: for these pop tarts I use a regular pie dough recipe which does not call for any specialty flour
• Granulated sugar: adds a touch of sweetness to the pie dough
• Salt: adds a touch of flavor to the pop tart crust.
• Unsalted Butter: the butter is what creates that beautiful flaky texture for the pop tart. Make sure your cubed butter is cold so that the dough is not too soft to work with.
• Ice Water: the ice water also helps in firming up the butter and adding some moisture into the dough which allows it to come together.
• Roasted Black Sesame Seeds: I recommend getting pre-roasted black sesame seeds. You can buy these online or at your local Asian grocery store.
• Honey: the honey sweetens the black sesame seeds and acts as a glue to form a paste for the black sesame.
• Powdered Sugar: the powdered sugar is the base for the glaze
• Heavy Cream: the heavy cream acts as a binding ingredient for the powdered sugar glaze. You can alternatively use milk as well.
• Vanilla Extract: adds a touch of vanilla flavor to the glaze. I love using Rodelle's Vanilla.

How To Make This Recipe

For these homemade black sesame pop tarts, the trickiest part is shaping the dough. All you need is a little patience when it comes to chilling the dough various times and it will come out buttery, flaky, and delicious.

Pop Tart Dough

1. Pulse the flour, sugar, salt and butter. In a food processor, mix together flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Then add in the cold cubed butter, pulsing until the texture has a chunky crumb.

1. Add in the water. Slowly drizzle in the ice water and pulse everything together until just combined. If dough is too dry and not coming together, add in another tablespoon of water. The dough should be held together but not wet or sticky.

1. Shape the dough. Shape the dough until it comes together and then divide the dough into 2 equal sized rectangles and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour, but up to 2 days.

Black Sesame Paste

1. Toast the black sesame. If you don't have already pre-toasted black sesame, toast the black sesame in a pan over medium heat until fragrant. Toss the pan frequently to prevent the seeds from burning. Set aside to cool.
2. Make the black sesame paste. In a food processor, blend the sesame seeds until it forms a smooth paste. Then drizzle in the honey and pulse until thickened into a paste.

Assemble and Bake

1. Roll and slice the dough. Remove one of the doughs from the fridge. Place a large piece of plastic wrap or a non-stick pastry mat over your work surface and sprinkle flour over it. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 10″x13″ rectangle. Work quickly! Using a long knife, slice your dough into a 9″x12″ rectangle. Then, cut your rectangle into 9 equal pieces, each 3″x4″.

2. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and freeze. Gently lift the corner of the saran wrap/pastry mat up off of your surface to help gently release the 3″x4″ rectangles from their place. Transfer to a large, slip mat or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between each rectangle. Once all 9 rectangles are moved onto the baking sheet, place the sheet in the freezer.

3. Roll and cut the second disc. Roll the second dough into a 10″x13″ rectangle and then slice the pastry into ¼ inch wide strips that are about 7 inches long. These will be the mummy bandages.

4. Brush with heavy cream wash and add black sesame paste. Brush the edges of each of your 9 pop tart bases with an egg wash this will help the dough to stick together. Spoon a tablespoon of the black sesame into the center of each pop tart base. Spread it to flatten, but not too close to the edges.

5. Top with remaining dough strips. Place the dough strips over the filling of the pop tart crisscrossing each other like a mummy wrap. Cut off the excess dough from the strips and use a fork to gently seal the edges. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze for an additional 30 minutes or until the dough is firm.

6. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer. Brush the remaining egg wash over top layer of the pop tarts. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and carefully stick the candy eyes on when still hot. Then allow to cool completely.

Sugar Glaze

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. The glaze should be thick and run really slowly. Add another teaspoon or two of milk if needed. Glaze the icing over the pop tarts. The glaze will slightly harden in about an hour.

Tips For this Recipe

• Use a ruler and a pizza cutter for crisp clean edges! Run the pizza cutter along the ruler for the cleanest lines. This will take out all the guess work in getting the exact sizes for the pop tarts.
• This recipe requires a little patience when it comes to chilling the dough. Make sure you have enough space in the refrigerator or freezer to chill your dough. Chilling the dough makes the crust easier to work with and is essential for the dough to not fall apart.
• If the dough is sticking too much while you are rolling it out place a plastic wrap over the dough. This is a trick my mom taught me. If flouring your rolling pin is not working, simply add a plastic wrap layer over the dough and roll on top of the plastic wrap.
• Use pre-toasted black sesame seeds. This for one is a time saver for you where you don't have to toast the black sesame seeds to bring out the warm sesame flavor. Second, toasting black sesame is really tricky. Since the color is already black, it is hard to tell when the sesame seeds are just toasted enough or burnt.

Storage Instructions

Leftover black sesame pop tarts can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days. To reheat use a microwave or a toaster oven. Avoid using a traditional toaster since the sesame paste may melt down into the toaster.

You can also freeze the pop tarts in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Separate the layers with parchment or wax paper. Alternatively, you can individually wrap the pop tarts with plastic wrap to store in the freezer.

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Why is my dough so soft and breaking?

If your dough is too soft, the dough is too warm and you will need to chill the dough in the refrigerator/freezer for at least 10 minutes. Chilling the dough firms up the butter making it easier to work with.

Can I use different flavor fillings in these pop tarts?

This is your pop tart. You can fill it with whatever filling you want. You can replace the black sesame paste with jam, preserves, red bean, ube, etc. Just make sure that if you use a runnier filling you may need to use more mummy wrap to prevent the filling from seeping out.

Can I make the dough without a food processor?

Yes! The dough is a pie crust. You can simply use your fingers, a pastry cutter, or the back of a fork to combine the butter and flour mixture. It will take a little bit more time but it will come out just as delicious.

Can I use store-bought pie crust?

Yes of course! If you do not have the time to make a pie crust from scratch, then go for it! But to be honest, nothing beats the taste of a homemade pie crust.

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Homemade Black Sesame Pop Tarts

5 from 1 vote

These mummy homemade black sesame pop tarts are the perfect breakfast, dessert, snack for the Halloween season. These spooky pop tarts are amazingly buttery, flakey, nutty, and sweet.

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