These Grain-Free Cherry Pop Tarts are gluten-free and vegan as always, but they are also grain-free made with cassava flour and coconut flour. The cherry filling is made with real cherries and naturally sweetened with maple syrup for a delicious healthier homemade pop tart treat!
It’s here!!! Who’s excited for all the cherry goodies?! Since cherry season is in full bloom, I’m enjoying all things cherry, and with the use of my new cherry pitter tool you can skip that canned stuff and go straight for the fresh cherries. I am a huge fan of snacking on cherries just as they are found in nature, I mean, who doesn’t love these nutrient-dense little “candies” plucked right from the tree? Boasting with numerous health benefits, cherries are rich in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and even protein! Cherries also contain antioxidants to help reduce inflammation and chronic disease. So, you just go right ahead and indulge on these gorgeous little gems my friends!
But aside from snacking on them straight from hand, I’ve developed two other cherry-licious recipes for you to try this cherry season: a super simple cherry jam made with fresh Stemilt cherries, chia seeds (also a hero of a food), maple syrup, water, and a pinch of salt. This Chery Chia Jam could not be easier to make, all you do is pit the cherries, reduce them in a saucepan with the maple syrup, water, and a pinch of salt, add the chia seeds and chill for about an hour. Use this jam to top your favorite toast or your morning bowl of oatmeal, or for a seedy jammie take on a PB & J dessert, stuffed inside a peanut butter cup, yum! OR you could even stuff it inside these Grain-Free Cherry Pop Tarts too! 😉
As the summer days are approaching quickly, I thought a cherry-flavored popsicle would be super fun to make. I decided to combine cherries and mango together for one refreshing pop that will be on your special treat menu all summer long. These vegan Cherry Mango Popsicles take a creamy mango filling swirled with a delectable cherry filling made with real cherries bursting with flavor. Again, you will just reduce the cherries and mango separately to soften them, blend them, combine them with maple syrup, vanilla, coconut milk, and tapioca starch, then spoon the mixtures into your popsicle mold, pop in some fresh cherries and freeze! You can find this recipe exclusively on the Stemilt blog
But back to these mouthwatering pop tarts, the cherry filling is made with fresh cherries and naturally sweetened with maple syrup for a delicious healthier homemade pop tart breakfast! If you think making your own pop tarts at home sounds daunting, let me tell you just how simple this recipe is. You cut rounds (or squares) from the dough, fill it with a tablespoon of cherry filling, place another piece of dough on top of the filling, press the edges together with a fork, bake, cool, and frost. That’s it! The pop tart crust is made grain-free using a combination of coconut flour, cassava flour, and almond flour for a super tender, flaky crust paired with that juicy cherry center. Not only are these pop tarts delicious, but making your own at home is a great way to indulge but knowing exactly what’s going into your body without all the additives and refined sugars. Not to mention… hello all natural, REAL cherry filling and frosting! Ok, I know you’re drooling, so let’s get right to it, shall we?!
If you’re a cherry fanatic like me, and sometimes you go a little crazy buying them all up before you can no longer find them in stores, cherries can actually be frozen and saved for later too! One of my favorite ways to use frozen cherries is adding them to my smoothies! And when the mood hits for one of these cherry recipes in the dead of winter, you’ll be glad you stocked up. There is a specific method on how to freeze cherries for optimal use later on, so be sure to check out that article here!
Check out these SMALL BATCH GRAIN-FREE BLUEBERRY LEMON POP TARTS too! Don’t forget to leave a comment below, and tag Healthy Little Vittles on Instagram or Facebook if you make any of these cherry treats!
Grain-Free Cherry Pop Tarts
These Grain-Free Cherry Pop Tarts are gluten-free and vegan as always, but they are also grain-free made with cassava flour and coconut flour. The cherry filling is made with real cherries and naturally sweetened with maple syrup for a delicious healthier homemade pop tart treat!
Ingredients
Cherry Filling Ingredients
- 2 cups cherries, pitted
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon tapioca or arrowroot flour/starch
Crust Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup cassava flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut oil/plant butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- oat milk, for brushing
Cherry Frosting
- Leftover cherry filling from above
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon plant milk, such as almond milk
- sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Make the cherry filling first. Add the pitted cherries to a small saucepan. Add all of the other filling ingredients and heat over medium heat until the cherries start to reduce and the filling thickens. Be sure to stir frequently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan. While the cherries are simmering make the crust.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Next, add the maple syrup, softened coconut oil/butter and pure vanilla extract and stir it with a spatula or spoon until a dough forms. Place the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper and then place another piece of parchment paper on top of the dough and roll the dough out to ¼-inch thickness. Using a round cookie cutter (or other shape), cut circles from the dough and place half of them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Next, place approximately one tablespoon of the cherry filling in the center of half of the rounds, almost to the edges but leaving a border. Place another round of crust on top of the filling and gently press the top and bottom circles together with a fork to seal the edges of the dough. They will likely crack slightly, that’s ok because you want them to vent while baking. Brush pop tarts with plant milk and then bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Allow them to cool before frosting and enjoying.
- To make the frosting, spoon any large chunks of cherries out of the filling saucepan then whisk the powdered sugar and plant milk with the leftover cherry juice right in the saucepan until smooth and you have a thick paste-like consistency. If the frosting is too runny, add more powdered sugar. Top each pop tart with the cherry frosting. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired. Store leftover pop tarts uncovered on your counter for up to 2 days.
Notes
** Recipe developed for Stemilt
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2 comments
My kids always point to breakfast pop tarts at the grocery store and I always say “no”, because they are nothing but sugar and refined carbs. These look soooooo good, definitely making them soon!
Good for your kids and good for you for teaching them to enjoy REAL food 😉 Hope you like this healthier version!