Halloween Pop Tarts

Why you'll love this?

• I use a pie crust instead of making a pastry dough from scratch, keeping it simple enough for kids to make or if you are short on time.
• An easy recipe that your kids will love to make.
• Can't get easier than a two-ingredient recipe! All you need is a ghost-shaped cookie cutter, piping tip and some skewers.
• Keep it simple or embellish with a candy flower.

Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

• Pie crust - Use homemade or store-bought pie crust. Puff pastry might not work well for this Halloween pop tarts recipe because the ghosts will not look as neat.
• Jam - I like to use a deep red-colored jam or jelly to mimic bloody eyes, like in skull cookies. Feel free to use other jams or preserves such as apricot, cherry, strawberry or black berry.

Tools needed

1. Ghost cookie cutter
2. Small piping tip
3. Skewers

1.Roll the pie crust on a lightly floured surface, to ⅛-inch thickness. Using the ghost cookie cutter, cut out as many ghosts as possible. I was able to cut 16 shapes using my homemade recipe.

Tip: If the dough is too firm, then let it stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes. This will help make the dough easier to roll and work with. 

2 & 3. Make top or face layer - cut out two eyes using the small end of the 2A piping tip, like for the Halloween sandwich recipe. Using the back end of a small spoon, elongate the circle into oval shapes.

4. Spread about a teaspoon of jam on the middle of another cut-out, leaving about ½-inch border around the edges, like in raspberry thumbprint cookies. Using a very small pastry brush or your fingertip, brush the edges with a little water to moisten.

5. Place the face layer on top and press the edges with your fingertip, pressing gently to adhere. Press the bottom with a skewer to form the base of the ghost (refer to photos and video).

Tip: Ensure that you firmly press the edges of the dough together to create a tight seal to ensure that the jam does not leak outside.

6. Repeat the process to make all ghosts and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about an inch apart. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or golden in color. Cool completely.

These can be served as is to keep to simple or proceed to the next step for an embellishment.

Tip: No egg wash? I prefer not to brush the Halloween pop tarts with egg wash because it will make them darker in color. Because these pop tarts are not glazed, they look more ghostly when pale golden instead of darker.

7 & 8. Optional step - Make a thick sugar glaze and spoon it into a small ziplock bag. Seal, snip the corner and squeeze a small dollop on one side of the face. Press a candy flower on top, pressing slightly to stick, and let stand for at least 15 minutes for the glaze to dry.

Tip: To make sugar glaze, stir together confectioners sugar and water in a small bowl, until thick.

How to store?

Store Halloween pop tarts in an air-tight container, at room temperature for up to 2 days.

To freeze - Baked pop tarts without the candy flower can be frozen in a zip lock bag for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Serve as is or decorate.

Helpful tips

• Pie crust - Leave the refrigerated pie crust for about 15 minutes to make it easier to roll.
• Jam - I like to use a deep red colored jam for a color contrast. Feel free to use whatever you have at home.