Easy Ghostly Pop Tarts: The Perfect Spooky-Sweet Halloween Treat Recipe
Get ready to conjure up some magic in your kitchen with these absolutely adorable and deliciously spooky Ghostly Pop Tarts! These treats are the ultimate combination of scary-cute, making them ideal for any Halloween celebration. Whether you’re planning a full-blown haunted Halloween party, need a fun and festive breakfast to delight the kids, or simply want to indulge in a seasonal snack, these homemade pop tarts are an absolute dream. Crafted with just a handful of simple ingredients, each pastry is lovingly filled with luscious cherry jam and then frosted to perfection before being adorned with charming ghostly facial expressions using black decorator icing. Kids and adults alike will fall head over heels for these delightful and easy-to-make Halloween treats, disappearing faster than a phantom in the night!
Don’t let the thought of baking homemade pop tarts send shivers down your spine! We promise, making these spooky-sweet pastries is far easier than you might imagine. Forget complicated recipes and lengthy preparation times; these delightful Halloween pop tarts come together in a flash, making them a fantastic project for bakers of all skill levels. Our secret to keeping things wickedly simple? We start with a ready-made refrigerated pie crust and complement it with a store-bought cherry jam – though any red jam like raspberry or strawberry works wonderfully for that eerie, bleeding effect. The vanilla frosting, a simple concoction of powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk, adds that irresistible sweet finish. You’ll have your family leaping out of bed quicker than you can shout “Boo!” once the irresistible aroma of these freshly baked treats wafts through your home. It’s the perfect way to add a touch of Halloween spirit to your morning or afternoon snack!
This post and recipe were created for #HalloweenTreatsWeek! I was sent samples Dixie Crystals Sugar but opinions here are 100% mine.
Welcome, ghoulish gourmands and treat enthusiasts! The air is growing crisp, the leaves are turning, and Halloween is almost upon us. This can only mean one thing: it’s time for this year’s much-anticipated #HalloweenTreatsWeek recipe and giveaway event! Prepare for a week of spine-tinglingly delicious recipes and frightfully fun surprises that will make your Halloween celebrations extra special.
#HalloweenTreatsWeek is an annual tradition, a beloved Halloween blogging event masterfully hosted by Angie from Big Bear’s Wife. It’s a week-long celebration filled with an abundance of amazingly wicked Halloween treats, creative recipes, and some truly frightfully fun giveaways that you won’t want to miss. Over two dozen talented bloggers participate, sharing their spookiest and sweetest creations, ensuring you have an endless supply of inspiration for your holiday festivities. Make sure to follow the hashtag and check out all the posts throughout the week for a full dose of Halloween magic!
“When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers ‘tis near Halloween.”
These homemade Pop Tart Ghosts aren’t just easy to make; their real magic lies in how quickly they vanish! One moment they’re lined up, smiling sweetly on your cooling rack, the next they’re gone. Now you see them, now you don’t! But you’ll likely still hear that tell-tale sound… that delightful munching… crunching… sound. Don’t try to escape it; it’s the sweet symphony of Halloween joy! And those happy, jam-filled smiles? They’ll be etched in your memory, a testament to the simple, ghostly pleasure these treats bring.
Gathering Your Hauntingly Simple Ingredients for Ghost Pop Tarts
Gathering Your Hauntingly Simple Ingredients for Ghost Pop TartsCreating these adorable ghostly pop tarts requires only a few accessible ingredients, making your Halloween baking stress-free and fun. Here’s what you’ll need to transform into a kitchen wizard:
- **Refrigerated Pie Crust:** The ultimate shortcut for quick and easy homemade pop tarts. Look for a package with two crusts. Of course, if you’re feeling particularly spirited and possessed by a supernatural baking urge, you can certainly whip up your own homemade pie crust for an extra personal touch!
- **Egg White + Water:** This magical egg wash acts as a delicious glue to seal your pop tarts and gives them a beautiful golden sheen when baked.
- **Cherry Jam (or other red jam):** The heart of our ghostly treats! Cherry jam provides a wonderfully sweet and slightly tart filling, and its vibrant red color offers a delightful, slightly spooky contrast when a ghost might “bleed” a little. Raspberry or strawberry jam also work perfectly.
- **Powdered Sugar:** The base for our smooth, sweet vanilla glaze.
- **Vanilla Extract:** Essential for giving our glaze that classic, comforting flavor.
- **Milk:** Used to achieve the perfect consistency for your pop tart frosting.
- **Black Decorator Icing:** This is where the ghosts come to life! A tube of black icing is all you need to draw on their expressive eyes and mouths.
You’ll also need a ghost-shaped cookie cutter to give your pop tarts their iconic Halloween form. Don’t worry, these aren’t hard to find! Prior to Halloween, you can typically find these sorts of cookie cutters everywhere – from Target and Walmart to your local Dollar Store. They usually stock them for a month or two leading up to the holiday. If you can’t find them locally, you can easily find these ghost-shaped cookie cutters on Amazon, ensuring you’re ready for your spooky baking adventure!
Steps To Making Your Adorable Halloween Ghost Poptarts
Begin your ghostly creation by unrolling your pie crust. Gently flatten it a bit more if needed, aiming for a thickness of about 1/6 of an inch. As mentioned, using pre-made pie dough is a fantastic way to keep this recipe super simple and quick, especially when time is of the essence during the busy Halloween season. If you’re feeling adventurous and wish to make your own, go for it! Just ensure it’s rolled out evenly. While preparing your crusts, consider lining your baking sheet with some Halloween-inspired parchment paper. It’s surprisingly easy to find festive parchment paper around Halloween, often featuring fun patterns like bats, pumpkins, or even themes from popular spooky movies. Does it make them taste better? Perhaps it’s the secret ingredient, like the Eye of Newt added to a witch’s brew, but probably not! It certainly doesn’t add flavor, but it undeniably makes for a pretty cool and festive presentation. I found this Hocus Pocus parchment paper at Home Goods, and it added an extra touch of magic!
Once your pie crust is rolled out, use your ghost-shaped cookie cutter to create as many ghost outlines as possible. Carefully transfer these delicate cutouts onto your parchment-lined cookie sheet, arranging them with a little space between each one to allow for expansion during baking.
Now for the delicious filling! Place about a teaspoonful of your chosen jam (cherry, raspberry, or strawberry) right in the center of half of your ghost cutouts. This is a crucial step where restraint is key: avoid the temptation to add too much jam, as an overfilled pop tart is prone to leaking out its sweet, gooey insides during baking, which can make a mess and affect the final look. A modest teaspoon is all you need for a perfectly balanced treat.
With the jam in place, prepare your egg wash (a whisked egg white with a tablespoon of water). Lightly brush this mixture around the edges of each jam-topped ghost cutout. This creates a sticky seal that will help bind the top and bottom layers of your pop tarts together. Next, take another ghost cutout, brush one side with the egg wash, and place it egg-washed side down directly on top of a jam-filled ghost.
Once the top crust is in place, use the tines of a fork to gently but firmly press and seal the edges all around. This not only creates a charming crimped border but, more importantly, ensures your delicious jam filling stays securely inside. Finish by lightly brushing the tops of all your assembled pop tarts with a final coat of egg wash; this will give them a beautiful, shiny, golden-brown finish after baking.
Bake your ghostly pop tarts in a preheated oven until they turn a lovely light golden brown. This usually takes about 15 minutes, but keep an eye on them as oven temperatures can vary. The golden hue signals they are perfectly baked and ready for the next step of their transformation. Once out of the oven, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This cooling step is essential; attempting to frost warm pop tarts will result in a runny, messy glaze. C’mon, what’s a pop tart without that perfect, set icing?
Once your spooky pop tarts are completely cool, it’s time to add their crowning glory: the delicious vanilla frosting. Whisk together your powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk until you achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency. If you like your glaze to set quickly, a little trick is to microwave it for 10-20 seconds before glazing. It helps it harden faster, giving you a beautiful, crisp finish. Drizzle or spread the frosting generously over each cooled pop tart, ensuring an even coating. Let the frosting set for a few minutes before moving on to the final, most fun step.
Finally, after the frosting has set up nicely, it’s time to bring your ghosts to life! Grab your tube of black decorator icing. Using a small decorator tip for precision, carefully draw on the eyes and mouths of each ghost. Don’t be afraid to get creative! If you need a little help guiding the icing or want to refine the details, a simple toothpick can be your best friend. It’s perfect for nudging the icing into place or correcting any small mistakes, ensuring each ghost has its own unique personality.
Will you create happy ghosts, angry ghosts, or perhaps some truly spooky ghosts? The choice is entirely yours! Let your imagination run wild and give each pop tart a distinct character. For me, I’ll always lean towards happy ghosts, because once these delightful treats are decorated and set, it’s time for the most important part: eating them! These easy ghostly pop tarts are sure to be a hit, whether as a fun Halloween breakfast or a special party treat.
Love These Spooky Treats? Pin Them for Later!
Don’t let these charming little homemade Halloween Pop Tarts vanish from your memory! Make sure to pin them to your favorite Halloween recipe board on Pinterest before you go. This way, you can easily find this delightful recipe year after year, whenever the spooky season calls for a sweet, ghostly treat. Share the fun with your friends and family, and let everyone enjoy these easy and adorable snacks!
Explore More #HalloweenTreatsWeek Recipes from 2021
While you’re here, be sure to check out my other two fantastic contributions to the #HalloweenTreatsWeek event from 2021:
It’s Giveaway Time! Get Ready for Spooky Prizes!
For the 4th annual #HalloweenTreatsWeek event, we’ve gathered an incredible lineup of 28 hauntingly talented bloggers who are sharing their favorite Halloween recipes throughout the entire week! But that’s not all – this exciting event also includes some fantastic giveaways, making your Halloween even sweeter. Don’t forget to follow the hashtag #HalloweenTreatsWeek on social media to keep up with all the amazing contributions, and be sure to check the bottom of each post to discover all the spine-chillingly good Halloween recipes we’re sharing!
Prize #1 from Dixie Crystals
One lucky winner will receive this amazing prize pack:
– 41 Pieces Silicone Bakeware Set
– 3 Piece Halloween Silicone Spatula Set
– Nordic Ware Haunted Skull Cakelet Pan
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway open to US Residents 18 years or older. All entries will be verified. No PO Boxes Please. Prizes will be sent directly from sponsor to winner, bloggers are not responsible for prizes. This giveaway runs from October 11th – October 15th at 11:59 PM EST. Winners will be selected soon afterward and contacted by e-mail. Winners will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. There are a total of 1 (ONE) prize pack and therefore we will have a total of 1 (ONE) winner. No purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited by law.
More Spooktacular Halloween Snack Ideas for Your Feast
Looking for even more ways to fill your Halloween spread with delicious and festive treats? Look no further! Here are some other fantastic Halloween snack ideas that are sure to be a hit with your guests, big and small:
- Halloween Double Peanut Butter Muddy Buddies: A classic snack mix with a spooky twist!
- Eye-Love Chocolate Sugar Cookies: Creepy, cute, and utterly delicious cookies.
- Sweet And Savory Halloween Snack Board: The ultimate platter for all your ghoulish grazing needs.
- Cocoa Krispy Owls: Adorable and easy no-bake treats.
- Halloween Trash Snack Mix: A dangerously addictive mix of sweet and salty goodness.
Now that you have all the tips and tricks for making these hauntingly delightful homemade pop tarts, let’s get down to the full, easy-to-follow recipe! Happy Halloween baking! 
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Ghostly Pop Tarts
Equipment
- Wilton Black Icing Tube
- Whisks for Cooking, 3 Pack Stainless Steel Whisk 8″+10″+12″
- WILTON 3 Piece Halloween Cookie Cutter Set
- Reynolds Kitchens Non-Stick Parchment Paper
- KitchenAid Gourmet Rolling Pin, One Size, Red
- Offset Spatula , SIMEEGO Icing Spatula Set with 6 8 10 Inch Stainless Steel Blades
- 13×18 Half Sheet Pan
Ingredients
- 1 package 2 crusts refrigerated pie crust (or your own homemade)
- 1 egg white + 1 Tablespoon water
- Cherry jam or other red jam, raspberry, strawberry
- 1 cup powderd sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk
- black decorator icing for eyes and mouth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix together an egg wash by whisking egg white and water together.
- Roll pie crust out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut shapes with ghost cookie cutters. (or another shape) Lay flat onto the cookie sheet.
- Put about 1 teaspoon of cherry jam in the center of each ghost cutout, keeping it in the middle. Run a pastry brush with egg wash around the edge.
- Egg wash another ghost cutout and place the egg-washed side down on top of a jam-filled cutout. Using the tines of a fork, press the edges together to keep the filling in.
- Egg wash the tops of each pop tart.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops are a light golden brown. Remove and cool before glazing.
- To glaze: whisk together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until its the desired consistency. I like to microwave mine for 10-20 seconds before glazing. It sets quicker.
- Decorate: I used a small decorator tip for the black icing and touched it up with a toothpick.
- After they set, serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Check out all of these great #HalloweenTreatsWeek recipes for today:
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- Monster Eyeball Cupcakes from Semi-Homemade Recipes
- Ghost Meringue Cookies from Jen Around the World
- Apple Cider Donut Whoopie Pies from Pint Sized Baker
- Graveyard Pudding Cups from Fresh April Flours
- Churro Cookies from Devour Dinner
- Halloween Monster Donuts from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Witches’ Brew Whiskey Sour from The Redhead Baker
- Witches Hat Cheese Ball from 4 Sons ‘R’ Us
- Pumpkin Swirl Brownies from Eat Move Make
- Layered Halloween Jello from House of Nash Eats
- Mummy Wrapped Brie from Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Mummy Cupcakes from The Flour Handprint
- Halloween Candy Cracker Toffee from Sweet ReciPEAs
- Old Fashioned Apple Fritters from It’s Shanaka
- Pumpkin Mint Patties from Sweet Beginnings
- Butterfinger Ice Cream (No-Churn) from Pastry Chef Online
- Chocolate Frogs from The Spiffy Cookie
- Halloween Cupcake Treat Board from Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
- Skull Cake from Lemon Blossoms
- Halloween Brownie Pizza from Back To My Southern Roots
- Halloween Mini Bat Taco Cheeseballs from Savory Moments
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- Deadly Dark Chocolate Layer Cake from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures