Start by tossing your flour, sugar, and salt into a food processor and giving it a few quick pulses. Drop in the cold, cubed butter and pulse again until the mixture looks like tiny crumbs, those little butter bits are what make your Pop-Tarts perfectly flaky.

Slowly pour in the ice water and add the vanilla, pulsing just until the dough comes together. Be gentle, we want tender, buttery layers, not a tough crust.

Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and pop it in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Chilling is the secret to that flaky texture.

Lightly flour your workspace and roll out the dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick.

Cut your dough into rectangles. You can use a stencil, or just go freehand, it’s all good! Make as many as you can, then reroll the scraps for a second batch. Every leftover piece is another little treat waiting to happen.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly spray it, then lay out half of your rectangles. Spoon some strawberry preserves into the center of each piece. Keep a small border around the edges so the filling doesn’t sneak out, just enough to get that sweet, fruity bite in every Pop-Tart.

Top each filled rectangle with another piece of dough and press the edges gently with a fork to seal in the jam. Don’t forget to poke a few small holes in the top so steam can escape while baking.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 13–15 minutes, until they’re golden and the kitchen smells amazing. Let them cool completely before adding icing, patience here really pays off.