Cracking The Code To Taylor Swift's Homemade Pop-Tarts

It’s no secret that Taylor Swift loves baking. Back in 2014, she shared her chai cookie recipe (via Tumblr) that quickly went viral and is still recreated to this day. Even while traveling the world on her Eras Tour, the singer still found time to bake for her loved ones.

In a June 2024 press conference, Travis Kelce shared two of his favorite treats crafted by his then-girlfriend: “Taylor makes a great Pop-Tart and cinnamon roll.” Earlier in the year, Kansas City Chiefs’ coach, Andy Reid, admitted that he knew “it was over” and that Swift won the hearts of the NFL team after she made the tight end a batch of her homemade Pop-Tarts.

It seems now Swift isn’t only sharing her love for homemade pastries with Kelce and his teammates. Reportedly, she and the footballer served Pop-Tarts at their July 3 wedding as well. A source told People that instead of a cake, the two had a dessert table for guests at Madison Square Garden that included Pop-Tarts and cookies.

Tracking Down Taylor’s (Alleged) Pop-Tart Recipe

Even though Swift has never shared her recipe online, one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “If you’ve always wanted to try Taylor Swift’s iconic treats, the good [thing] is you can. She uses a lot of NY Times recipes. During Swift’s Speak Now era, she admitted to getting a lot of her recipes from either the New York Times or Ina Garten (Swift’s an admitted huge fan of the cook).

With that in mind, I tried the New York Times’ Pop-Tart recipe to see whether it’s worth replacing a traditional wedding cake.

Taylor Swift’s Pop-Tart Recipe Has Sooo Many Ingredients

To bake what fans believe is the singer’s recipe for Pop-Tarts, you need the following items:

The Dough

• 6 ounces of room temperature cream cheese
• ½ cup of room temperature unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 egg

The Jam

• 2 cups of chopped fresh or frozen berries
• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons of water, lemon, or lime juice
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water

The Glaze

• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• ¼ cup of milk or heavy cream
• 1-2 teaspoons of lemon or lime juice
• Colorful sprinkles

You want to start by making the dough, so mix together the cream cheese, butter, milk or cream, salt, and sugar into a bowl until it’s all smooth. Then, add in the flour before kneading two or three times, and split the dough in half to wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.

With your dough chilling, you can get started on the jam by heating up the fruit in a saucepan for a minute. Once it’s warm, add in your sugar, followed by the water or juice. I went with lemon juice, which I had leftover from making Swift’s go-to drink, the Tay-tini.

Let that simmer for 10 to 30 minutes, and then add in the cornstarch. Once it starts to clump, let it cool on the side as you bring out the dough to start putting everything together. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, then roll and cut your dough into six rectangles that are about three inches by nine inches each.

Place three pieces of dough on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and add a tablespoon or two of your jam to the center of each. Brush on some egg wash to the perimeter before placing the other three pieces of dough on top. Use a fork to crimp the edges of your Pop-Tarts, and place in the oven for 22 to 25 minutes.

While those are baking, make your icing by mixing together the powdered sugar, milk or cream and lemon or lime juice. I used my lemon juice again to match the jam. Once your Pop-Tarts are out of the oven, let them cool a bit before spreading on the icing and decorating with your sprinkles — and voilà, you have Taylor Swift’s Pop-Tarts.

True Life: I’m A Lover Of Taylor-Made Pop-Tarts

The one thing I enjoy about Pop-Tarts is that they’re so easy. Like Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls, I may not be a pro in the kitchen like Luke and Sookie, but I can make a mean Pop-Tart appetizer.

So after trying a Kelce-inspired cinnamon rolls recipe that took me three days to complete, I was worried these homemade Pop-Tarts would be just as painstakingly difficult. But I will say, even though it took a few more steps than opening some packaging and enjoying it, these Pop-Tarts were easy and fun.

My favorite part was the homemade and fresh taste of everything. You get the buttery and flakey crust with a perfectly sweet and tangy jam inside. Even the icing is better than a store-bought Pop-Tart, because it’s not as hard and provides an extra bit of sweetness.

Just like Kelce makes Swift feel “so high school,” these Pop-Tarts are equally nostalgic. They’re delicious and worth the try if you’re a Swiftie who likes baking. I fully understand why Kelce enjoys these so much, and how representative they are of their love.