Are you following a gluten-free diet and miss Pop-Tarts? I get it. Pop-Tarts are a nostalgic treat made with gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Over the last few years, several copycat gluten-free Pop-Tarts brands have entered the market, and I’m reviewing them all. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts are flaky pastries filled with a gooey jam or chocolate and topped with a sweet frosting. This beloved breakfast treat was a staple in my childhood diet, and I gave up Pop-Tarts cold turkey after getting diagnosed with celiac disease in 2012.
For a long time, the only way a person with celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or gluten intolerance could enjoy gluten-free pop-tarts or toaster pastries was if they made them.
I must say, my gluten-free pop-tarts recipe is one of my all-time favorite recipes. It’s fun to make (consider it a craft project!) and tastes incredible, better than the processed Pop-Tarts of my childhood. I overload my homemade gluten-free pop-tarts with cherry jam filling and sweet icing.
If you’re looking for a delicious, jam-filled, gluten-free treat, homemade pop-tarts made without gluten are the way to go.
Realistically, however, it can be challenging to whip up a batch of pop-tarts every time you crave one, and therefore, you might be looking for a good store-bought option instead.
Today, several copycat gluten-free Pop-Tarts brands are on the market, and I’ve got the scoop on them so you don’t waste your time or hard-earned money on gluten-free products that miss the mark.
Katz Gluten-Free Toaster Pastries
Katz is a name the gluten-free community knows and trusts. All of the brand’s products are certified gluten-free by the GFCO. All Katz products are also nut-free, dairy-free, and certified kosher.
Katz Toaster Pastries come in two varieties: Strawberry and Brown Sugar Cinnamon (these come in both frosted and unfrosted varieties). I ordered them both on Amazon to review and taste test.
I think they look like off-brand Pop-Tarts, but alas, they do look like Pop-Tarts. I warmed them in the toaster oven for 40 seconds, then dug in.
I thought the texture was good. It’s flaky but doesn’t fall apart. It reminded me of a pie crust or flaky strudel.
It tasted good. It’s sweetened with natural sugar and has a pleasant flavor and aftertaste. I enjoyed the jam-filling but wished there was more of it.
I also enjoyed the icing on top. It looks like the equipment it’s made on doesn’t quite apply the icing evenly on top, so all the toaster pastries were slightly “off” in appearance. As you can see, the icing isn’t entirely centered on the rectangle pastry. Regardless of appearances, this is a satisfying gluten-free pop-tarts alternative.
Please note that many reviews on Amazon talk about how the toaster pastry falls apart in the toaster. That didn’t happen to me. I toasted it on the lowest setting for 40 seconds, and it was perfect.
Also, many reviews talk about how it arrived in a crumbled mess. My Katz’s toaster pastries arrived intact, albeit fragile.
Remember, these pastries are made without gluten. Gluten acts as “glue” to hold pastries together. These are much more delicate than Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts, but that’s to be expected when dealing with gluten-free foods.
A two-pack costs $13 on Amazon, meaning each pop-tart costs approximately $1.63. This makes Katz’s toaster pastries the best value in addition to the best-tasting gluten-free pop-tart.
Bottom Line on Katz: Katz makes the best-tasting and best-value gluten-free pop-tarts alternative. While it’s not perfect, Katz offers the best way for the gluten-free community to enjoy these delicious pastries without making their own.
Bobo’s Gluten-Free Toaster Pastries
I tried Bobo’s gluten-free toaster pastries a few years ago and went to reorder some to complete this review. However, they’re sold out on Amazon and Bobo’s website, with no ETA on when they will be available or if they’re being discontinued. Therefore, I’m writing this review using muscle memory.
These gluten-free toaster pastries resemble Pop-Tarts in that they’re rectangular-shaped and have a fruit filling but do not taste like Pop-Tarts. They’re also missing the icing on top.
These toaster pastries are much softer than regular Pop-Tarts, and because they’re made primarily with rolled oats and oat flour, they taste more like a Nutrigrain Bar. Each “Toaster” needs more filling.
A pack of 12 toaster pastries costs $23, about $1.92 per pastry.
Bottom Line on Bobo’s: Bobo’s toaster pastries taste nothing like Pop-Tarts. However, you might enjoy Bobo’s Toasters if you like soft whole-grain granola bars. Bobo’s only resembles Pop-Tarts in shape, but not in taste.
Flings
Flings gluten-free toaster pastries arrived on the scene in 2023 and come in three flavors: Summer Strawberry, Hot Chocolate, and Sticky Cinnamon. I ordered all three flavors on Amazon.
Flings touts itself as “the better rectangle,” likely because it’s a high-protein, low-sugar, keto-friendly, gluten-free, soy-free, grain-free, and wheat-free version of a traditional Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts. Each toaster pastry contains 10 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber.
While the packaging is bright and beautiful, the product inside is lackluster. It appeared that there might have been an icing on top, but it soaked into the pastry and was near-invisible to me (see picture). A note included in my package said the icing was hand-painted. Unfortunately, it didn’t stick.
I also struggled to eat them. I didn’t like the taste of the pastry, and it only contained a small amount of jam filling, sweetened with erythritol, an artificial sweetener. My husband agreed with me as I forced him to eat something I didn’t like, just to be sure it wasn’t just me.
These toaster pastries tasted overwhelmingly fake, and the artificial sweetener gave them an awful aftertaste.
They cost $34 for a three-pack (minimum order on Amazon), which includes 12 total toaster pastries. That equates to $2.80 per pastry, a steep price for something that resembles Pop-Tarts but tastes nothing like one.
Bottom Line on Flings: While Fling’s may look like Pop-Tarts, it’s more of a protein bar sweetened with artificial sugar, leaving an aftertaste you may or may not like. If you’re looking for imitation pop-tarts made without gluten, Flings isn’t it.
Legendary
After I tried Flings, I learned about Legendary protein pastries, which come in seven flavors: Blueberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Chocolate Cake, Cookies and Cream, Hot Fudge Sundae, Red Velvet, and Strawberry.
I considered ordering them to finish this article. But, as much as I wanted to review them, I couldn’t bring myself to spend $26 for eight protein bars ($3.25 each!), mainly because they, too, are sweetened with erythritol, which I realized how much I hated after eating Flings!
These are not gluten-free pop-tarts. Like Flings, they are protein bars dressed like pop-tarts. Don’t be fooled.
Bottom Line on Legendary: I didn’t try Legendary protein pastries because I couldn’t bring myself to buy another lookalike Pop-Tarts brand sweetened with erythritol. This is not a pop-tart; it’s a protein bar in disguise.
Discontinued: Glutino Toaster Pastry
Glutino used to make gluten-free toaster pastries, but Conagra Foods discontinued its production years ago. A fan of Glutino Gluten-Free Toaster Pastries started a petition in 2020 to bring them back, which has amassed 2,100 signatures.
I don’t recall having a Glutino toaster pastry in my past life, but I imagine it’s similar to Katz’s version of a Pop-Tarts based on the reviews. Hopefully, Glutino will bring them back one day.
Gluten-Free Pop-Tarts Brands
If you’re craving gluten-free pop-tarts, I highly recommend Katz Toaster Pastries or making your own.
While Katz is my #1 pick by a mile, it’s still not quite like the pop-tarts you remember eating in your pre-gluten-free days.
If you’re up for the challenge, I recommend making homemade gluten-free pop-tarts. You won’t regret it.
Editor’s Note: I will update this article as new brands become available.
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Glutino was REALLY good. (Please bring them back!) I just purchased the Katz. They are not as good, but a close second. I think it needs more filling too. I have not been brave enough to try your homemade ones yet, but homemade IS always best!
Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Homemade is the best, I agree!
I have made your tart recipe quite a few times. They are so much better than anything in the store! Thank you for doing this taste test. I will stick with the homemade tarts (your recipe).