This Winter Pop-Tarts Flavor Is Making A Comeback

On December 2, BestProducts.com noticed the appearance of a page for Pop-Tarts' Frosted Red Velvet Cupcakes on Meijer's website. "It's Back!" is emblazoned on the box, referencing the fact that the flavor only ever arrives in the form of a limited release.

However, as BestProducts.com noted at the time, Pop-Tarts had yet to announce the release. As of this writing, they still haven't made any move toward confirming the flavor's return. Moreover, it seems we might have a slightly longer wait, as no store on the Meijer website claims to have the Pop-Tarts in stock, nor does the red velvet Pop-Tarts page appear when you search "Kellogg's Pop Tarts Red Velvet." This is not an issue if you search for Kellogg's Pop-Tarts in general. Perhaps a web developer for Meijer simply jumped the gun.

Still, with the existence of the page in some form, the red velvet Pop-Tarts are likely to shower our taste buds with, as Meijer's description rhapsodes, "[the] delectable pastry crust that tastes like a red velvet cupcake, topped with irresistible frosting and a gooey frosting filling." If you need limited-time-only Pop-Tarts, however, they currently offer an "Awkward Season's Greetings Sugar Cookie," with phrases like "Flake it til you make it" and "Happy Holla Daze" designed on the pastries' icing.

Of course, no one would consider a sugar cookie as an adequate substitute for red velvet if that's what their heart is set on. So, while we wait, we should turn to recipes for a replacement.

Fortunately, a recipe does exist, one supplied the blog A Week from Thursday. The ingredients consist of the usual flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, buttermilk, and — surprise — red food dye for the pastry bit. The filling requires cream cheese, sugar, and milk. Then you need an egg wash. Basically, you are just making a red velvet cake, but as 12 toasted pastries rather than one whole baked entity. In total, the process would consume around an hour and a half of your time.

In fact, making your own red velvet pastries may prove preferable to actually buying the branded product. As The Impulsive Buy's review notes, the taste of red velvet was barely there the last time Pop-Tarts sold them. Perhaps they'll do better this time around. Perhaps the flavor hits you perfectly, anyway. Or, perhaps you'll find making your own more worthwhile. Whatever your way, enjoy.