Who doesn’t remember growing up with these delightful pastries? They were a childhood favorite, easy enough for us kids to whip up all on our own.

I’ve been longing for these treats like crazy, and during a visit to Oregon, my daughter stumbled upon puff pastry options from Schar and Sweet Loren’s. Naturally, we couldn’t resist a friendly comparison challenge.

Initially, Schar’s puff pastry didn’t look promising – dry and crumbly. But surprisingly, it held its own during baking. Sweet Loren’s, on the other hand, elicited a different reaction altogether. It instantly transported me back to my childhood kitchen, over two decades ago. My heart skipped a beat as I worked with it, marveling at how closely it resembled the pastries I made as a kid.

Even more surprising was how easily both brands allowed us to fill, fold, and crimp the pastries, despite being gluten-free. The end results? Just look at these beauties! A generous egg wash gave them a lovely golden hue in the oven, and the aroma that filled the kitchen was simply intoxicating. To top it off, we whipped up a beautiful glaze to perfect these nostalgic treats. It was a baking adventure filled with memories and delicious discoveries!

This is where my daughter and I had a delicious difference of opinion. For me, Sweet Loren’s won my heart because they perfectly captured the lightness, flakiness, and crispiness I remembered from childhood. The ratio of dough to filling was just right, hitting all the nostalgic notes.

sweet Loren’s

However, my daughter was all about the Schar turnovers. According to her, they were even flakier and had that extra something that she loved. It was a pastry showdown, each of us championing our favorite.

Schar

But since I’m the one writing this post, I have to give credit to both brands. They each brought something special to the table, and it was a treat to enjoy and compare them side by side. While Sweet Loren’s edged out as my personal favorite, all the kids gave their enthusiastic thumbs up to both varieties. It was a win-win for everyone involved in our pastry taste-off!