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This homemade puff pastry recipe only requires four ingredients – flour, salt, butter & water. The best dough to have on hand for last minute desserts and easy baking!
This guide on making puff pastry is foolproof and always results in those signature flaky layers. With just a little muscle and a few simple ingredients, your freezer will stay stocked with buttery puff at all times. Hello savory appetizer bites (think: ham and brie), beef wellington, sweet hand pies, and so much more.
Homemade Rough Puff Pastry
Contrary to popular belief, puff pastry dough can be quite easy to prepare at home. This is especially true when you use the rough puff pastry (aka flaky pastry, blitz pastry or quick pastry) approach versus the traditional puff pastry method. It takes a fraction of the time because you grate the frozen butter into the flour – significantly speeding up the prep work.
Ingredients for Puff Pastry Dough Recipe
With just 4 ingredients you likely have already hanging out in your kitchen, you can make a puff pastry worthy of any French bakery.
- All-Purpose Flour – Regular, old-fashioned all-purpose flour is all you need. Ensure to sift it (especially if it’s been sitting around for awhile) to remove any lumps and clumps.
- Salt – Regular table salt will do the trick, but we usually use pink Himalayan salt for it’s full-bodied flavor.
- Unsalted Butter – For maximum flavor, use a European-style butter like Plugra or Kerrygold.
- Water – Ice cold water is a must. If you can, use filtered water to reduce any impurities from altering the flavor of the dough.
How to Make Puff Pastry Dough from Scratch
To get those essential flakey layers, all you need to do is follow the recipe instructions closely. Puff pastry is all about working with cold dairy and keeping the dough marbled.
- Sift the Flour & Salt: First, sift the all-purpose flour and salt into a large bowl and place it in a refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
- Grate the Butter: Next, grate the frozen butter into the flour, stirring it in as you go.
- Add in the Water: Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the ice cold water, mixing until the dough is firm yet a little shaggy.
- Chill the Dough: Next, wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and pop it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Roll the Dough Out: Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out onto a floured work surface, kneading it to form into a smooth rectangle. The finished pastry dough should be about 1/4 inch thick when rolled out.
- Fold & Roll the Dough: Fold the top third down to the center, then the bottom third up and on top of it. Roll the dough out again to three times the length and into a rectangular shape. Place the parchment paper on top of the dough. Fold down the top third and then the bottom third over it.
- Chill the Dough: Next, wrap the dough with plastic wrap and let it chill in a refrigerator for an hour. Bake away, friend!
Puff Pastry Video Tutorial
5 Tips for Nailing this Puff Pastry Dough Recipe
Making puff pastry for the first time may feel a little intimidating. Don’t fret! These useful tools will ensure you get the flakiest pastry possible.
- Avoid big clumps of grated butter. As you grate the frozen butter, continually mix it into the flour to prevent the butter pieces from sticking together. If the clumps of butter are too big, you’ll get too much concentrated in one area and the pastry will be less flakey.
- Use frozen butter and ice cold water. The two most important rules to follow when making puff pastry dough are to work with FROZEN butter and ICE COLD water. You need the ingredients to stay as cold as possible so the butter doesn’t melt.
- Do not over handle puff pastry. Try to minimize how much you shape the dough to prevent over mixing. The more you fuss around with it unnecessarily, the flatter the pastry will be.
- Thaw the dough in the refrigerator before handling it. Be sure to pop your frozen dough into the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using it (an hour is preferred). Do not unfold it until it has completely thawed. This will cause cracks and breaks.
- Work on a well-floured surface. When you are ready to bake with your puff pastry, flour the service you are working on so the dough doesn’t stick.
Recipes Using Puff Pastry
While you can improvise and use puff pastry to make your own creation, here are a handful of our favorite ways to use this wonder dough.
- Puff Pastry Cheese Turnovers – Sweet cheese stuffed pastries
- Quick Apple Turnovers – 5 ingredient apple turnovers
- Angel Wing Cookies – A classic Polish cookie
- Poppy Seed Rolls – Spiral pastries with a sweet poppyseed filling
- Sweet Cheese Bourekas – Filled with a sweet farmers cheese filling
Storing Homemade Puff Pastry
For best results, store your puff pastry folded with parchment paper and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the freezer. It will keep for up to 2 months when stored properly. Once you thaw it in the refrigerator, be sure to use it within 2-3 days. Any longer and the pastry may fall flat in the oven.
FAQ
Should puff pasty be baked cold?
Refrigerating your puff pastry before baking it is crucial. Baking puff pastry at room temperature will cause the dough to become floppy and flat. This makes the delicate layers stick together, causing the dough to be especially hard to work with. Cold puff pastry will take longer to melt in the oven, allowing the dough to rise beautifully and form light, pretty layers.
Can you make puff pastry the day before?
You can make puff pastry a day or weeks ahead! You can store the dough in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to two months as long as you seal it in an airtight container.
How do you keep puff pastry from getting soggy?
Puff pastry can become soggy in the middle for many reasons. Primarily, it becomes soggy when it is frozen and allowed to thaw on the countertop for too long. While some chefs approve this method, we think it is best to allow your frozen dough to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. It takes longer, but it saves you the stress of soggy dough!
Can you refreeze raw puff pastry dough?
Yes, you can refreeze raw puff pastry dough if you thawed it and decided you weren’t going to use it after all. It may change the texture slightly, but it’s essential that you keep the puff pastry stored in the freezer until you’re ready to use it.
Why did your puff pastry dough not rise?
Your puff pastry dough likely didn’t rise if you left it out at room temperature too long. This causes the butter to melt and the dough to become less flakey and airy. To avoid this, work with cold puff pastry and try to shape it as quickly as possible.
Other Homemade Dough Recipes
- Overnight Pizza Dough – Day-ahead pizza dough
- Yeast Pastry Dough – Universal yeast dough
- Pizza Dough – Quick pizza dough with a 2 hour rise
Recipe
Quick Puff Pastry Dough
Print Pin
Servings
1 Units
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
This homemade puff pastry dough recipe will teach you all you need to know to master this buttery dough. Made with just 4 ingredients & a bit of technique!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 250 g unsalted butter frozen
- 2/3 cup water ice cold
US Units – Metric
Instructions
Prepare all ingredients for the puff pastry dough.
Using a fine mesh sieve or flour sifter, sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and place it in a refrigerator for about 15 minutes. Next, grate the frozen butter into the flour, occasionally mixing it to prevent the butter from sticking.
Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the ice cold water. Mix it until you have a firm, rough dough.
Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and leave in a refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, kneading it gently to form into a smooth rectangle. Keep the edges straight and even and don’t overwork the butter streaks – the dough should have a marbled effect.
Fold the top third down to the center, then the bottom third up and on top of it. Do the same with the sides. Roll the dough out again to three times the length and into a rectangular shape. The pastry dough should be about 1/4 inch thick. Place the parchment paper on top of the dough, folding it over the top and bottom of the dough. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and let it chill in a refrigerator for about an hour. Use the dough to your heart's desire!
Note: Rolled out puff pastry dough should be about 1/4 in thickness. Other dimensions of dough will vary depending on what recipe you intend to use this pastry dough for.
Nutrition Facts
Quick Puff Pastry Dough
Amount Per Serving
Calories 2702 Calories from Fat 1845
% Daily Value*
Fat 205g315%
Saturated Fat 128g640%
Cholesterol 537mg179%
Sodium 4123mg172%
Potassium 327mg9%
Carbohydrates 190g63%
Fiber 6g24%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 6250IU125%
Calcium 98mg10%
Iron 11.6mg64%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted September 11, 2019
About Author
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MariJan 19, 2024 Trying with vegan butter and gf flour hoping it works out!!!
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 21, 2024 Hi Mari, can you report back with feedback? I think it would be useful for others with similar diet. Would love to know what brands you used. Thank you!
RayDec 30, 2023 We're no newbies in the field of doughs and baking, but we've just spent the past hours to make this puff pastry dough and it's not even worth one star. It's a sole catastrophy. Quick recipe? No! Faster than buying dough? Definitely NO! Just a big disappointment after seeing all those good reviews. The measurements were accurate and we've followed the instructions precisely, also working in a cool environment, but still ended up with a sticky mess. Had to leave it in the fridge for more than an hour, because it still sticked to the plastic wrap so badly. Later for rolling and folding it needed so much more extra flour for the table, rolling pin and the dough itself, yet alone the hussle to somehow roll it out and get it into shape. Afterwards it was way too soft and warm again to fold proper pies with it, but we just didn't want to wait another hour or two for it to be ready, so we went with it as it was. Thus the result looks kinda ugly of course. Nothing to be proud of, that was fun making or could be gifted to anyone. Just sad and frustrating. It's definitely the first and only time that we've tried to make puff pastry dough ourselves! It's a massive waste of time, efforts and ingredients! Just go to a supermarket and buy the ready-to-use dough.
IlonaJan 27, 2024 Same. Are you from UK? Then you need to add more flour, as USA cup is twice bigger then UK cup. I was fighting with the dough on my kitchen as well until decided to check if there any difference in the cups.
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 31, 2023 Hi Ray, it sounds like the butter was not cold. When using frozen butter, it wouldn't be sticky because butter stays in chunks. I would highly recommend watching the video we have with this recipe, it helps to see the process. I am sorry the first time it wasn't as planned but you will love it when you nail down the process. Being able to control ingredients is so great. Hope this helps!
AshleyDec 26, 2023 This is a great recipe!! My pastry turned out perfectly! Thank you! Merry Christmas ♥️
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 26, 2023 Ashley, I'm so glad to hear that! A very Merry Christmas to you as well.
L.JDec 24, 2023 Hi I was wondering instead of using unsalted butter, could I use sweet cream butter salted?
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 26, 2023 Hi dear, the butter will give you a salty flavor so I am not sure if you want pastry dough to be salty. If you use it for savory desserts, it would work. It's up to you, hope you love the recipe.
NirelDec 24, 2023 I made this last night and used it to make mince meat hand pies. It came out DIVINE!!!! So flakey and flavorful. My husband and I both loved it!!! I will definitely be making this again. So much better in quality and taste than store-bought (which typically contains unhealthy oils). Thank you so much!!!
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 26, 2023 Nirel, I love love reading this feedback! So happy that you found this recipe epic 🙂 it made my day. Also, love that you made a savory dish with them, usually go for the sweets.
JennyNov 8, 2023 How does this compare to the amount of pastry you get in a box of Pepperidge Farm puff pastry in the refrigerator section? 1 box or 2 box worth? Thank you!
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 8, 2023 Hey Jenny, It's equivalent to about one box. Enjoy!
AmberNov 28, 2023 Why are the calories 2702 per serving? Store bought is 158
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 28, 2023 Hey Amber, The calories listed are for the whole puff pastry as one unit. Store bought brands probably have the calories listed for a smaller serving size not the whole puff pastry.
SamNov 1, 2023 Hi super easy recipe so I’m excited to try it! How long can I leave it in the fridge?
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 1, 2023 Hey Sam, I hope you do try it soon! I recommend storing it tightly wrapped in the fridge no more than three days. Otherwise, freeze it if you need to use it later. Enjoy!
MegOct 29, 2023 Incredible! I love making this and look forward to experimenting even more with fillings! My only issue was I couldn't quite figure out the baking... maybe it was the asparagus that I paired them with, but the centres stayed doughy and undercooked while the bottoms and edges crisped and puffed beautifully. Any advice?
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 30, 2023 Hi Meg, Did you cook the puff pastry with asparagus in it? If so, perhaps the moisture from the asparagus caused the undercooked dough.
Marilyn R SorensonOct 25, 2023 Hi I dont understand the parchment paper part. Do you cover the entire rectangle top and bottom and then fold the dough again..for the plastic wrap? Thanks Marilyn
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 25, 2023 Hi Marilyn, Cover just one side and fold it into thirds. The parchment paper will help prevent the dough from sticking together. Then, you can cover it all with plastic wrap. I hope this helps!
Adrian A.Oct 6, 2023 Can you use chickpea flour to make puff pastry dough? I need it to be gluten free and anti-inflammatory.
Natalya DrozhzhinOct 6, 2023 Hi Adrian, I personally have not tried experimenting with chickpea flour. If you try it - let us know how it works out!
Annette D ClarkSep 27, 2023 What is conversion on 250 g of butter?
Natalya DrozhzhinSep 28, 2023 Hi Annette, It's about 17.7 tablespoons of butter. I would do 18 tablespoons. I hope this helps!
Lani BitgueAug 17, 2023 I love your recipe this is my second time make for empanada my employer love it so much
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 17, 2023 Hi Lani, I'm so glad you and others love it!
Christine milesJul 22, 2023 Love watching you make puff pastry .always bought it before going to try and make some tomz for Eccles cakes thanks christine
Natalya DrozhzhinJul 23, 2023 Hi Christine, thank you and I hope you love the recipe. Its shocking how easy it is. Dont forget to work quick and keep things cold. Enjoy
Melanie RuedaJun 16, 2023 Hi Natalya, I read your how to story instructions, i’m a little confused should I do the folds before freezing or can I freeze then take out the day I decide to use it I’m not planning to use it the same night I just want to pre-make for later on recipes?
Thank you for the recipes!Natalya DrozhzhinJun 16, 2023 Hey Melanie- yes, you should still fold it and wrap in parchment paper before freezing. This way when you are ready to use it, it's easier to handle. Hope this clarifies it! Enjoy!
JoyJun 12, 2023 Tried to this recipe and it worked great! One thing is I added 3 Tablespoons of sugar, and didn’t know what temp to cook it at but ended up doing 350
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 13, 2023 Hi Joy- this recipe is just for raw puff pastry dough which is why no baking instructions were included. Please use the puff pastry however it's called for in the recipes you end up using it for 😀 (it varies a bit from recipe to recipe). Hope this makes sense! Thank you for giving it a try.
KayMay 27, 2023 I just wanted to clarify- in the recipient it states 250g of butter but looks like you use 2 sticks which is 230g butter. How much should I use? Thanks!
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 28, 2023 Hi Kay, you would need 250g of butter for this recipe. Sorry if the photo is misleading. Enjoy it, its a good recipe.
RobinMay 20, 2023 Hi I was wondering if I could use whole-wheat and siff it ?
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 20, 2023 Hi Robin, I think you can but I also think you may need different amount of flour. It would be more dense. If you do master it, please share feedback. Thank you
JanetMay 16, 2023 If I make it in the evening to use the next day do I need to freeze till use?
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 16, 2023 Hi Janet, you just need to keep it cold, leave it in a fridge. Enjoy it!
TamaraMay 1, 2023 I’ve made this twice now.once with butter and once with dairy free alternatives. Both highly successful. The tips on freezing everything made a huge difference as did having your video for reference.
When I look at the nutritional information, the calories and fat seem off. Am I missing something?Natalya DrozhzhinMay 1, 2023 Hi Tamara, I am so glad to hear this!! Thank you for sharing your process with me. I am thrilled that you found this recipe helpful. Our caluculator isnt always 100% on point. I will take a look at it. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
ElizabethApr 29, 2023 Most recipes include a temp and bake time, generally?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 29, 2023 Hi Elizabeth, this recipe is for the dough itself. What you do with the dough will differ in the cooking. I hope this makes sense.
ClaudiaFeb 8, 2023 Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Dawn from MichiganMar 6, 2024 I'm not an expert by far but I think that margarin would contain to much water or oil. I think the freezing or refrigerator time could make it much much harder than butter. But like I said, I'm no expert...just my opinion.
TamaraMay 1, 2023 I used dairy free butter alternatives (Earth Balance), not margarine, with great success.
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 1, 2023 Thank you for sharing your feedback, Tamara! I appreciate the insight!
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 9, 2023 Hey Claudia, I have not tried it but I wouldn't. Good quality butter is a lot of the flavor so I think better would give you the best result. Keep me in the loop if you do end up trying it.
Kerune NaidooFeb 3, 2023 Hey can I use salted butter if I don't have the unsalted?
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 3, 2023 Hi there! If you are going to use salted butter, I would cut down on the salt. otherwise the dough will be too salty. Thank you for reaching out!
Sandra BabinJan 28, 2023 Hi, could I make this does the night before get it all ready to go and leave it in the fridge overnight
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 29, 2023 Hey Sandra, you definitely can. If you look under storing instructions, you will see suggested ways to store it. Enjoy.
Martha LopezJan 12, 2023 Hi Natasha I just made your pastry dough. The measurements for the butter you showed metrics then I seen 2 sticks of butter so that's what I used. On one of your post you had 1 cup and 2 tbsp. I only used 2 sticks. Will it come out ok?
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 12, 2023 Hey Martha, it should be ok. Two sticks is 226 grams and the recipe calls for 250 grams but its pretty close. Just make sure to work with cold dough this way the flaky layers of butter dont melt. Enjoy it.
Leila CapellJan 12, 2023 What temperature do you think is best for baking this dough and do you use regular bake or convection?
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 12, 2023 Hi Leila- I use the regular conventional bake settings. Regarding baking it- it really depends which recipe you are using it for. Generally speaking 400° or 415° degrees for about 15 minutes is a good start, keep an eye on it and make sure its a nice, golden brown before removing from the oven. Enjoy! 🙂
Joely Winstone-CorkeJan 5, 2023 Hey! Would this be enough pastry to create a galette des rois?
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 5, 2023 Hi Joely, Yes this recipe will be enough to make that dish. I would love to know how it goes! Good luck!
Joely Winstone-CorkeJan 7, 2023 This recipe is fantastic! It worked so well thanks so much for such a simple and effective recipe.
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 7, 2023 Hi Joely, I am so delighted to hear that you love this recipe! Thank you for the feedback. Enjoy!
GemsJan 1, 2023 I've been using Anchor salted butter for a while now to make the puff pastry dough but it never succeed and it's so stressful!! a little help here, how many grams of butter do i need to use if i use Anchor butter? seems to me 250g for Anchor butter is too much buttery in the dough. Haven't found any recipe that used Anchor butter.. maybe a little less? since different butter has different fats. Need to know the exact amount of Anchor butter used.
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 1, 2023 Hi Gems, I think it should still be the same amount of butter, 250grams. But you have to keep in mind to keep all the ingredients cold because this can turn into a mess if not mixed quick or kept cold. Also, I am not sure if I would use salted butter because this will give you salty puff pastry dough. Hope all the tips are helpful. Enjoy
Teresa JoudreyDec 24, 2022 You use rock salt. You do not mention grinding it down so that there isn’t chunks of salt in your dough. If the dough is kept cold enough for a great product then the salt will not dissolve so easily. Thoughts?
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 24, 2022 Hey Teresa, the grinder I have makes it pretty fine. I have never had pieces of salt in the dough, just a good balance of flavor. Hope this helps. Thanks for the feedback!
DawnDec 22, 2022 Can I use whole wheat pastry flour with same results?
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 22, 2022 Hey Dawn, I have not tried using wheat flour. I actually think that it may not come out as fluffy as it would with all purpose flour. If you do try it, can you report back? I want to know how it comes out.
Jean DepersioNov 23, 2022 Please I want to make puff pastry without any equipment or the metric system...
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 23, 2022 Hey Jean- If you are referring to the butter, 250 grams is roughly 1 cup and 2 tbsp of butter. As for the equipment, this recipe doesn't use much- what specifically are you referring to?
A yehDec 2, 2022 Natalya, your recipe is perfect, can you please not entertain these terrible people complaining about the metric system or not having "equipment".
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 4, 2022 Thank you very much for the kind words! I appreciate everyones opinions, because it helps me connect with the needs of our followers.
