Easy Puff Pastry
Apr 27, 2015, Updated May 07, 2023
Easy Puff Pastry Dough which tastes so much better than the store bought stuff and is also easy to make!
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As much as I love baking, I have a different kind of addiction to french pastry. I adore it, I find it magical and can never have enough of it. Whenever I get free time, I try to read about it and absorb as much as I can. Few months back, I did a class in French Pastry at Sur La Table. It was 3 hour class and I had such a great time. I really want to go back and do another class there!
Among all the other things that we were taught, one was this easy puff pastry. Everyone I know loves puff pastry and why not after all it’s so versatile. You can make sweet or savory recipes in minutes if you have some ready to use puff pastry on hands. Well now you can make one at home and honestly it’s very easy. This recipe is from the french cooking class that I took few months back so yeah the credit goes to them, I just halved the recipe since I didn’t want to make a big puff pastry dough.
The recipe asks to do the folding and chilling for a total of 3 times. You can even do this 5 times for extra layers.
Method
In the steel bowl of your stand mixer whisk together flour and salt.
Cut butter into small cubes and transfer it to the mixer bowl.
Toss with your hands until the butter is coated. Cover and chill the bowl for around 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
Fit the bowl into your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and blend on low speed for around 1-1.5 minutes [the butter will break]. You don’t want to overmix here.
With the mixer running on low speed, add the water-vinegar mixture.
In around 15 seconds, you will see that dough starts coming together in large chunks but it will not look smooth. Turn off the mixer at this stage.
Dump the mixture on your work surface that has been dusted with flour.
Bring the dough together, working with your hands. Give a few whacks with your rolling pin, this makes it easier to roll the dough.
Roll the dough into a rectangle [mine looks like a square!!]
Remove any excess flour from the dough. Now make a letter fold by bringing both sides of the dough in the center.
Use your rolling pin to join the two ends and make a smooth surface.
Now fold again to form a log. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 20-25 minutes.
Repeat this rolling and folding step 2 more times, chilling the dough for 20 minutes between each turn. And that’s it! Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 48 hours before using. You can also freeze the dough and it will stay good for around 6 weeks.
* Roll the puff pastry dough thin while making sweet or savory recipes with it. Thinner it is more crisper it will be.
* Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t come together at first, it might not look smooth and uniform in the beginning. Roll and fold even if looks shaggy , by the time you do this folding and turning process for the 3rd time, it will become smooth and you can then trim the edges to make it look all correct.
* I did half the original recipe from Chef Marian Poole @ Sur La Table. Full recipe calls for 3 cups (15 ounceS) flour, 4.5 sticks (18 ounces) cold unsalted butter, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons very cold water and 1.5 teaspoons cider vinegar.
Easy Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 9 ounces cold unsalted butter cut into cubes [2 sticks + 2 tablespoons]
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons water very cold
- ¾ teaspoon cider vinegar
Instructions
- In the steel bowl of your stand mixer whisk together flour and salt.
- Cut butter into small cubes and transfer it to the mixer bowl.
- Toss with your hands until the butter is coated. Cover and chill the bowl for around 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Fit the bowl into your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and blend on low speed for around 1.5 minutes [the butter will break]. You don't want to overmix here.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the water-vinegar mixture.
- In around 15 seconds, you will see that dough starts coming together in large chunks but it will not look smooth. Turn off the mixer at this stage.
- Dump the mixture on your work surface that has been dusted with flour.
- Bring the dough together, working with your hands. Give a few whacks with your rolling pin, this makes it easier to roll the dough.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle.
- Remove any excess flour from the dough. Now make a letter fold by bringing both sides of the dough in the center.
- Use your rolling pin to join the two ends and make a smooth surface.
- Now fold again to form a log. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 20-25 minutes.
- Repeat this turning and folding step 2 more times, chilling the dough for 20 minutes between each turn.
- Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 48 hours before using. You can also freeze the dough and it will stay good for around 6 weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Easy Puff Pastry
Hi manali
One last thing to know can i use marvo pride and margarine ( usally used in making cookies and cakes in india) instead of butter.
hmm I am not sure but you can give it a shot!
Hi manali
Can we use this puff pastry sheets for samosas and spring rolls..And one more doubt can we deep fry it.
yes and yes should be able to fry
I don’t have a stand mixer….. Can I still make it with a hand held mixer?
You may try
I have a question about the rolling. After you make it into the log and put in the fridge, when you take it out, do you fold it from the already folded sides or do you turn it 1/4 and then fold it after taking it out? Seems to be getting very long and not staying small rectangular or square.
so when you take it out of fridge, you simply roll it and then fold it like shown in the picture…it’s the exact same thing that you repeat 3 times…it should work out just fine..
Hello, this looks wonderful! I am wondering if you have any ideas for a gluten free/vegan recipe as I have had to become both due to health reasons. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Christine, unfortunately I have never tried making either gluten-free or vegan puff pastry..sorry about that 🙁 the pepperidge farm puff pastry that we get in stores is vegan though but not gluten-free.
Thank you dear Manali. Have a good day.
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe, it seems real easy and I am sure going to try it.
Just wondering if I could use Salted butter as Unsalted butter is quite rare to find. Would love to see more recipes that are as simple as this one.
You may use salted butter, it’s okay if that’s all you have! 🙂
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe, it seems real easy and I am sure going to try it.
Would love to see more recipes that are as simple as this one.
Lea
I’ve been looking for a easy recipe for puff pastry…….looks like this is it, thanks
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will try it this weekend.
Im assuming you can use this for french cream horns also? I would just need to brush the strip as i wrap it around a cream horn form.? Would you think an 1 n to an 1 and 1/2 in strip would be ok.
yes it should work for cream horns! you can look at this recipe for reference- http://www.valyastasteofhome.com/moms-cream-horns/
Thanks Manali, I’m also a huge fan of French pastries. I saw your recipe about a month ago, now I finally have enough time on my hands to try it.
I hope it comes out well!
I have tried multiplayer recipes for puff pastry, but this one has had the best results! Thank you!! ?
Welcome Tammy 🙂
This puff pastry ruined my individual quiches.
They crambled and fell apart
I had to make a new batch ( for 24 people) with the reliable Martha Stewart recipe
Sorry it didn’t work out for you Naomi.. I learnt this recipe at a French Cooking Class that I took at Sur La Table and I have mentioned that in the post as well. I only posted the same recipe on the blog (it comes from a cookbook), it worked out well for all of us who attended that class. Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
I made this puff pastry and I must say it is so much better than store bought. It was easy to make and I really love it thanks for the recipe.will not buy any more store bought.
Welcome, glad it worked for you!
Beverly thanks for sharing this recipe , I have never try to make flake pastry , but I will now.
i hope to make
Hi Manali
i will try you recipe, currently, i don’t know i am using this new oven , all the cakes are not coming right , they getting burnt or sinking , i just can not controll the temp
i put on low heat then also
Kind regards
Amir
Hello Amir, it always takes time to get used to a new oven. If possible buy an oven thermometer. It will help you in checking the exact temperature of your oven. Your oven temperature may be off by a few degrees hence the problem in making cakes. Once you figure that out, you can adjust the timings of the recipe and bake accordingly.
Hi, one question! After every 20 min in the fridge, do you need to unfold the pastry? Or you just used the roll to extend the dought to fold it again ?
Hi Diana, so once you have folded it you keep it in the fridge, then take it out and roll it again. You don’t unfold it, just roll the folded dough and then fold it again. Hope this helps!
I am fairly new to cooking, and this is definitely a noob question. What temps and time should I cook the dough? I am making a Bavarian cream desert for my sons birthday and I need to cook the dough so I can separate the layers for ice cream, whipped cream and fruits. Thanks.
Hi Michael! Cook the sheets at 400 F for 15-20 minutes or till it’s nicely golden brown in color! Happy Birthday to your son!
Thanks so much, they came out phenomenal and I have none left. Thanks so much for helping make my sons birthday a dessert success.
I am so glad to hear that! 🙂
Can I use this as a topper for pot pie? If yes what thickness would I roll it to? Also temp and time to bake? Thank you.
I think yes, why not! bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes. Don’t roll it too thin, I would just use it as such.
thanks manali,your recipe is soo good ,i will try it INSHA ALLAH
Thanks a ton manali. .actually you heard my thought ie how can I get a simple recepie for pastry sheet and there I got it will try at the earliest thank you once again.
Welcome Jayashree, hope it turns out well for you!
thanks a lot
Welcome!
Wow!
I really really want to try this. We love cheesy veggie ‘masaledaar’ puffs and this post is too tempting to try. However, I have no stand mixer whisk but only these two hands that I type with. Are they going to be okay to proceed with this recipe or are they going to not work because of the melting of the butter with the ‘touch’ ?
Hello Nikita, thanks for writing in! hmm I think you should give it a go. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to break the butter. Keep the dough in the refrigerator after every step. I think it will be okay and let me know how it went if you try it! 🙂
freeze the butter sticks and then use a cheese grater to add the butter to the flour
Can you substitute Cider Vinegar with regular Vinegar?
Yes I think that should work!
I was wondering if i could roll this out on plastic wrap, instead of using the extra flour?
Hi Elizabeth! I am not sure as I have never tried it. We anyway dust off the excess flour once it’s rolled. But you can certainly try the plastic wrap idea 🙂
Hi Manali,
Thanks dear for this excellent share. This is so awesome! Looks absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks Ash!
I love it for the same reason! Thanks Georgina!
Thanks Marcie 🙂 Indeed it’s much easier than we think!
Thanks Sarah! Yeah this recipe was really easy, I was surprised too when they demonstrated in the class!
Thanks Stacey! It’s easy!
Thank you Manali, this is so awesome! I have a hard time finding vegan puff pastry, but thanks to you, I can make my own!
Thanks Linda, glad you find it helpful! Yeah maybe you can make vegan puff pastry using vegan butter? Not sure about the results though as I have never worked with vegan butter!
Thanks Alice! I hope you give this a try!
Thanks Anu!
Before learning some baking ,i have to learn photography from you.Such a gorgeous picture..Love all the homemade stuff like anything.It gives so much satisfaction
Thanks Sathya, you are so kind my friend! Come over I will be happy to share whatever I know 🙂 You are right about the satisfaction that comes with homemade stuff!
Thanks Sarah! It’s easy dear and I am sure you will be able to ace it!
That would be wonderful Kristi!! Let’s plan and go there together for the next class! Yay! 😀
Thanks Connie! You must take a class at Sur La Table! It’s awesome!
They are a lot of fun Jen! I can’t wait to attend more classes there!
Mir you would love their classes! They are so good and thanks dear! 🙂
Thanks Kelly! It’s easy to make, you must give it a try! 🙂
You must take their classes! they are so good! 🙂 Thanks Mariah!
Hi… I have a little doubt here.. Don’t we need to bake it? Because the flour will remain raw.. Isn’t it?
Hi Tanushree! This recipe is for the puff pastry dough, we don’t bake this. You fill it or top it with things , like you make veg puffs and then bake it. As you can see in this post https://www.cookwithmanali.com/apple-turnovers-lemon-drizzle/ I have used a store bought puff pastry, the same way I will use this homemade version. Roll it thin, fill with stuff and then bake it. Hope that helps! 🙂
How long and what temp do you bake it at? thanks!
you mean the puffs that were made from this puff pastry? Don’t remember but must be around 425 F for 20 minutes
I know can’t wait to do more of their classes! 🙂
Thanks Mira!
haha thanks Justine! you are so sweet! <3
Thanks Cyndi! Try the homemade version..it’s quite good!
Thanks Savita!