Description
Making Homemade Puff Pastry from scratch is easier than it sounds, and the results are absolutely worth it. This buttery, flaky dough is the key to perfect pastries, turnovers, tarts, and even savory dishes like chicken pot pie. With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll be able to create a light, flaky pastry that elevates any dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup cold water (plus more if needed)
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar (optional, but helps with the dough’s texture)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the cold butter cubes, and use a pastry cutter, fork, or your hands to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. - Add Water and Vinegar:
Add 1/2 cup of cold water and the white vinegar (if using). Stir gently with a fork until the dough begins to come together. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water, one tablespoon at a time, until it forms a shaggy dough. - Form the Dough into a Ball:
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it a few times to bring it together, but don’t overwork it. Form the dough into a rough rectangle and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. - Roll and Fold:
After chilling, remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a floured surface. Roll the dough into a 12-inch by 6-inch rectangle. Once rolled out, fold the dough into thirds, like a letter (fold the top third down and the bottom third up). Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into a 12-inch by 6-inch rectangle. Repeat this folding and rolling process two more times. This creates the layers that give the puff pastry its flaky texture. - Chill Again:
After the final fold, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before using. If you’re not using it immediately, you can store the dough in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 1 month. - Use the Puff Pastry:
Once chilled, your homemade puff pastry is ready to be used in your favorite recipes. Roll it out on a floured surface to the desired thickness, and use it to make pastries, tarts, or savory dishes. - Baking Tip:
If you’re using the pastry in a recipe that requires baking, make sure to follow the specific instructions for temperature and bake time, as puff pastry bakes quickly and can become golden brown in minutes.
Notes
- The key to flaky puff pastry is keeping the butter cold. If at any point the dough becomes too warm, chill it again before continuing.
- You can use this pastry for both sweet and savory applications. For sweet pastries, you can sprinkle sugar on top before baking for a crunchy, sweet finish.
- If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought puff pastry, but making it from scratch really adds to the texture and flavor!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Baking, Pastry
- Method: Rolling and Folding
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (based on recipe yielding 12 servings)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg