Easy Rough Puff Pastry Recipe (Flaky Homemade Pastry Dough!)
Making homemade rough puff pastry is easier than you think! Using just five pantry staples and a simple folding technique, you'll create a seriously impressive pastry dough with hundreds of delicate layers that puff beautifully in the oven. This streamlined version of classic puff pastry is way more approachable for home bakers while delivering professional results. The secret is keeping everything cold and trusting the process as you fold the butter into the dough multiple times. Use this versatile pastry for everything from savory appetizer tarts to sweet breakfast pastries and desserts!This recipe yields about 21 ounces of puff pastry, which is slightly more than 2 standard store-bought sheets. Perfect for recipes calling for 2 sheets with a little extra to spare, just bake up the scraps! 😜
Servings: 2 large puff pastry sheets, about 21oz total
Calories: 1235kcal
Equipment
- bench scraper optional but helpful!
- pastry brush optional but helpful
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour 222g
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt 6g
- 1 tablespoon sugar 12g
- 1 cup unsalted butter 227g, 2 sticks, very cold and cut into tablespoon-sized chunks
- 8-10 tablespoons ice water 120-150ml, added SLOWLY and as needed
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar until well combined.1 ¾ cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon sugar
- Work in the butter. Add the cold butter pieces and toss to coat in flour. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, press and flatten each piece of butter into thin sheets throughout the flour mixture, tossing with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Continue until all butter is flattened. The mixture should still look shaggy and rough.1 cup unsalted butter
- Add water. Drizzle 8 tablespoons ice water over the mixture. Using your hand in a claw shape or a fork, gently toss and fold until a shaggy dough just begins to form. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. The dough should barely hold together when pressed but will still look rough.8-10 tablespoons ice water
- Shape and chill. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat into a rough square about 1-inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to overnight).
- First two turns. Remove chilled dough from fridge. If it's been chilled overnight and feels rock-hard, let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. On a floured surface, roll into a rectangle roughly 12 x 8 inches. Fold into thirds like a business letter. Turn 90 degrees. Roll out again and fold into thirds. That's 2 turns! If dough becomes sticky, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- Complete remaining turns. Repeat the roll-fold-turn process 4 more times for a total of 6 turns. Keep track by making small dimples in the dough with your finger after every 2 turns.
- Ready to use! After completing all 6 turns, the dough is ready to roll out and use according to your specific recipe. Refrigerate until ready to use, or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
Pro tips, tricks, and notes
- Cold is key. If butter starts to soften or feel greasy at any point, immediately refrigerate the dough for 10-20 minutes before continuing. This is the most important rule!
- Salt. This recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton's kosher salt or table salt, reduce the amount by half.
- Don't overwork the dough. The dough should look shaggy and rough with visible butter pieces throughout. This is exactly what creates those flaky layers!
- Keep track of turns. Make small dimples in the dough with your finger to track how many turns you've completed. It's easy to lose count!
- Bench scraper is your friend. Use it to straighten edges, lift sticky dough, and keep everything moving smoothly on your work surface.
- European-style butter. Using a high-quality European-style butter like Plugrà (82% butterfat) creates noticeably flakier, more flavorful results than standard American butter.
- Ice cold water = crucial. Fill a glass with ice cubes and water, then measure what you need from there. The water must be ice cold to prevent the butter from melting as you work the dough.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, rough puff pastry keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Freezer (unbaked): This pastry freezes beautifully! For best results, roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness after completing all turns, then fold into thirds with strips of parchment paper between each fold to prevent sticking. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Freezer (baked): Baked pastries can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes to re-crisp.
Nutrition
Calories: 1235kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 93g | Saturated Fat: 58g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 2343mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2839IU | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 5mg