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Think you can make puff pastry at home? With this puff pastry dough recipe, you can have fresh homemade puff pastry anytime.

Puff Pastry dough on a counter

Homemade Puff Pastry

Contrary to popular belief, Puff Pastry Dough can be quite easy to prepare at home. I use to look at it as something beyond the kitchen. After digging through recipes, I came up with a simple, yet a complete success at the end.

Here it goes, step by step instructions for such an easy recipe. I would highly recommend for everyone to try. I will also be posting recipes on how to make a use of this dough.

Tips for Making this Puff Pastry Dough Recipe

  • As you grate the frozen butter, continually mix it with flour to prevent the butter pieces from sticking together. 
  • The two most important rules to follow when making puff pastry dough are to work with FROZEN butter and ICE COLD water. 
  • Do not over handle puff pastry. Try to minimize how much you shape the dough to prevent over mixing and flattening. 
  • Be sure to refrigerate your dough for at least 30 minutes before using it (an hour is preferred).
  • If you decide to freeze your puff pastry, do not unfold it until it has completely thawed. This will cause cracks and breaks. 
  • When you are ready to bake with your puff pastry, flour the service you are working on so the dough doesn’t stick.
Puff pastry dough on the counter

Recipes Using Puff Pastry

There are SO MANY ways to use Puff Pastry. You can cheat by purchasing it already made in the freezer aisle of your local grocery store, but, why buy it when you can make it homemade?

Here are a few of my favorite Puff Pastry Dessert Recipes using this puff pastry dough recipe!

Ingredients for Puff Patry Dough Recipe

  • Flour
  • Salt
  • Butter
  • Water

How to Make Puff Pastry Dough

Following the printable directions below, you will sift and combine your dry ingredients. You will grate fresh butter into this mixture and combine as directed to form the dough. Frozen butter is easier to work with when grating in a recipe such as this.

Once the dough has been refrigerated as directed, you will knead and form the dough into a rectangle. Continue the process of folding as directed before chilling until ready to use.

puff pastry on a counter

Should Puff Pastry be Baked Cold?

Refrigerating your puff pastry before baking it is oh so important. 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 I 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. 

puff pastry on a counter

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, I 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! 

Recipe

puff pastry on a counter

Quick Puff Pastry Dough

Print Pin
Servings
1 Units
Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
Think you can make puff pastry at home? With this puff pastry dough recipe, you can have a fresh homemade puff pastry anytime.

Ingredients

US Units – Metric

Instructions

  • Prepare all ingredients for the puff pastry dough.
    Ingredients for the puff pastry dough
  • Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl, place it in a refrigerator for about 15 minutes. Grate the frozen butter into the flour, while occasionally mixing it in to the flower to prevent it from sticking.
    Flour and butter getting grated
  • Make a well in the bowl and pour in the cold water, mix until you have a firm, rough dough. 
    Puff pastry dough mixture in a bowl
  • Wrap the dough tight with a plastic wrap and leave in a refrigerator for 30 minutes.
    Dough on the counter
  • Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured board, knead gently and form into a smooth rectangle. Keep the edges straight and even. Don’t overwork the butter streaks; you should have a marbled effect.
    Puff pastry dough on the counter
  • Fold the top third down to the center, then the bottom third up and over that, same with the sides. Roll out again to three times the length into a rectangular shape. Place parchment paper on top of the dough, fold over top and bottom of the dough, wrap with a plastic wrap and let it chill in a refrigerator for about an hour.
    Puff pastry dough on a counter
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

Natalya Drozhzhin

Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.