Homemade Puff Pastry
Published 11/13/2022
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Make this 4-ingredient homemade puff pastry to use in sweet or savory recipes. It’s easy to make, and fluffy every time.
The BEST Homemade Puff Pastry
This homemade puff pastry recipe truly is better than store-bought! It’s super easy to make, and oh so fluffy every time. Might we recommend using in our ham and cheese hand pies or cream cheese danishes?!
why you’ll love it!
- Easy to make
- Perfect for sweet or savory recipes
- Fluffy and flakey every time
Homemade Puff Pastry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: we do not recommend subbing for another flour as we haven’t tested it!
- Kosher salt: a little salt goes a long way in this puff pastry dough.
- Unsalted butter: you’ll be using COLD butter and grating it through a cheese grater. This helps integrate the layers of butter into all of the dough. We do not recommend subbing margarine or another butter alternative!
- Ice water: we recommend cold water to help keep the dough from getting too warm before baking.
How to Make Homemade Puff Pastry
Mix Butter, Flour & Salt
Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and whisk together. Grate 1 stick of cold butter into the flour. Mix the butter and flour together.
Add Ice Water
Add 6 tablespoons of ice-cold water into the flour and butter and mix together until a ball is formed. If the dough seems a little dry, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until a ball is formed.
Refrigerate Dough
Wrap the ball in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. While the dough is chilling in the refrigerator allow the 2 additional butter sticks to sit out and come to room temperature.
Spread Butter
Flour the work surface and roll out the dough to 12×12 inches.
Spread 1 stick of softened butter on top of the dough. Fold in thirds and then in half. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Repeat this step one more time with the 2nd stick of butter.
Roll Out Puff Pastry & Bake
Roll the dough out to roughly 10×16 inches. Preheat the oven to 375℉. Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or use in any recipe of your choice.
Top Tips for Homemade Puff Pastry
- Make the dough faster: Freeze the dough during the prep process instead of refrigerating to expedite the process. You’ll need to freeze the dough for half the time you would refrigerate it.
- Want to make croissants? After rolling the dough out at step 7, cut the dough into 10 large triangles. Bake time would stay the same. Yum!
FAQs
This homemade puff pastry recipe is puffier and flakier than store-bought typically is. You’ll love it!
Roll the dough out to roughly 10×16 inches. Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 375℉.
The cost of ingredients for homemade puff pastry is very minimal, which typically makes it cheaper than store-bought, but does require time.
Recipes That Use Puff Pastry
Homemade puff pastry is so versatile! Whether you’re looking for something sweet or savory, we’ve got SO many options to choose from:
- Chocolate Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls
- Ham and Cheese Hand Pies
- Baked Brie in Puff Pastry
- Easy Tomato Tart
- Cream Cheese Danish
Storage
Store this homemade puff pastry dough wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days before using in a recipe that calls for puff pastry.
To freeze: wrap the puff pastry dough tightly in plastic wrap and then place in an airtight container or freezer ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using in a recipe that calls for puff pastry.
Homemade Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1.5 cups unsalted butter, divided
- 10 tablespoons of ice water
Instructions
- Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and whisk together. Grate 1 stick of cold butter into the flour. Mix the butter and flour together.
- Add 6 tablespoons of ice-cold water into the flour and butter and mix together until a ball is formed. If the dough seems a little dry, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until a ball is formed. Wrap the ball in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. While the dough is chilling in the refrigerator allow the 2 additional butter sticks to sit out and come to room temperature.
- Flour the work surface and roll out the dough to 12 inches by 12 inches. Then, spread 1 stick of softened butter on top of the dough.
- Fold in thirds and then in half. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 one more time.
- Roll the dough out to roughly 10×16 inches. The dough can be used as one large puff pastry or divided into 2.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
Tips & Notes
- Freezing instead of refrigerating can be used to speed up the process.
- This dough can also be used to make a quick croissant. After rolling the dough out at step 7, cut the dough into 10 large triangles. Bake time would stay the same.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #cheeseknees, we’d love to see what you’re up to!
This was so easy to make (just time consuming) and the results were amazing. I’m going to make beef Wellington next week and this will be the recipe that I use for the puff pastry
Ohh this will be delish for beef wellingtons!