Puff pastry is a controlled sequence of rolling, folding and chilling. The visible butter pieces flatten into layers that release steam and lift the pastry in the oven.
Cook · Recipe
Homemade Puff Pastry
Classic laminated pastry made by repeatedly rolling and folding a flour-and-butter dough to create crisp, flaky layers.
At a glance
Recipe summary
- Prep
- 40 min
- Rest
- 2 hr 50 min
- Total
- 3 hr 30 min
- Serves
- About 700 g pastry
- Skill
- Advanced
What you need
Ingredients
Metric US Ingredient
300 g 2½ cups plain flour or pastry flour Plus extra for dusting.
285 g 1¼ cups unsalted butter Very cold, cut into chunks.
2.5 ml ½ tsp fine salt
120 ml ½ cup ice-cold water Add only as much as needed.
How to make it
Method
- Mix the 300 g flour and salt in a large bowl. Toss the cold butter chunks through the flour so every piece is coated.
- Add most of the 120 ml ice water and mix just until a rough dough forms, adding the remainder only if dry flour remains.
- Shape into a rectangle, wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
- Roll on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about 1.25 cm / ½ inch thick. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up like a letter.
- Rotate the dough 90 degrees, roll and fold again. Chill for 20 to 30 minutes whenever the butter begins to soften.
- Complete 5 to 6 letter folds in total, keeping the edges square and brushing away excess flour.
- After the final fold, wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight before rolling to the thickness required by the chosen recipe.
- Bake according to the final dish, generally in a fully preheated hot oven until well risen and deeply golden.
Useful notes
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Dough scraper
- Baking paper or reusable wrap
- Ruler optional
Substitutions
- Use a high-fat vegan block designed for pastry if a dairy-free result is required.
- For a quicker option, use shop-bought all-butter puff pastry.
Allergen notes
- Contains wheat and milk when made with butter.
Storage
Keep the finished dough tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
Tips
- Keep the butter cold but flexible; brittle butter will break through the dough.
- Rest the dough whenever it shrinks or resists rolling.
- Roll evenly and keep the rectangle square for regular layers.