How to Make Homemade Puff Pastry + 15 Desserts to Make with It

Learn how to make your own homemade puff pastry. Plus, get 15 delicious dessert recipes that use puff pastry! These desserts look complicated, but they are surprisingly easy to make.

I adore making homemade puff pastry dessert recipes. It gives my treats such a special added touch. And it tastes so much better than what you can get out of the freezer. While puff pastry dessert recipes sometimes look complicated, there are lots of recipes out there that are surprisingly easy to make.

Baked brie in puff pastry

3 Simple Keys To Making Any Puff Pastry Dessert Recipes

To make all of the yummy puff pastry dessert recipes you may have experienced over the years, you just have to know how to do three things. Yes, it looks complicated. And you might be tempted to just buy the puff pastry from your local grocery store. But you don’t have to do that.

You can make your own flavorful puff pastry for any recipe you want. Before you know it, you will have a gorgeous puff pastry dessert that will wow your friends and family.

The three things to focus on when making your own puff pastry include:

1. Rolling the dough thinly. You may want to use a pastry cutter. 
2. Twisting the dough in whichever way the recipe calls for.
3. Stuffing the dough with delicious fillings like nuts, fruit, and chocolate. Just about anything can be laid between the paper-thin puff pastry layers.

What can you make with puff pastry?

A better question is: what can’t you make with puff pastry? Whether it’s using this homemade puff pastry dessert recipe from scratch or choosing an off-the-shelf box, this buttery, thin pastry can be used for many kinds of tarts, pies, puffs and appetizers of all kinds. While you can make savory dishes too (like this amazing Shepherd’s Pie), I just love this buttery, flakey dough when used in a dessert. Need some inspiration? Check out 15 of my favorite things to make with this homemade puff pastry dessert recipe.

15 Delicious Desserts To Make With Homemade Puff Pastry

1. Pain du Chocolat
2. Sticky buns
3. Strudel
4. French Galette 
5. Cream Puff
6. Danish
7. Fruit pizza
8. Almond croissant
9. Palmiers
10. Tarte Tatin
11. Strawberry Shortcake
12. Baked Brie
13. Honeyed Pears
14. Swedish Coffee Cake
15. Paper-thin waffles

Do you bake puff pastry before filling?

How to Make Homemade Puff Pastry 

(makes about 2 boxes store-bought) 

Prep time 15 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt 
• 10 tablespoons of cold butter 
• 1/2 cup of ice water  

Instructions: 

1. In a mixing bowl, mix the flour and salt. 
2. Chop the butter into small pieces and cut into the flour using a pastry cutter or a mixing paddle. 
3. Add water and mix  
4. On a floured surface, knead the dough and roll it out into a rectangle. Fold into thirds and roll out again, repeat 3-4 times
5. Freeze or use right away for your favorite pastry.
   

   Homemade Puff Pastry Recipe

   Yield: makes about 2 boxes store-bought

   Prep Time: 15 minutes

   Total Time: 15 minutes

   Learn how to make your own homemade puff pastry, it's shockingly easy, and requires only a few ingredients that you already have in the house!

   Print

   Ingredients

   • 2 cups of flour
   • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
   • 10 tablespoons of cold butter
   • 1/2 cup of ice water

   Instructions

   1. In a mixing bowl, mix the flour and salt.  

   2. Chop the butter in the small pieces and cut into the flour using a pastry cutter or a mixing paddle.  

   3. Add water and mix  

   4. On a floured surface, knead the dough and roll it out into a rectangle. Fold into thirds and roll out again, repeat 3-4 times 

   5. Freeze or use right away for your favorite pastry.

   Notes

   How long can puff pastry be stored?

   The answer to this question depends on how the puff pastry is stored and if it is baked, filled or neither.

   If you have unbaked puff pastry dough, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for only two or three days. You can freeze it for up to one month.  

   For baked, filled pastries, don't try to store them. Eat them! The truth is they are best enjoyed the day you make them. Generally, these puff pastry dessert recipes don't refrigerate well.

   A baked unfilled pastry may be frozen in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks.

   Do you bake puff pastry before filling?

   All puff pastry, whether homemade or store-bought, depends on even heat to rise and puff up.

   If you are making a filled puff pastry dessert or a tart, be sure to place it on the baking sheet before adding toppings or fillings.

   And always preheat the oven for a minimum of 15-20 minutes before baking. You don't want to force the puff pastry to deal with fluctuating heat. Keep the oven door closed while the dessert is baking too. No peeking!

   The three things to focus on when making your own puff pastry include:

   Rolling the dough thinly. You may want to use a pastry cutter. Twisting the dough in whichever way the recipe calls for. Stuffing the dough with delicious fillings like nuts, fruit, and chocolate. Just about anything can be laid between the paper-thin puff pastry layers.

    

Dana Zucker

I am a home cook that does things my way. In my kitchen, I make breakfast, pack lunches, prepare snacks, and cook dinner. During the week, we eat real food that is homemade, organic, and local. On the weekends we do explore more of our local restaurants. I bake my own bread, juice fresh oranges every other day, and make my own kombucha and other weekly favorites.