
Puff Pastry Dough
Flaky, golden puff pastry made from scratch—layer, chill, and bake to perfection. Freeze ahead or enjoy fresh with sweet or savory fillings!
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Prep Time: 4 hr
- Cook Time: 20 min


Ingredients
Dough
¾ Teaspoon (6g) Fine Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons (28g) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
2/3 Cup (150g) Cold Water
1 Teaspoon (5g) Lemon Juice
Egg Wash, 1 Egg + 1 Tablespoon Water
Butter for Laminating
1 Cup + 1 Tablespoon (240g) Unsalted Butter, cold
Instructions
Mixing the Dough
- Place the measured dough ingredients into a mixing bowl.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix at speed 1 for about 3 minutes, until a rough dough forms. All dry ingredients should be fully incorporated—the dough may look slightly lumpy.
- Remove the dough from the mixer and shape it into a 5-inch square, about 1 inch thick.
- Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
Prepare the Laminating Butter
- Cut 2 sticks of butter in half lengthwise and add 1 tablespoon extra.
- Place the butter between two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper.
- Gently pound with a rolling pin until pliable, then roll into an 8 x 8-inch square, about ⅜ inch thick.
- Refrigerate until ready to laminate.
Laminate the Dough
- Remove both dough and butter from the fridge.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 8 x 16-inch rectangle, about ⅛ inch thick.
- Remove the parchment from the butter and place the butter centered on the dough.
- Fold the dough over the butter from both sides to fully encase it, forming a neat square.
- Roll the dough back out to an 8 x 16-inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.
- Fold into thirds, rotate 90°, and repeat the folding and rolling process 3 times.
Note: Work quickly to keep the dough cold and prevent the butter from melting. If needed, chill between folds.
Portion the Dough
- Cut the dough into desired shapes or leave as a full sheet, depending on its intended use.
Refrigerate or Freeze
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before baking to relax the dough and keep the layers defined.
- You can also freeze the dough. Wrap tightly in plastic to prevent oxidation. If frozen, thaw in the fridge before baking.
Bake the Puff Pastry
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Arrange pastry pieces evenly on a sheet pan.
- Lightly brush with egg wash.
- Bake for 12–20 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
Pro Tip: Convection ovens are ideal for puff pastry because they help water in the butter evaporate quickly, creating flaky layers. Standard ovens work too, but results may be slightly less airy.