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

  1. Place the measured dough ingredients into a mixing bowl.
  2. 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.
  3. Remove the dough from the mixer and shape it into a 5-inch square, about 1 inch thick.
  4. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Prepare the Laminating Butter

  1. Cut 2 sticks of butter in half lengthwise and add 1 tablespoon extra.
  2. Place the butter between two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper.
  3. Gently pound with a rolling pin until pliable, then roll into an 8 x 8-inch square, about ⅜ inch thick.
  4. Refrigerate until ready to laminate.

Laminate the Dough

  1. Remove both dough and butter from the fridge.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 8 x 16-inch rectangle, about ⅛ inch thick.
  3. Remove the parchment from the butter and place the butter centered on the dough.
  4. Fold the dough over the butter from both sides to fully encase it, forming a neat square.
  5. Roll the dough back out to an 8 x 16-inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.
  6. 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

  1. Cut the dough into desired shapes or leave as a full sheet, depending on its intended use.

Refrigerate or Freeze

  1. Chill for at least 30 minutes before baking to relax the dough and keep the layers defined.
  2. 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

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Arrange pastry pieces evenly on a sheet pan.
  3. Lightly brush with egg wash.
  4. 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.

Products Used In The Recipe

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About the Chef



Meet Chef Jesse Dodson

Chef Jesse Dodson

Jesse Dodson started working in bakeries as a teenager and found a lifelong passion for bread and pastries which he has pursued for three decades. Over time he has baked in many different settings, including wood fired artisan bread in the back of a barn, fine dining pastry, wholesale production bakeries, and for many years, managed an in-store, from scratch bread program for a popular chain of PNW grocery stores. Product development and technical training are his favored tasks in the bakery industry. He also enjoys merchandising and helping bakeries find improvements in quality and efficiency.

“To me, baking is the art of transforming simple, quality ingredients into sensuous, edible delights”

Jesse lives in Portland, Oregon and spends his time outside the bakery cooking, especially over wood fire, gardening, playing music, and riding motorcycles.

Learn more about Jesse's recipe consulting on his website below.