Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Follow along this step-by-step recipe for quick puff pastry dough! The first part of this technique for making puff pastry will remind you of making pie pastry, but with more butter. Because the butter is worked right into the dough sooner, it shortens the rolling and folding process and allows you to double up on the folds at each stage after resting. But don’t let the word “quick” fool you—you still need to leave at least an hour between each set of folds to allow the dough to relax.
--------
Makes just over 2.2 lb (1 kg) puff pastry dough
Prep Time: 30 minutes, plus chilling
The puff pastry dough can keep, well wrapped in plastic, in the fridge for up to 4 days. Alternatively, portion and freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before using.-
--------
• Ingredients •
3 cups (450 g) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp fine salt
2 Tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
2 cups (450 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
¾ cup (175 mL) cold water
1 Tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar or lemon juice
--------
• Directions •
1. Combine the dry ingredients and oil. Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil. Using a pastry cutter, electric beaters or a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend until the flour looks evenly crumbly.
2. Add the butter and cut in until the dough is rough and crumbly, yet pieces of butter are still visible.
3. Add the liquid. Mix the water and vinegar (or lemon juice) together, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Shape into a rectangle (the dough will seem rough and shaggy), wrap well and chill for an hour before rolling.
4. Laminate the layers for the first time. Dust a work surface and a heavy rolling pin well with flour. Roll the dough into a 10 × 20-inch (25 × 50 cm) rectangle, brush off excess flour and fold into thirds. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat rolling the dough to a 10 × 20-inch (25 × 50 cm) rectangle. Brush off any flour, then fold into a book fold. Wrap and chill the dough for at least an hour (and up to a day).
5. Roll and fold the layers a second time. On the floured work surface, roll the dough into a 10 × 20-inch (25 × 50 cm) rectangle, brush off excess flour and fold into thirds. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, repeat the rolling and then fold into a book fold (p. xx). Wrap and chill the dough for at least an hour (and up to a day).
6. Do a final fold. On a lightly floured work surface, roll, brush and fold the dough into thirds, then rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll, brush and fold into a book fold a final time. Wrap the dough again and chill for at least 2 hours (up to a day) before using.
Follow along this step-by-step recipe for quick puff pastry dough! The first part of this technique for making puff pastry will remind you of making pie pastry, but with more butter. Because the butter is worked right into the dough sooner, it shortens the rolling and folding process and allows you to double up on the folds at each stage after resting. But don’t let the word “quick” fool you—you still need to leave at least an hour between each set of folds to allow the dough to relax.
--------
Makes just over 2.2 lb (1 kg) puff pastry dough
Prep Time: 30 minutes, plus chilling
The puff pastry dough can keep, well wrapped in plastic, in the fridge for up to 4 days. Alternatively, portion and freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before using.-
--------
• Ingredients •
3 cups (450 g) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp fine salt
2 Tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
2 cups (450 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
¾ cup (175 mL) cold water
1 Tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar or lemon juice
--------
• Directions •
1. Combine the dry ingredients and oil. Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil. Using a pastry cutter, electric beaters or a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend until the flour looks evenly crumbly.
2. Add the butter and cut in until the dough is rough and crumbly, yet pieces of butter are still visible.
3. Add the liquid. Mix the water and vinegar (or lemon juice) together, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Shape into a rectangle (the dough will seem rough and shaggy), wrap well and chill for an hour before rolling.
4. Laminate the layers for the first time. Dust a work surface and a heavy rolling pin well with flour. Roll the dough into a 10 × 20-inch (25 × 50 cm) rectangle, brush off excess flour and fold into thirds. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat rolling the dough to a 10 × 20-inch (25 × 50 cm) rectangle. Brush off any flour, then fold into a book fold. Wrap and chill the dough for at least an hour (and up to a day).
5. Roll and fold the layers a second time. On the floured work surface, roll the dough into a 10 × 20-inch (25 × 50 cm) rectangle, brush off excess flour and fold into thirds. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, repeat the rolling and then fold into a book fold (p. xx). Wrap and chill the dough for at least an hour (and up to a day).
6. Do a final fold. On a lightly floured work surface, roll, brush and fold the dough into thirds, then rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll, brush and fold into a book fold a final time. Wrap the dough again and chill for at least 2 hours (up to a day) before using.
