Homemade puff pastry in 10 minutes: better than store-bought and anyone can make it

Homemade puff pastry in 10 minutes: better than store-bought and anyone can make it

Name: Homemade puff pastry in 10 minutes: better than store-bought and anyone can make it
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 250 g plain flour; 200 g cold butter, cut into small cubes; 125 ml ice water; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice; egg yolk with a little water or milk for brushing; sesame, poppy seeds or other seeds

Easy to prepare
10 portions
30 minutes

Jan, 09. 01. 2026

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Once you try this recipe, very likely the same will happen as with many other home bakers – you won't buy puff pastry from the store anymore.

Homemade puff pastry has a reputation for being complicated and time-consuming. Yet there is a quick and reliable method that lets you prepare it in a few minutes and the result is significantly better in flavor and texture than most store-bought varieties. The pastry is beautifully layered, tender, puffs up nicely when baked and you know exactly what it contains.

For 10 portions

Ingredients

Dough:

250 g plain flour
200 g cold butter, cut into small cubes
125 ml ice water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice

To finish (optional):

egg yolk with a little water or milk for brushing
sesame, poppy seeds or other seeds

Preparation procedure

Sift the plain flour into a bowl and add the salt. Mix so the salt is evenly distributed.
Add the cold butter cut into cubes to the flour. With quick movements using your fingers, two knives or in a food processor, work the butter in only partially. The mixture should remain coarse, with visible pieces of butter – these are what create the characteristic layers of puff pastry.
Stir the vinegar or lemon juice into the ice water and gradually pour it into the flour mixture. Use a fork or your hands to bring the dough together lightly, do not knead. Once it holds together, you're done.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 15–30 minutes. This step helps the butter firm up again and improves the resulting layering.
Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface into a rectangle. Fold it into thirds like a letter, roll it out again and fold again. Repeat this process 2–3 times. This creates the basic layers typical of puff pastry.
The dough is ready to use. You can roll it out as needed, fill it, brush with yolk and usually bake at 180–200 °C for 20–30 minutes, until nicely golden and puffed.

Number of servings

approx. 1 batch of dough (enough for 1 baking sheet or 10–12 smaller turnovers)

Total preparation time

approx. 30–40 minutes

(active work 10 minutes + short chilling and basic folding)

Practical tips

The key to success is really cold butter and quick work. If the kitchen is warm, briefly chill the dough again between folds. The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for 2–3 months.