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Rough Puff Pastry Dough

This homemade rough puff pastry is a versatile kitchen essential for anyone looking to elevate their baking. Providing the satisfying, buttery crunch of traditional puff pastry without the intensive labour of a full laminate, this low-sugar dough relies on high-quality butter and a gentle touch. The result is a beautifully golden, layered finish that brings a professional quality to both sweet and savoury bakes. It is an excellent skill to master for seasonal cooking and impressive home entertaining.

Perfect for topping a hearty minced beef pie or creating a crisp base for a seasonal vegetable tart, this pastry is as functional as it is delicious. By using frozen butter and keeping the dough well-chilled, you ensure a light, airy texture every time. Prepare a batch to keep in the fridge or freezer, ready to be rolled out for a quick yet sophisticated midweek dinner or a weekend treat.

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Ingredients for Rough Puff Pastry Dough

  • 160g plain flour

  • 1/4 teaspoons salt

  • 1 stick (110g ) plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen

  • 5 to 90ml ice water

How to make Rough Puff Pastry Dough

Sift together flour and salt into a chilled large metal bowl. Set a grater in flour mixture and coarsely grate frozen butter into flour, gently lifting flour and tossing to coat butter.

Drizzle 5 tablespoons ice water evenly over flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated.

Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has the proper texture, it will hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add another tablespoon water, stirring until just incorporated and testing again. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)

Gather mixture together and form into a 5-inch square, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 30 minutes. (Dough will be lumpy and streaky.)

Roll out dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 15- by- 8-inch rectangle. Arrange dough with a short side nearest you, then fold dough into thirds like a letter: bottom third up and top third down over dough. Rewrap dough and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Arrange dough with a short side nearest you on a floured surface and repeat rolling out, folding, and chilling 2 more times. Brush off any excess flour, then wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Article history

The information on this page is peer reviewed by qualified clinicians.

  • 17 Jan 2026 | Originally published

    Authored by:

    UK recipe editors

    Peer reviewed by

    UK recipe editors
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