Easy Sourdough Puff Pastry Dough

This easy sourdough puff pastry dough will have you ditching the store-bought can once and for all!

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One of my absolute favorite things in the world is puff pastries! They are so versatile and easy to use. They are great for desserts and savory dishes alike. This easy sourdough puff pastry will become a staple in your kitchen and another fun way to use your sourdough starter. Want to know how to start and maintain a sourdough starter? Here is a practical guide for a No Fuss Sourdough Starter.

Ingredients for Sourdough Puff Pastry Dough

For the dough

• 1 cup of active sourdough starter (see this post for more information)
• 5 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of cane sugar
• 1 tsp real salt
• 1 1/2 cups of whole milk
• 2 tsp of vanilla extract

To laminate

• Parchment Paper
• 3 sticks of butter

Preparation

The night before I start by mixing all the ingredients in my Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook attachment. I highly recommend using a stand mixer when available. Currently, I have the Kitchen Aid Pro Series and it can handle this volume of dough without problems. Previously, I used the Kitchen Aid Artisan and I always had to half the recipe. Depending on your appliance you might have to do this twice with half the ingredients each time.

This is what the dough looks at about the 5 to 10-minute mark. It is not ready, it is still stiff and it will break if you try to stretch it. Continue to knead the dough for at least 10 more minutes.

This is my dough at about the 20-minute mark. It should look glossy and smooth. I always like to test the dough by stretching it. Once the gluten is developed the dough will have this wonderful stretch you see in the picture above.

Sourdough Puff Pastry Dough First Rise

After the dough is sufficiently worked it is time to let it ferment. I like to put this sourdough pastry dough in a floured bowl on my counter overnight. It usually doubles in size by the next morning. If it is cold it will take closer to 12 hours and if your kitchen is quite warm closer to 6 hours.

Preparing Butter for Lamination

Lamination is the process of putting layers of butter in between layers of dough. This process is, what gives the pastry its “puff” and produces the flaky results we are looking for. Examples of this type of pastry would be croissants and danishes.

To prepare the butter for lamination I start with cold but not hard butter. Some recipes call for very cold or frozen butter but I find this hard to work with. What I prefer to do is to use slightly soft butter because it is easier to roll out. After all, I put it back in the fridge to chill overnight as the puff pastry dough ferments.

To get started I put the 1 1/2 sticks of butter between two large pieces of parchment paper. I then roll the butter into a 6″ by 8″ rectangle.

After the rectangle is formed I place the butter in the fridge to chill until the sourdough pastry dough is ready to be laminated. Repete the process with the other 1 1/2 sticks of butter.

Laminating Sourdough Puff Pastry Dough

The next morning or whenever your dough has doubled in size or near to it. (You will know it is ready when it’s nice and puffy as picture above.) Punch the dough down and divide it into two approximately equal parts.

This recipe is a double batch because I like to keep this puff pastry dough on hand but feel free to half it.

Next, I roll the dough into a 12″ by 16″ rectangle.

Once I have done that I take the flattened butter from the fridge and place it right in the center of the dough.

The next thing I do is fold the right and left sides towards the middle.

Now, I fold the top and bottom sides towards the middle too. What I want is to wrap my butter, with the dough.

Lastly, I fold the whole thing in half. If your butter is too soft at this point place the dough back in the fridge for about 15 to 30 minutes. This is the first fold.

Now for the second fold, I again roll out the dough and fold the dough just like before except the butter is already in the dough. I wrap the dough in parchment paper and place it in the fridge for at least an hour or until needed.

Storing Sourdough Puff Pastry Dough

To store the dough I keep it in the fridge for up to a week wrapped in a double layer of parchment paper to prevent it from, drying out. This dough should keep, in the freezer for up to six months if stored properly in layers of cling wrap and inside a freezer bag. However, I have actually, never had to freeze it so I don’t know the results first-hand.

How to Use Sourdough Puff-Pastry Dough

You can use this pastry dough in anything from danishes, crescent rolls, or any other recipe that calls for regular puff pastry.

I love using this sourdough puff pastry on savory dishes like Chicken Pot Pie Casserole or sweet treats like Apple Spiced Danishes.

Why not just use store-bought puff pastry?

With many things in my life, I strive for more natural living habits, food is no exception. Even treats like this sourdough puff pastry can be made healthier (not saying this is a low-calorie or necessarily health-food) by making them homemade. By using sourdough, real butter, milk, and cane sugar I minimize the processed food my family and I eat while still indulging in treats. Commercially produced puff pastries found in the freezer aisle are often made with poor-quality ingredients like Palm oils, and preservatives that can cause inflammation and are detrimental to our health when eaten regularly. Here is a link to some of the ingredients in a mass-manufactured puff pastry.

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Recommended Products

• Stand Mixer
• Rolling Pin
• Parchment Paper
• All-purpose flour
• Real salt
• Measuring Cups
• Wooden Measuring Spoons
• Glass bowls