Vegan Puff Pastry
Classic puff pastry is one of those recipes that has long felt off-limits for plant-based bakers, since the traditional method relies entirely on dairy butter for those impossibly flaky, shatteringly crisp layers. This version swaps in vegan butter at every stage — both in the initial dough and in the laminated butter block — and the result is genuinely stunning, with visible separated layers and a deep golden color that holds up to any comparison. The apple cider vinegar in the détrempe is a small but smart touch that relaxes the gluten just enough to make rolling and folding far more manageable. Yes, there are six turns and several rounds of chilling involved, but each individual step is straightforward, and the process is more meditative than stressful once you get a feel for the dough. Making a full batch yields eight generous portions of pastry that can be used in sweet or savory applications, from tarts to turnovers to rough-puff galettes. Wrapped tightly, the finished dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to two days, so you can spread the work across a weekend and bake whenever inspiration strikes. Once you pull that first tray out of the oven and hear it tap hollow on the bottom, you'll understand exactly why this one is worth the effort.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the dough (détrempe)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp vegan butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- ½ cup ice water, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
For the butter block (beurrage)
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) vegan butter, cold
Instructions
- 1
Make the détrempe: whisk the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add the 2 tbsp cold cubed vegan butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining.
- 2
Stir the apple cider vinegar into the ice water. Drizzle the mixture over the flour a little at a time, stirring with a fork after each addition, until the dough just comes together and holds when pressed — it should be shaggy but not sticky. Add extra ice water 1 tsp at a time if needed. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, press it into a flat rectangle (do not knead), wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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