Here’s a simple Soft Pastry Dough recipe you can use for pies, turnovers, hand pies, or sweet pastries.
🥐 Soft Pastry Dough (Beginner Friendly)
🧾 Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional for sweet pastries)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cubed
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup cold water (add gradually)
👩🍳 How to make it
- In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes.
- Rub or cut the butter into the flour until it looks like crumbs (small pea-sized bits are fine).
- Slowly add cold water, a little at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together.
- Form into a ball, wrap it, and chill for 20–30 minutes.
- Roll out and use for pies, turnovers, or pastries.
🥐 Tips for soft, flaky dough
- Keep everything cold (butter + water = flakier texture)
- Don’t overwork the dough (keeps it soft, not tough)
- Chill before rolling for easier handling
- For extra softness, you can add 1–2 tbsp yogurt or cream
🍰 Best uses
- Apple or fruit turnovers
- Meat pies
- Sweet jam pastries
- Hand pies or tart shells
If you want, I can also give you:
- a 3-ingredient pastry dough (ultra simple)
- a super flaky bakery-style version
- or a sweetened dessert dough for pies and tarts
