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Gluten Free Puff Pastry Recipe | Easy Dairy Free Homemade Pastry Dough

Flaky, buttery-tasting gluten-free and dairy-free puff pastry made with a simple rough-puff method. Reliable lift, crisp layers, and versatile for sweet or savory bakes.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (210 g) superfine white rice flour
  • 3/4 cup (90 g) tapioca starch
  • 1/4 cup (30 g) sorghum flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (226 g) dairy-free butter, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) ice water, plus 1–2 tablespoons more as needed
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • Extra tapioca starch for dusting
  • Optional: 1 tbsp maple syrup + 1 tbsp dairy-free milk for glaze

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Chill the cubed dairy-free butter for at least 30 minutes and refrigerate the measured dry-ingredient bowl for 10 minutes.
  • Stir the vinegar or lemon juice into the ice water and keep it cold.
  • Whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, xanthan gum, salt, and sugar in a large chilled bowl.
  • Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat in the flour mixture.
  • Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips until you have shaggy flakes and pea-sized pieces, leaving visible chunks.
  • Drizzle in 1/2 cup ice water with vinegar, tossing with a fork until the dough is shaggy and holds when pressed; add up to 2 tablespoons more water only if dry spots remain.
  • Turn the mixture onto parchment, press into a rough 1-inch-thick rectangle, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Lightly dust parchment and the dough with tapioca starch, then roll into a rectangle about 8 x 18 inches.
  • Fold the top third down and the bottom third up like a letter to complete one turn, rotate 90 degrees, then roll again to 8 x 18 inches and repeat the letter fold for a second turn.
  • Wrap and chill for 20 minutes to re-firm the fat.
  • Repeat two more turns, chill 20 minutes, then finish with a final two turns for a total of six turns.
  • Chill the dough 30–60 minutes before using.
  • Roll the dough to 1/8–1/4 inch thickness, keeping it cool and lightly dusted to prevent sticking.
  • Cut with a sharp knife, chill cut shapes for 15 minutes, and bake on a parchment-lined sheet at 400–425°F (200–220°C) for 15–25 minutes until deeply golden with separated layers.
  • For a sweet finish, brush pastries with a mixture of maple syrup and dairy-free milk before or after baking as desired.

Notes

Work quickly and keep everything cold; if butter softens, chill the dough for 10 minutes. Use minimal dusting starch to avoid tough layers and trim edges cleanly to encourage lift. Refrigerate wrapped dough up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator before rolling. You can bake pastries from frozen at 400–425°F, adding a few minutes. For delicate items roll to 1/8 inch; for sturdier tarts roll to 1/4 inch. A firm stick-style plant butter (75–80% fat) works best; xanthan gum can be replaced with 1 tbsp psyllium husk powder with slightly more water as needed.