Puff pastry is a delicate, flaky pastry made by layering butter between sheets of dough and folding and rolling out the dough to create hundreds of flaky layers. It’s a staple in many baked goods like croissants, palmiers, tarts, and vol-au-vents. But is any puff pastry actually gluten free?
Quick answer: No, traditional puff pastry is not gluten free because it relies on wheat flour to create the flaky layers. However, there are gluten free puff pastry alternatives made with other flours like rice flour or almond flour.
Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. For people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, consuming gluten triggers an autoimmune reaction that damages the small intestine. That’s why folks with gluten issues need to avoid foods containing gluten.
Since traditional puff pastry depends on wheat flour, it contains gluten. Replacing the wheat flour with a gluten free flour blend makes it possible to create gluten free puff pastry. While it requires some adjustments to technique, gluten free puff pastry provides the same light and flaky texture.
What Makes Puff Pastry Light and Flaky
Puff pastry achieves its signature texture through a labor-intensive process of folding, rolling, and layering. Here’s a quick overview of how traditional puff pastry is made:
– Make dough – Puff pastry dough contains just a few ingredients: flour, butter, salt, and water. The dough usually starts with all-purpose wheat flour.
– Roll into a sheet – The dough is kneaded briefly and rolled out into a rectangular sheet.
– Add butter – A slab of butter is placed on the dough sheet. The butter needs to be chilled yet malleable, often around 60°F (15°C).
– Fold and roll – The dough is folded over the butter to encase it, then rolled out. This process is repeated multiple times.
– Rest in fridge – The dough is chilled in the fridge between roll outs to firm up the butter.
– Roll and fold – The dough is rolled and folded again, creating hundreds of alternating dough and butter layers.
– Final shapes – The puff pastry dough is rolled into the desired shape and baked. The water in the butter creates steam, puffing up the layers.
So it’s the rolling, folding, and layering process that gives puff pastry its flaky texture. The dough layers trap the butter layers inside. When baked, the butter melts and the water in it turns to steam, causing the dough layers to puff up and separate.
Why Wheat Flour Is Used in Traditional Puff Pastry
Wheat flour is ideal for puff pastry for a few reasons:
– Gluten development – Kneading and rolling develops gluten, a protein that makes dough elastic. This allows puff pastry dough to stretch thinly without breaking.
– Structure – Gluten gives the dough structure to wrap around the butter and create distinct layers.
– Minimal shrinkage – Wheat flour results in less shrinkage and greater rise when baked compared to other flours.
– Flavor – Wheat flour has a neutral flavor that complements fillings and lets butter shine.
The gluten protein in wheat flour is the key factor. Kneading develops long gluten strands, allowing the dough to be rolled very thin. During bakes, the sturdy gluten network sets around the butter layers and traps steam for maximum rise.
Other grain flours like rye and barley also contain gluten, just less of it compared to wheat flour. So while it’s possible to make puff pastry with other wheat-containing flours, wheat flour gives the best results.
Challenges of Making Gluten Free Puff Pastry
Going gluten free presents some challenges when making puff pastry:
– Lack of gluten – Since gluten free flours have no gluten, the dough is more delicate and prone to breaking when rolled out.
– Crumbling – Without gluten for structure, the dough often crumbles easily. This makes folding and layering difficult.
– Shrinkage – Gluten free dough tends to shrink more when baked, resulting in less rise.
– Dense texture – Gluten free puff pastry can end up dense rather than flaky light.
– Off flavors – Some gluten free flours impart bitterness or beany flavors.
– Dryness – Absorbing more liquid, gluten free dough dries out faster during rolling.
The lack of stretchy and strong gluten is the main challenge. Gluten free flours need specific techniques to mimic wheat dough’s elasticity and structure.
Best Gluten Free Flours for Puff Pastry
Certain gluten free flours work better than others for gluten free puff pastry:
– Rice flour – Very finely milled white rice flour makes dough less likely to crumble. Look for superfine or Thai rice flour.
– Tapioca flour – Also called tapioca starch, it improves binding and mimics wheat flour’s neutral flavor.
– Cornstarch – Adds structure to gluten free doughs. Use just a small amount to avoid corn flavors.
– Potato starch – Helps bind liquids and creates a flakier texture. Doesn’t add potato flavor.
– Almond flour – High in fat like wheat flour, it tenderizes gluten free dough. Adds nutty flavor.
A blend maximizes the benefits of each flour. Rice and tapioca flours are usually the base. Cornstarch, potato starch, and almond flour enhance texture and flavor in smaller amounts.
Sample Gluten Free Puff Pastry Flour Blend
| Rice flour | 50% |
| Tapioca flour | 25% |
| Potato starch | 15% |
| Almond flour | 10% |
This blend mimics the binding, stretch, flakiness, and tenderness of wheat flour. The exact amounts can be adjusted based on preference.
Tips for Making Gluten Free Puff Pastry
With the right flours and techniques, you can achieve the layered, flaky texture of traditional puff pastry while keeping it gluten free. Here are some helpful tips:
– Chill thoroughly – Keep all ingredients well chilled to prevent gluten free dough from warming and crumbling. Work quickly.
– Roll between sheets – Rolling between parchment or plastic sheets supports delicate dough when rolling out.
– Avoid overworking – Gluten free dough becomes more fragile with excess handling. Work gently.
– Use vinegar and xanthan gum – A small amount of vinegar tightens gluten free dough. Xanthan gum acts like gluten.
– Shape before last fold – Shape dough after second-to-last fold so last fold seals in butter.
– Prevent shrinking – Dock (prick) dough before baking and use pie weights or apples to maintain rise.
– Freeze raw puff pastry – Freeze shaped unbaked puff pastry until firm before baking for best results.
With practice and a good recipe, you can make tender and flaky gluten free puff pastry that’s hard to distinguish from the wheat version.
Gluten Free Puff Pastry Brands
Looking to skip homemade? Here are some top store-bought puff pastry brands that offer gluten free options:
– Pepperidge Farm – Their gluten free puff pastry is made with rice flour and tapioca flour. Sold frozen in sheets.
– Dufour – Dufour offers gluten free frozen puff pastry dough made with non-GMO rice flour, tapioca, and potato starch.
– Whole Foods – Their gluten free puff pastry contains rice flour, tapioca flour, and palm fruit oil. Find it in the freezer section.
– Schar – This gluten free brand makes puff pastry with rice flour and corn starch. Available frozen online.
– Namaste Foods – In addition to a classic version, Namaste Foods has spiced puff pastry made with rice flour and tapioca starch.
– No Whey! – Rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, and non-hydrogenated palm oil make up their gluten free puff pastry.
Be sure to thoroughly defrost and cook store-bought puff pastry according to package directions for optimal flavor and texture.
Gluten Free Puff Pastry Recipes
Gluten free puff pastry opens up endless sweet and savory baking options. Here are some must-try recipes:
– Palmiers – These fanciful elephant ear-shaped cookies are made by rolling out puff pastry in sugar and cinnamon.
– Cheese straws – For a savory appetizer, cut puff pastry into strips, top with cheese, and bake until golden brown.
– Chicken pot pie – Make this comfort food classic by topping chicken and veggies with a gluten free puff pastry lid.
– Fruit galette – Shape puff pastry into a rustic round crust for an impressive free-form fruit tart.
– Strawberry napoleons – Layer gluten free puff pastry with pastry cream and fresh strawberries for an elegant dessert.
– Sausage rolls – Roll up spiced sausage meat into gluten free puff pastry and bake until flaky.
– Tomato tart – Line a tart pan with puff pastry, fill with creamy tomato sauce, goat cheese, and fresh basil.
Let cooled puff pastry come to room temperature before shaping to prevent cracking. Brush tops with egg wash for gorgeous browning.
Are There Any Naturally Gluten Free Puff Pastry Alternatives?
Since traditional puff pastry relies so heavily on wheat flour, there are no direct gluten free alternatives. However, other laminated doughs can mimic aspects of puff pastry:
– Phyllo dough – Paper-thin layers make phyllo dough naturally gluten free. Great for spanakopita, baklava, and strudels.
– Croissant dough – Shaped into crescents instead of sheets. Rice flour or other gluten free flours can be substituted.
– Filo dough – Another thinly rolled option like phyllo. Must be made with gluten free flours.
– Pie crust – Gluten free pie dough can be rolled, folded, and layered for a mock puff pastry. Won’t be as airy.
– Palmiers – Gluten free sugar cookie dough achieves the same flavor and texture as palmiers made from puff pastry.
Overall, puff pastry alternatives replicate the experience but can’t exactly imitate the distinct lift and flakiness of genuine puff pastry.
Are Gluten Free Puff Pastry shells Available?
Pre-made puff pastry shells are a handy shortcut for tarts, pot pies, and other filled bakes. There are a couple gluten free options:
– Immaculate Baking – Their puff pastry shells are shaped cups made with non-GMO rice flour and tapioca starch. Sold frozen online.
– Carrot Cake Puff Pastry – Available in tartlet shell sizes, their shells contain rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, and vanilla.
– Shiloh Farms – They offer mini phyllo shells as an alternative to puff pastry shells. Made from brown rice flour.
– Make your own – It’s fairly easy to shape homemade gluten free puff pastry into tart shells and prick with a fork to prevent rising.
Be sure to check that pre-made shells are certified gluten free if following a gluten free diet. Defrost shells completely before filling and baking.
Is Puff Pastry Ever Naturally Gluten Free?
There is no traditional puff pastry that is naturally gluten free. Puff pastry relies entirely on wheat flour to achieve its signature tender and flaky texture.
Here is a quick summary:
– Wheat flour – Traditional puff pastry recipes call for all-purpose or bread flour, both containing gluten.
– Vital gluten – The gluten protein developed through kneading, rolling, and folding is vital to puff pastry’s structure.
– No direct swaps – There are no naturally gluten free flours with similar binding and elasticity as wheat flour.
– Alternatives not exact – While other laminated doughs like phyllo can be gluten free, they each have a distinct texture.
– Must substitute flours – Creating gluten free puff pastry requires replacing wheat flour with a blend of flours like rice, tapioca, and almond flours.
So in its traditional prepared form, puff pastry dough inherently contains gluten. Making puff pastry completely gluten free requires redeveloping the recipe using alternative gluten free ingredients.
Is Dairy-Free Puff Pastry Possible?
Since puff pastry relies so heavily on butter for its signature flavor and flaky layers, dairy-free puff pastry can be tricky. However, there are a few solutions:
– Vegan butter – Swap dairy butter for a vegan butter variety made from plant oils. Look for non-hydrogenated options.
– Coconut oil – Refined coconut oil is flavor neutral. Chilled, it can mimic the fat content of butter.
– Margarine – Check ingredients; some margarines are vegan and work similarly to butter in laminated doughs.
– Vegetable shortening – Similar to butter, shortening remains flaky when baked. Opt for non-hydrogenated.
– Reduce butter layers – Using less butter makes it easier to substitute but reduces flakiness.
Be sure to thoroughly chill and re-chill any butter substitutes between roll outs. Test different fats and ratios when developing your own dairy-free puff pastry.
Should You Refrigerate or Freeze Unbaked Puff Pastry?
Handling and storage impact puff pastry’s rise and flakiness. Here are some tips:
– Refrigerate short term – Store puff pastry dough in the fridge up to 3 days before use. Keeps the butter firm.
– Freeze long term – For storage up to 2-3 months, wrap tightly and freeze raw puff pastry dough.
– Thaw in fridge – To thaw, transfer frozen puff pastry to the refrigerator overnight before use.
– Avoid thawing at room temp – Letting puff pastry dough thaw on the counter makes the butter melt and limits rise.
– Refreeze – Thawed and unrolled dough can’t be refrozen. But unthawed frozen dough can be refrozen once.
The bottom line: Keeping puff pastry thoroughly chilled right up until baking ensures the butter stays solid for maximum lift. Take straight from freezer to oven if pressed for time.
Conclusion
Traditional puff pastry relies on wheat flour and isn’t naturally gluten free. However, by replacing wheat flour with a blend of flours like rice, tapioca, and almond, it’s possible to make puff pastry gluten free. While the texture may not be exactly the same as its wheat counterpart, gluten free puff pastry can still achieve the signature light and flaky layers when handled properly. With the right recipes and techniques, bakers with gluten sensitivities don’t have to miss out on puff pastry treats.