Quick Answer
Yes, you can use puff pastry instead of regular pie crust for pies. Puff pastry makes a delicious, flaky alternative to traditional pie dough. However, there are some important differences to keep in mind when substituting puff pastry for pie crust.
Can You Use Puff Pastry for Pie Crust?
Puff pastry is a wonderful option for pie crust. It creates a tender, flaky, and buttery crust that bakes up gorgeously golden brown. Puff pastry is made by folding butter into the dough in layers, which creates its signature flaky texture as it bakes.
Many bakers enjoy using puff pastry for pies because it’s easier to work with than pie dough. Puff pastry comes ready-made in sheets from the store, so you don’t have to worry about making the dough from scratch. It’s also less finicky to roll out than pie dough.
Overall, puff pastry makes a tasty alternative to regular pie crust and can be used for both sweet and savory pies. It provides a beautiful presentation and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Differences Between Puff Pastry and Pie Crust
While puff pastry can be used for pie crusts, there are some important ways that it differs from traditional pie dough:
Flakiness
Puff pastry is extremely flaky, while regular pie crust is more dense and tender. The flaky layers are created by the lamination process of folding butter into puff pastry dough. Pie dough gets its tenderness from solid butter cut into flour.
Flavor
Pie dough typically has a richer flavor from butter or shortening worked into the dough. Puff pastry has a more delicate flavor since it contains less fat overall.
Texture
Puff pastry has a crisp, delicate texture. Pie dough is sturdier and can hold thicker fillings. Puff pastry may crack under the weight of heavy pie fillings.
Moisture Content
Puff pastry has a higher moisture content compared to flaky pie dough. This can affect baking time and sometimes moisture retention of the pie filling.
Intensity
The flavor of puff pastry is lighter and less intense than in traditional butter pie crust. If you want a bolder, richer taste, pie dough is a better choice.
Shaping Ability
Pie dough is very pliable and easy to shape by hand into a pie pan. Puff pastry is more delicate and challenging to stretch and mold without breaking apart.
Tips for Using Puff Pastry for Pie Crust
Here are some helpful tips for working with puff pastry pie crust:
Choose Your Filling Wisely
Puff pastry works best with lighter fillings. Heavy and moist fillings may cause sogginess or break through the delicate crust. Some good options are fruit pies, custard pies, goat cheese tart, quiche, or chicken pot pie. Avoid very juicy berries and wet fillings like pecan pie.
Roll It Thinner
Roll out the puff pastry a bit thinner than pie dough, about 1/8 inch thick, for the flakiest results. Thinner pastry bakes up crisper in texture.
Use it Cold
Puff pastry dough is easiest to work with when cold. Keep it chilled until ready to use. Let the rolled crust chill for 15-20 minutes before forming into pie pans.
Work Quickly and Gently
When shaping puff pastry crusts, work fast and handle the dough as little as possible. Puff pastry warms and softens quickly, making it tricky to transfer once rolled out. Move it carefully and mold it gently into the pie dish without overworking it.
Dock the Crust
Docking means pricking the crust all over with a fork. This prevents puff pastry from puffing up too much and creates an even, flat crust. Dock thoroughly but gently without tearing the pastry.
Partially Bake the Crust First
Blind baking, or pre-baking, the puff pastry crust helps ensure it bakes up nicely. Prick dough all over, line with parchment and pie weights, and bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool before filling.
Reinforce Delicate Areas
If there are any cracks, thin spots, or fragile edges on the shaped crust, you can reinforce by brushing with egg wash or milk and patching with excess pastry scraps as needed before baking.
Keep an Eye on Baking Time
Puff pastry often bakes faster than regular pie dough. Start checking after 15 minutes. It may need 5-10 minutes less baking time than pie recipes specify for a golden flaky crust.
Sample Puff Pastry Pie Recipes
Here are some delicious puff pastry pie recipes to try:
Puff Pastry Apple Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 4-5 apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water for egg wash
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out pastry into a round just larger than a 9-inch pie dish. Lay pastry in dish and trim edges.
- In a bowl, toss apple slices with sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Pile into pastry-lined dish and dot with butter.
- Brush edges with egg wash. Bake 40-45 minutes until apples are tender and pastry is puffed and golden.
Puff Pastry Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart
Ingredients:
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 1 cup goat cheese, softened
- 2 plum tomatoes, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out puff pastry into a 10-inch round and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Score a 1-inch border around the edge of the pastry. Prick inside of the border all over with a fork.
- Spread goat cheese inside border. Arrange tomato slices attractively on top. Sprinkle with garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 potato, peeled and diced
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté onions, carrots, celery, and potato in 1 tbsp butter until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in chicken and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch pie dish.
- In same skillet, melt remaining butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in broth and milk. Simmer until thickened. Stir in peas and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour sauce over chicken mixture in pie dish. Roll out one puff pastry sheet to fit over top of dish. Place on pie, trim and seal edges. Cut slits in top crust.
- Bake 30-35 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden brown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is puff pastry healthier than regular pie crust?
Not necessarily. While puff pastry is lighter and flakier, pie dough can be made with healthy fats like olive oil or butter. Puff pastry also contains a lot of butter folded into the layers. They have a similar calorie count per serving.
Should I blind bake puff pastry crust?
Yes, blind baking is highly recommended for puff pastry pie crusts. This prevents the bottom from becoming soggy and underdone. Always dock and par-bake puff pastry before adding fillings for 10-15 minutes at 400°F.
Can I make hand pies with puff pastry?
Absolutely! Puff pastry works wonderfully for hand pies and turnovers. Cut rolled puff pastry into rounds, fill half with fruit or other filling, fold over to seal, crimp edges with a fork, and bake. Puff pastry hand pies make fun portable desserts.
How long does puff pastry last in the fridge or freezer?
Store-bought puff pastry lasts 1-2 weeks tightly wrapped in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer. Thaw frozen puff pastry overnight in the fridge before using. Let thaw completely to room temperature for easiest rolling.
Should I brush puff pastry pie crust with egg wash?
Yes, egg wash helps puff pastry crusts achieve a beautiful golden brown color. Lightly brush the shaped crust with beaten egg before baking pies or tarts made with puff pastry. The egg white proteins brown more readily than the puff pastry dough.
Conclusion
Puff pastry creates a tasty, flaky alternative to traditional pie crust. It bakes up deliciously crisp and golden brown. Just keep in mind differences like flakiness, flavor, moisture, and texture compared to regular butter pie dough when substituting. Handle the dough gently, dock before baking, reinforce weak spots, and pair it with lighter fillings for best results. With a few helpful tips, puff pastry can give pies and tarts a wonderful makeover. Experiment and enjoy this versatile dough in place of pie crust.