Puff pastry scraps can seem like wasted dough, but they can actually be turned into a variety of delicious baked goods. Here are some ideas for making the most of leftover puff pastry.
Using Small Scraps
If you have small pieces of leftover puff pastry, don’t throw them out! You can easily incorporate them into other recipes or even make some simple puff pastry treats.
Some ideas for small puff pastry scraps:
- Sprinkle them on top of soups or stews for a quick puff pastry garnish
- Make little jam tartlets by pressing the scraps into mini muffin tins and baking with fruit jam
- Use them in place of breadcrumbs to coat chicken, fish, or pork before baking
- Crumble them up and sprinkle over salad for added texture
- Mix them into cookie doughs, bread doughs, or pizza doughs for extra flakiness
The options are endless – let your creativity guide you! Even just a tablespoon of puff pastry can be put to use in many recipes.
Making Puff Pastry Cheese Straws
One of the easiest ways to use up puff pastry scraps is transforming them into cheese straws. These crispy, cheesy treats make a great snack or appetizer.
To make them:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out puff pastry scraps to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into long rectangles.
- Brush the rectangles lightly with milk or egg wash. Sprinkle grated cheddar, parmesan, or other cheese down the center.
- Cut the rectangles lengthwise into thin strips no more than 1/2-inch wide.
- Twist the strips and place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Get creative with different cheese and herb combinations! Some favorites are cheddar-chive, parmesan-rosemary, and goat cheese-thyme.
Making Mini Puff Pastry Pizzas
Leftover puff pastry can easily be turned into personal-sized pizzas. Here’s how:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out puff pastry scraps into a rectangle 1/4-inch thick. Cut into rounds or squares using a cookie cutter or knife.
- Place the puff pastry shapes on the prepared baking sheet. Prick several times with a fork.
- Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven.
- Top each puff pastry base with tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella, and any other desired pizza toppings. Return to oven.
- Bake for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with fresh basil or oregano if desired.
- Serve immediately while hot and crispy.
Some fun topping combinations for mini puff pastry pizzas are barbeque chicken, Hawaiian, veggie, or breakfast pizza with scrambled eggs.
Making Hand Pies
Hand pies make for a portable puff pastry treat. To make them with scraps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out puff pastry to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into rounds or squares using a cookie cutter or knife.
- Place a heaping tablespoon of pie filling (fruit, chocolate, lemon curd, etc) in the center of half the pastry shapes. Brush the edges lightly with water.
- Top with the remaining pastry shapes and press the edges together with a fork to seal.
- Cut a small slit in the top of each hand pie. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Let cool 10 minutes before eating.
Any type of pie filling or fresh fruit works well. Some tasty combinations are apple-cinnamon, blueberry with lemon zest, chocolate-hazelnut, and raspberry with white chocolate.
Making Puff Pastry Desserts
Leftover puff pastry is a great starting point for elegant desserts. Here are a few ideas:
- Puff Pastry Fruit Tarts – Press scraps into mini tart pans. Bake until crisp. Fill with pastry cream and top with fresh fruit like berries, peaches, or kiwi.
- Chocolate Puff Pastry Rolls – Spread out puff pastry scraps. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and cinnamon sugar. Roll up and slice to bake.
- Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers – Place apple pie filling onto half of each pastry scrap. Fold over and crimp edges to form a turnover shape. Brush with egg wash and bake.
- Puff Pastry Palmiers – Brush scraps with sugar. Roll up from both sides into the center, slice, and bake for caramelized, cookie-like treats.
The flakiness of puff pastry is perfect for making elegant yet easy desserts. Get creative with fillings, glazes, fruits and more!
Making Savory Dishes
Puff pastry scraps can also be incorporated into savory main dishes and sides. Some ideas include:
- Vegetable Pinwheels – Spread puff pastry scraps with goat cheese, spinach and roasted red peppers. Roll up and slice to bake.
- Sausage Rolls – Spread scrambled eggs and sausage onto puff pastry. Roll up and bake for easy breakfast pinwheels.
- Chicken Pot Pies – Press scraps into muffin tins and bake. Fill with cooked chicken, vegetables and sauce for individual pot pies.
- Puff Pastry Tomato Tart – Press scraps into a tart pan. Bake and fill with tomato slices, pesto and cheese.
Puff pastry adds great texture and flavor to savory bakes. Get creative with different fillings and ingredients!
Storing Leftover Puff Pastry
To save unused puff pastry scraps for later use:
- Form scraps into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- For longer storage, wrap the ball of dough tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw frozen puff pastry scraps overnight in the fridge before using.
- Puff pastry is best used when chilled and straight from the fridge or freezer.
With proper storage, you can accumulate puff pastry scraps over time to make fun baked goods when you have enough!
Creative Ways to Use Scraps
If you have lots of puff pastry remnants, get extra creative with these unique ideas:
- Puff Pastry Nest Bake – Press scraps up the sides of a round baking dish to form a “nest”. Bake until crisp. Fill with roasted vegetables, chicken salad or fruit.
- Puff Pastry Wreath – Cut scraps into long strips. Weave together and form a wreath shape. Decorate with savory or sweet fillings.
- Puff Pastry Dip Bowl – Drape scraps over the outside of oven-safe bowls. Bake until golden. Gently remove bowl and fill with dips or sauces.
- Puff Pastry Crackers – Cut scraps into cracker sized slices. Sprinkle with cheese, herbs and salt. Bake until crispy.
Think outside the box for even more unique ways to transform puff pastry remnants into edible art!
Tips for Working With Scraps
Here are some useful tips for handling and baking with puff pastry scraps:
- Keep scraps chilled in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
- Work quickly while handling puff pastry to prevent it from warming up and getting sticky.
- Avoid overworking the dough to maintain flaky layers.
- Brush with egg wash before baking for golden, shiny finish.
- Bake at 400°F until fully puffed and golden brown, 10-15 minutes usually.
- Let baked goods cool slightly before serving so the interior can set.
- Pair sweet puff pastry treats with ice cream, whipped cream or fruit compotes.
- Serve savory baked puff pastry with dips, cheeses, roasted vegetables or soups.
With proper handling, even tiny scraps of puff pastry can be transformed into delicious baked goods!
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I use up lots of puff pastry scraps quickly?
If you have a large amount of puff pastry scraps to use up, try making baked goods in batch like puff pastry crackers, cheese straws or mini pizzas which can all be made easily in large quantities.
Can I freeze baked puff pastry scraps?
Yes, baked puff pastry generally freezes well for up to 3 months. Let cool completely before freezing in an airtight container. To serve, reheat directly from frozen in a 375°F oven until warmed through.
What kinds of fillings work well with puff pastry scraps?
Both sweet and savory fillings pair nicely with puff pastry. For sweet fillings try fruit preserves, toasted nuts, chocolate, caramel or custards. For savory, use cheeses, cooked meats, roasted vegetables, pesto, or creamy spreads.
Can I make puff pastry from scratch with scraps?
Yes! Combine puff pastry scraps with butter and flour to make rough puff pastry at home. It won’t have quite as many flaky layers as true puff pastry but still yields delicious results.
Conclusion
With a little creativity, even the smallest puff pastry scraps can be turned into something delicious. Make cheese straws, hand pies, pizza bites, pinwheels, desserts and more. Or incorporate scraps as a topping or mix-in for both sweet and savory dishes. Properly stored, scraps will keep for months in the freezer until you’re ready to give them new life in the oven.
