18 Unique Ways To Use Puff Pastry

Following the logic of Ina Garten, store-bought is just fine — at least when it comes to one specific ingredient. There are so many great puff pastry ideas that it’s reasonable for you to keep a package in your freezer at all times. Easy appetizer recipes? Puff pastry is your best friend. Traditional French recipes? It’s a crucial ingredient in those, too. From savory tarts to sweet desserts, this ready-made dough has a place in countless dishes.

Instead of getting messy with flour and a stand mixer as you attempt to craft your own dough, come to appreciate the frozen food aisle a little bit more. Puff pastry is, simply put, a life-saver, making it possible to create dinners, lunches, desserts, and hors d’oeuvres that can seriously impress, without requiring you to spend hours in the kitchen. As long as you remember to defrost the pastry ahead of time, you’ll always be golden brown and flaky — just as intended.

Get crafty and try assembling puff pastry into twists or sunburst arrangements, or focus entirely on taste, pairing it with melty cheese or fruit (or both). These 18 recipes show just how versatile this ingredient is — so it’s time to stock up on some now.

1. Easy Homemade Pop-Tarts

For a tasty breakfast pastry that won't take a ton of ingredients or prep to make at home, look no further than A Beautiful Mess' super simple homemade Pop-tarts, filled with store-bought jams.

2. Sunburst Pull-Apart Bread

Not only is A Spicy Perspective's sunburst bread an eye-catching appetizer, it's also incredibly versatile. Try it savory, with fillings like pesto and goat cheese, or sweet, with cinnamon sugar or Nutella.

3. Pancetta, Goat Cheese, And Butternut Squash Tart

A mix of cheddar and goat cheese makes A Cozy Kitchen's savory tart totally decadent. But plenty of butternut squash makes it hearty enough for dinnertime.

4. Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, Apple, And Gruyere Bites

Table for Two's cheesy mushroom and onion bites are the real deal. With a satisfying mix of textures and flavors, they're way more impressive than any frozen appetizer.

5. Puff Pastry Baked Brie Bites

Sometimes (or a lot of the time), all you really want in life is some melty cheese and carbs. Presenting, Mel's Kitchen Cafe's solution to that very quandary.

6. Puff Pastry Cheese Straws

For a savory snack or appetizer, The Kitchn's cheese straws never fail. A mix of hard cheeses like Pecorino Romano, cheddar, and parmesan give them a depth of flavor.

7. Mini Pistachio Matcha Mille Feuille Jars

Crispy puff pastry is just one of the many elements in I Am A Food Blog's take on this French dessert. Matcha cream tastes perfectly fresh when paired with fresh raspberries, pistachios, and pastry.

8. Chinese Pastries With Hoisin Chicken

Switch things up with Steamy Kitchen's Chinese pastries, filled with ground chicken, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and onion. Garlic-chili hot sauce turns up the heat.

9. Caramelized Onion Tart

It may take a while to perfectly caramelize onions, but when you're left with a golden brown result, it's always worth the wait. Savory Sweet Life pairs caramelized onions with ricotta and a little parmesan to make them really stand out.

10. Asparagus Bacon And Goat Cheese Tart

A savory puff pastry tart makes a quick dinner or even brunch. As long as you pre-bake the crust, as A Beautiful Mess advises, you're bound to come out with a meal everyone will love.

11. Baked Apple

When you're in need of an easy-to-make, comforting dessert, look no further than A Spicy Perspective's baked apple. Warm, oozy caramel makes it irresistibly good.

12. Ricotta Cinnamon And Sugar Danish

Sometimes the best thing to do with puff pastry is, well, to make a pastry. A Cozy Kitchen's danish has the perfect creamy inside, but the sugar glaze is a major plus.

13. Balsamic Strawberry And Mascarpone Puffs

Just in time for spring, these puffs by Table for Two balance out savory and sweet for a light dessert.

14. Avocado, Cream Cheese, And Salsa-Stuffed Puff Pastries

A combination of cream cheese and avocado gives Averie Cooks' recipe a soft, tender inside with a golden crispy outside. Salsa ensures that these appetizers are anything but bland.

15. Classic French Palmiers

While these flaky cookies may seem intimidating, you can actually make them at home with just two ingredients. The Kitchn breaks down the technique step-by-step.

16. Tomato Tart

Take a break from your usual bruschetta and mix things up with Brown Eyed Baker's tomato tart. Served alongside a salad, it makes a refreshing lunch.

17. Easy Apple Tart With Bourbon Whipped Cream

Steamy Kitchen's apple tart may seem like a simple, innocent dessert, but that bourbon whipped cream is another story. Together, they make one hell of a dish.

18. Cream Horns

These beautifully shaped pastries may look mysteriously impressive, but Natasha's Kitchen shows that they're not all that hard to create. A cream cheese frosting filling makes them even better.

Images: A Beautiful Mess (3); A Spicy Perspective (2); A Cozy Kitchen (2); Table for Two (2); Mel's Kitchen Cafe; Averie Cooks; The Kitchn (2); Steamy Kitchen (2) I Am A Food Blog; Natasha's Kitchen