What Is Pastry and How Can I Use It?

Here's everything worth knowing about pastry and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 119 recipes to cook tonight.

What is pastry?

Pastry  is the name given to various kinds of baked goods made from ingredients such as flour, butter, shortening, baking powder or eggs. Small cakes, tarts and other sweet baked goods are called "pastries".

Pastry may also refer to the dough from which such baked goods are made. Pastry dough is rolled out thinly and used as a base for bakedgoods. Common pastry dishes include pies, tarts and quiches.

Pastry is distinguished from bread by having a higher fat content, which contributes to a flaky or crumbly texture. A good pastry is light and airy and fatty, but firm enough to support the weight of the filling. When making a shortcrust pastry, care must be taken to blend the fat and flour thoroughly before adding any liquid. This ensures that the flour granules are adequately coated with fat and less likely to develop gluten. 

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find pastry: Pastry is usually found in the baking supplies section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Pastry is a member of the Baked Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

糕点

British (UK) term

Pastry

en français

pâtisserie

en español

pasteles

How much does pastry weigh?

Related

Baked Products

Recipes using pastry

There are 119 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Cherry Pie

Classic double-crust cherry pie with warm spices, buttery crust, and tart cherries. A timeless dessert that works equally well with fresh or canned fruit.

Very Moist Pumpkin Pie

A very moist, custardy pumpkin pie spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove. Lightened up with sugar substitute and skim milk for a lighter slice on the Thanksgiving table.

Dakota Prairie Pumpkin Pie

Dakota Prairie pumpkin pie recipe makes three classic 9-inch pies for the holiday table. Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, enriched with milk and half-and-half, and baked into a silky custard.

Maple leaf Pumpkin Pie

Maple leaf pumpkin pie sweetens the spiced pumpkin custard with a half cup of pure maple syrup, then crowns the cooled pie with pastry maple leaves baked separately to a golden brown. A festive Canadian-style holiday dessert.

Maple leaf Pumpkin Pie

Maple leaf pumpkin pie sweetens the spiced pumpkin custard with a half cup of pure maple syrup, then crowns the cooled pie with pastry maple leaves baked separately to a golden brown. A festive Canadian-style holiday dessert.

All-American Cherry Pie

Classic homemade cherry pie with fresh tart cherries, tapioca thickening, and optional kirsch for depth. This all-American dessert features golden flaky crust and ruby-red fruit filling.

Kangaroo Striploin Tartlet with Sweet Potato & Bush Tomato Jus

Kangaroo striploin tartlet served with sweet potato (or kumara) and Australian Bush Tomato jus.

Five Cheese Quiche

Five cheeses made these tarts super cheesy, oozy and tasty. We made our own pastries that were buttery and flakey, also we used mini tartlets instead of 9-inch tart pan.

Lemon Party Meringue Pie

This perfect pie for a party is made with a rich and delicious lemon pie filling.

Lamb Shoulder in Pastry

Lamb shoulder in pastry, a British-style boneless lamb roast wrapped in flaky pastry and baked golden. A traditional Sunday-dinner centerpiece with countryside roots.

Floy Belle Bowen's Rhubarb Pie

Old-fashioned rhubarb pie with a double crust, egg-thickened filling, and just six ingredients. A tart, tangy heritage recipe baked at two temperatures for a flaky crust.

Ellen's Veggie Quiche

Simple veggie quiche with grated zucchini, carrots, and Swiss cheese in a rich egg custard. Only seven ingredients for an easy crustless-optional brunch.

Crustade of Chicken & Pigeon

Crustade of chicken and pigeon: a medieval-style savory custard tart of tender poached game and chicken with mushrooms and raisins, set in a spiced egg-and-stock custard. Old English flavors in a pastry case.

Hunter's Buns

Hunter's buns made with pastry dough kneaded with currants and brushed with milk before baking. A simple British-style tea bun that can be filled with jam for a sweeter treat.

Grandma's Tyler Pie

Tyler pie with a creamy egg-and-butter custard kissed with vanilla and lemon, baked into a flaky crust until set and golden. The old Southern chess pie variation named for the Texas town.

Gramma Bahrt's Salmon Piroghi

Gramma Bahrt's salmon piroghi, a hearty double-crust pie layered with stock-cooked rice, flaked salmon, hard-boiled eggs and buttery chives. A Russian-style salmon pie baked golden and glossy.

Fresh Raspberry Lattice Pie

Fresh raspberry pie with a woven lattice crust, made with real berries cooked down with cornstarch for a thick, glossy filling. Dusted with powdered sugar and garnished with chocolate leaves.

Mama's Rhubarb Pie

Mama's rhubarb pie is a heirloom double-crust dessert with a tart, juicy filling thickened just enough by flour and a beaten egg. Old-fashioned, fuss-free, and ready for ice cream.

Quiche Kenepuru

Quiche Kenepuru: a New Zealand-style mussel quiche with onion, cheese, cream, and marjoram in flaky pastry. Coastal Kiwi cooking at its most iconic.

Cranberry-Raisin Pie

Lattice-topped cranberry raisin pie with a buttery vanilla filling and a sparkle of coarse sugar on top. A gorgeous, tart-sweet holiday pie that's a bold change from the usual pumpkin.

Currant Wheels

Currant wheels are buttery pastry spirals filled with currants, sultanas, and chopped almonds, then topped with a simple sugar glaze while still hot. A European bakery classic in under an hour.

Mom's Best Tourtiere

Mom's best tourtiere is the classic French-Canadian pork pie: spiced ground pork with mace, sage and a little raisin, bound with grated potato in a flaky double crust. A treasured Quebec Christmas tradition.

Individual Fruit Tarts

Individual rustic fruit tarts with shortcrust pastry, apricot jam glaze, and thinly sliced apples or pears. A French-bistro dessert that bakes in 15 minutes and looks gorgeous.

Curry Puffs

Crisp deep-fried curry puffs filled with cooked lamb, curry powder, and mango chutney syrup. A classic Anglo-Indian party appetizer that can be made ahead.

Almond & Honey Cakes

These sweet and delicious cakes are filled with slivered almonds, honey and mixed candied fruit.

Party Quiches

Four mini quiches in one bake: salmon-broccoli with Stilton, asparagus with Cheddar, leek with smoked salmon and Mozzarella, and tomato-olive with Feta and pesto. A buffet showstopper.

Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie with broccoli and Parmesan in a creamy soup-mix sauce, topped with flaky egg-washed pastry baked golden. A cozy one-dish dinner from scratch.

Spiced Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie

Spiced rhubarb-strawberry pie with a hint of pumpkin pie spice setting it apart from standard versions. Lattice-topped and baked hot for bubbling juice and golden crust. A spring classic with autumn warmth.

Apple Sour Cream Pie

Apple sour cream pie with Granny Smith apples and golden raisins in a tangy custard filling under a lattice crust. A creamy twist on classic apple pie where the sour cream adds richness and a slight tang.

Lemon Meringue Pie From Cooking School

Lemon meringue pie from cooking school is the textbook version with a hand-rolled crust, cornstarch-and-flour curd, and a stable French meringue sealed to the crust. Detailed technique guarantees no weeping.

Peach & Berry Lattice Pie

Summer peach and berry lattice pie with fresh orange juice, nutmeg, and a golden egg-washed crust. Use any mix of strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.

Prune or Cheese Envelopes

Danish pastry envelopes filled with cheese or prune, brushed with egg wash and apricot glaze. A classic European bakery pastry with a flaky, golden crust.

Herbolace Pie

Herbolace pie: a medieval English double-crust cheese pie filled with curd, cottage cheese, cheddar, fresh mint, parsley, chives, and whole eggs tucked into the filling. A vegetarian classic.

Cranberry Raisin Squares

Cranberry raisin squares with a double pastry crust and fruity filling baked until golden. A slab-style hand pie cut into bars, great for holiday dessert trays and potlucks.

Deep Dish Fresh Peach Pie

Deep dish fresh peach pie with cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice under a flaky single-crust top. Baked hot then low for a bubbly, golden summer dessert.

Favourite Shoo-Fly Pie

Favourite shoofly pie with baking-soda-aerated molasses filling, ginger and cinnamon spice, and lard-and-butter crumbs. The Lancaster County classic with extra lift and warm spice.

Sunny Lemon Pie

Sunny lemon pie with a custard filling made from fresh lemon juice, orange juice, heavy cream, and eggs baked in a flaky crust until deep golden. Bright, tangy, and rich.

Delicious Apple Pie

Apple pie with a custard twist: cornstarch-thickened cream and egg coat the spiced apples, baking into a smooth, custardy filling under a sparkling cinnamon-sugar crust.

Nut or Almond Ring

Almond and hazelnut pastry ring with a sweet marzipan-style nut filling, baked in a glossy golden spiral. Classic European dessert pastry for coffee or tea.

Three-Peach Pie

A rustic free-form peach pie heaped with juicy peaches and brandy-plumped cherries over a layer of toasted almonds, the pastry folded loosely over the top and dusted with cinnamon sugar. Juicy and golden.

Vera's Squash Pie

Squash pie made with steamed winter squash, heavy cream, eggs, and warm spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and mace. A rich alternative to pumpkin pie.

Creamy Maple Syrup Pie

Creamy maple syrup pie with chopped walnuts in a silky custard filling. A Quebec-style tarte au sirop d’érable cooked in a double boiler for pure, unburnt maple flavor.

Blackberry Cobbler with Pastry Crust

Old-fashioned blackberry cobbler topped with a buttery shortening-and-cream pastry crust. Hot berry filling pre-bakes briefly before the pastry top goes on for a crisp, golden finish.

Banana Double Cream Pie

Banana double cream pie: blind-baked pastry shell layered with fresh banana slices, silky vanilla pastry cream, and a whipped double cream border. British classic.

Banana Streusel Pie

Banana pie topped with a crunchy macadamia nut streusel.

Cocktail Ham & Tuna Quiche

Mini cocktail quiches in pastry cups with ham, tuna, Swiss cheese, and a creamy egg-mayonnaise filling. The retro hors d'oeuvre that disappears off the platter at every party.

Salmon & Potato Pie

Salmon and potato pie layers flaked salmon, potato and carrot in a creamy paprika white sauce under a golden pastry crust. A comforting main that works beautifully with canned salmon and pantry staples.

Rhubarb & Pineapple Pie

Rhubarb and pineapple pie pairs tart spring rhubarb with sweet juicy pineapple under a double crust. The unexpected tropical combination balances each fruit's character into something distinctive.

Geneva Pear Flan (Geneve)

Geneva pear flan, a Swiss shortcrust tart piled with fresh pears, candied citrus peel, raisins and walnut oil, moistened with white wine and finished with a blanket of baked cream. An old-world tart from the French-Swiss border.

Steak & Guinness Pie

Rich steak and Guinness pie with beef chunks braised in dark Irish stout under buttery pastry. Classic pub food for St. Patrick's Day or cozy winter dinners.

All 119 recipes