Have you ever wondered what to do with leftover pie pastry?  Since pastry cannot be overworked, rolling and re-rolling your pastry scraps is not really an option if you want to keep it in good shape. So, I say, wonder no more: This is what I learned from my mother, and it’s one of my favourite things ever. At home, we simply called this treat “Cinnamon Pastry” – because in a nutshell, that’s exactly what it is.

What is Cinnamon Pastry

When I was a kid, my mom always made her pie crusts from scratch, and knowing that it doesn’t work well to overwork pastry dough, my mother always just rolled out all of her scraps into one large circle, spread the whole thing with butter, and then sprinkled it generously with cinnamon and sugar. Then she would fold it in half, and top with the same: butter, cinnamon and sugar. She would then bake the whole thing, cut it into strips, and serve it to her family as a nice little “Extra” treat. We especially enjoyed eating this with a hot cup of tea.

Why you can’t overwork pastry dough

You should not work pie pastry too many times, since the fat becomes too thoroughly worked in, and the pastry loses its wonderful flakiness. That said, overworking pastry scraps will literally transform them into a thick, dough crust… rather than the beautiful pastry you once had.

What to do with leftover pie pastry

Yes, you can indeed re-use old pastry. Those bits of pastry that fall from the edge of your pie plate as you trim it to size (or just leftover bits that you don’t need) can be pressed together and rolled out once more to make something wonderful. Scroll down to see what I’m talking about.

Can you use this method for other kinds of pastry?

Sure you can! You can use this method for leftover shortcrust pastry scraps, danish pastry dough, puff pastry dough, croissant dough… you name it. This is a great way to make sure that any leftover bits don’t go to waste.

Would this recipe work with other kinds of laminated dough?

For sure. As I just mentioned, I would even use this for an unused portion of croissant dough if I had it laying around… Anything buttery and flaky will bake into something wonderful with cinnamon and sugar inside of it!

Tips for baking great pastry

1. Set your oven temperature 25 degrees higher than you want to bake your pastry. Once the pastry is in the oven, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees and set your timer for the baking time. The reason for this is that pastry does best when it gets hit with that high heat initially. That is why many pie recipes have you start baking it at a super high temperature and then reduce it part way through baking. The oven loses a certain amount of heat when you open the oven door, so doing it this way ensures that your pastry is still getting a good blast of heat initially when it goes into the oven.
2. Do not overwork the dough! This is, after all, the entire reason for this post. Ideally, this recipe will be made with pastry that has only been rolled out 1x before (although it will still be good at 2x).
3. Use plenty of butter, sugar and cinnamon. Especially if you’re using My Pastry Recipe, which is unsweetened, the sugar makes it so yummy and adds a little bit of crunch as well.
4. Use a chilled marble rolling pin. I probably harp on this point way too much, but honestly it’s one of my favourite things!
5. Make sure the dough has been allowed to rest at least 10 minutes from the first time it was rolled out. This will allow the gluten to relax and the pastry to roll out much more quickly.

What you will need to make “Cinnamon Pastry”:

• Leftover pie pastry, pressed (not kneaded) together
• Butter (Oh yeah.  You know this is going to be good.)
• Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Apples, raisins, or nuts (optional)
• Coarse sugar, for the top (optional)
• Rolling pin
• Miniature sieve, for flour dusting (optional)
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheets

How to prepare leftover pastry scraps:

1. Roll out the pastry like you would for pie, all together into a large circle/oval.
2. Spread the whole surface with a thin layer of butter, and then sprinkle 1/2 of it generously with some sugar and cinnamon. Scatter with chopped apples, nuts, or raisins (if desired).
3. Fold the plain side of the pastry in half over the decorated side, and then top it with another layer of butter, sugar and cinnamon. Gently lift the pastry onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
4. Bake the at 375 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely, cut into slices, and serve.

Other ways to use leftover pastry

• Fruit galettes: Roll the pastry into a large circle and place it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Fill the centre with chopped fruit mixed with some sugar and a bit of flour (about 1 rounded Tbsp per cup of fruit), and fold the edges of the circle up to trap the fruit in the centre. Bake as you would a pie.
• Make a large fruit filled turnover: Roll the pastry into a large square, and fill the centre with your favourite pie filling. Brush the edges with water, fold the dough in half to make a large triangle, and then brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake as directed above.
• Apple dumplings: Divide the dough into small sections, roll each into a small round, and fill with apples, sugar and cinnamon. Pinch the corners together into little pouches, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar, and then bake as you would a pie.

Some great pie filling recipes to have on hand:

• Apple Pie Filling
• Blueberry Pie Filling

And there you have it! Not a bit of pastry wasted. Do you have any other ideas for using leftover pastry scraps? Let me know in the comments!

If this post has inspired you, make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram @naomicakesofficial! I’d love to see your work!

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