5 Delicious Upside-Down Pastry Recipes That Take the Stress of Baking Out of the Equation

Ever in the mood for a warm homemade pastry, but the sheer idea of the legwork you’ll need to enlist = instant buzzkill? If you’ve ever found yourself wishing you could conjure baked goods out of thin air (same, same), might we suggest: upside-down puff pastries, the latest and greatest TikTok food trend that makes baking at home a no-brainer.

This delicious dish simplifies the complex process of preparing laminated dough from scratch by enlisting store-bought puff pastry dough—and yes, upside down pastry recipes are divine when made either savory or sweet. With just a few toppings of your choice and just 20 minutes, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a bakery-worthy pastry right from the comfort of your home.

Okay, but what does an upside-down puff pastry even mean?

Let’s quickly outline what this upside-down puff pastry trend is all about. The foundation of this recipe is puff pastry, a type of laminated dough made by repeatedly folding and rolling cold butter to create small pockets of fat trapped between the dough. As the layers of dough and butter bake, steam is generated, which causes the thin sheets of dough to puff until into crisp, buttery, irresistibly delicate pastry layers.

The only non-negotiable when making this dish is that you use puff pastry dough (store-bought is encouraged for ease) and that it’s baked, well… upside-down. By that, we mean that the toppings get layered on a sheet tray first, followed by a small rectangle of puff pastry dough that seals the ingredients below. This allows the toppings to cook evenly under a blanket of puff pastry as the dough has free reign to double or even triple in size and become light, airy, and crunchy on top.

In terms of toppings, the real beauty is that it’s entirely up to you—more on that ahead. And let me reiterate: It takes no longer than 20 minutes to prepare an upside-down puff pastry. From scratch. Start to finish. Any questions?

5 upside-down puff pastry combinations we can’t get enough of 

1. Caramelized shallots + ham + Gruyère

As mentioned, this recipe’s flexible and can be crafted into a sweet or savory rendition. In this version by @lindseyeatsla, Lindsey does a bit of both by layering a drizzle of olive oil, pomegranate molasses, shallot, ham, gruyère, salt, and pepper on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Then, she seals the ingredients with a layer of puff pastry and presses down the edges with a fork, like an empanada. Finally, she coats the dough with a light egg wash, a sprinkle of cheese, and pops it in the oven until the pastry is golden and crispy outside. Then the big reveal: She flips the pastry right-side-up to expose beautifully caramelized shallots, which wouldn’t be complete without some more freshly-grated cheese, obvi.

2. Hot honey + apple + brie

If you like things hot, sweet, and savory, this recipe by @convinoboard has your name written on it. The base of it is a drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey (IYKYK), thinly-sliced red apple, brie cheese, and more hot honey. Then it’s sealed with the puff pastry and lightly coated with egg wash. The result is a delicious apple dessert that looks like it came straight out of a Parisian bakery.

3. Beets + balsamic glaze + arugula

Love beets? This recipe by @somethingnutritious is a brand-new way to enjoy them. The recipe creator, Gal Shua-Haim, combines a drizzle of olive oil, balsamic glaze, pepper, a sprig of fresh thyme, and thinly sliced, peeled red beets. Seal it with puff pastry and egg wash, and into the oven it goes. Once cooked to perfection, Shua-Haim tops it off with arugula and fresh white cheese. Consider your weekend brunch plans made.

4. Pepperoni + mozzarella + pizza sauce

For my fellow pizza partiers. If a good slice of ‘za is your definition of comfort, you’ll melt for this upside-down pizza puff pastry. To make it, @tom.smallwood layers pepperoni, mozzarella, and a splash of pizza sauce on the parchment paper. Then, he seals it with puff pastry and adds an egg wash, which helps to ensure the crust browns to perfection. Yep, the result is as good as it sounds.

5. Asparagus + prosciutto + cheese

In a recent TikTok video by @alexawhatsfordinner, Alexa Santos demonstrates various ways to prepare these pastries. However, a standout among them was the asparagus, prosciutto, and cheese combination that screams European summer vacation. Santos combines honey, asparagus, cheese, and prosciutto, which is basically the pastry version of a charcuterie board, and we’re so not mad about it.

So, which one are you making first?

Up next on the brunch menu are vegan Dutch baby pancakes: