The Store-Brand Puff Pastry That Outshines Pepperidge Farm

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Instead of making puff pastry from scratch, commercial options offer a quick replacement that can be used with significantly less effort. One Tasting Table writer ranked five store-bought puff pastry brands and placed Whole Foods' own 365 brand above Pepperidge Farm's product. Though it wasn't the cheapest among the sampled puff pastries, our writer found that the dough puffed up quite nicely, offering a golden-brown exterior and airy, delicate layers that crisped temptingly well.

Store-bought puff pastry can taste homemade, and 365's version is a prime example. Though Dufour Pastry Kitchens claimed the top spot with its all-butter option, Whole Foods offered an affordable and reliable ingredient that can be used to make dozens of tasty recipes. Our writer isn't alone in that assessment, either. "I like these better than other puff pastries sheets I've used before," wrote one pleased shopper on Amazon, who also noted the product's "delicious" taste.

Other samplers of 365's pre-rolled puff pastry have noted that the dough has resulted in tasty pierogis, sausage rolls, and cheese Danishes at home. "I use this for everything from rolled cookies and apple turnovers, to [parmesan] twists and chicken pot pie. It never fails to make every dish taste great," wrote another pleased buyer on Amazon.

The ingredient list for 365's puff pastry dough is straightforward and contains no hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, synthetic nitrates, or bleached or bromated flour. Instead, the product is made up of wheat flour, a blend of vegetable fats and oils, water, salt, lemon juice concentrate, and deactivated yeast. Plus, clocking in at just under 20 ounces of puff pastry dough for around $6 — though prices may vary based on location — the price won't completely derail a shopping budget, letting cooks focus solely on making a delicious dish instead of worrying about breaking the bank.