French Rolling Pin vs Traditional Rolling Pin
A French rolling pin is a single tapered rod controlled directly by your hands, while a traditional handled rolling pin uses a cylindrical barrel with a handle at either end.
French rolling pins are particularly well suited to pastry and circular doughs, while handled pins can offer useful weight and leverage for firmer doughs. The better choice depends on what you make and how you prefer to roll it.
French Rolling Pin vs Traditional Rolling Pin: Key Differences
What Is a French Rolling Pin?
A French rolling pin is a solid rod that is thicker through the centre and tapers towards both ends. It has no separate handles or rotating barrel.
Your hands rest directly on the wood while you roll, so pressure is applied through the pin itself rather than through handles.
What Is a Traditional Rolling Pin?
A traditional handled rolling pin has a cylindrical barrel that rotates around a central rod or axle, with a handle at either end.
The baker holds the handles while the barrel rolls across the dough, providing a fixed grip and keeping the hands away from the rolling surface.
Why Do French Rolling Pins Have Tapered Ends?
The taper lets you vary pressure between your hands. If one side of a pastry circle is thicker than the other, for example, you can press harder on that side rather than applying even pressure across the full width of the pin.
The tapered ends also make it easier to pivot and subtly change direction while the pin remains in contact with the dough.
King Arthur Baking found in comparative testing that this design allowed different pressure to be applied on each side and made the pin easy to swivel while rolling.[2]
Which Rolling Pin Is Better for Pastry and Pie Dough?
Wayne Gisslen's Professional Baking identifies the French style as useful for pie dough and other doughs that need to be rolled into circular shapes.[1]
King Arthur Baking's practical testing reached a similar result: its French pin produced the neatest circle of pie dough among the styles tested.[2]
A handled rolling pin can still be used successfully for pies and pastry, but the French taper is particularly useful when the dough needs to be guided into a round shape.
Rolling Firmer or Heavier Doughs
Food Network Kitchen notes that handled rolling pins can offer more weight and leverage for sturdy doughs than lighter French-style pins.[3]
That extra heft may appeal to bakers who prefer the rolling pin itself to contribute more of the downward force.
French Rolling Pin Dimensions
There is no single required size for a French rolling pin. Its tapered shape is more important to the design than an exact length or diameter.
In Professional Baking, Gisslen describes a French rolling pin as approximately 5 cm thick through the centre, tapering towards the ends.[1]
Our French Style Rolling Pins measure approximately:
- Length: 45 cm
- Maximum width: 5 cm
- Weight: 0.35 kg
Each rolling pin is hand turned, so individual measurements may vary slightly.
They are made from selected Tasmanian timbers, including Huon Pine, Tasmanian Myrtle, Sassafras and Tasmanian Blackwood.
Does the Wood Matter?
Wood suits the simple construction of a French rolling pin because the tool can be made as a single solid piece without handles, bearings or other moving parts.
Different timber species vary in colour, grain, density and feel, but there is little reason to assume that one particular species will by itself produce better pastry.
A smooth surface, comfortable dimensions and a shape that suits your rolling technique are practical considerations, while timber choice can largely come down to appearance, feel and personal preference.
Which Rolling Pin Should You Choose?
Choose a French rolling pin if you regularly make pies, tarts or other pastry and prefer direct control over pressure and direction.
Choose a traditional handled rolling pin if you prefer a fixed grip and want more of the weight and leverage to come from the rolling pin itself.
If the tapered style suits the way you bake, our French Style Rolling Pins are hand turned in Australia from selected Tasmanian timbers.
References
- Wayne Gisslen, Professional Baking, Chapter 3: Baking and Pastry Equipment. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
- King Arthur Baking, “The Best Rolling Pin, Based on What You Like to Bake.” King Arthur Baking
- Food Network Kitchen, “Best Rolling Pins, Tested and Reviewed.” Food Network