I first made my very own home made pie crust from scratch once I was simply 9 years previous and have been doing it ever since. I nonetheless keep in mind the day as a result of my Mother and I spent most of it roasting sugar pumpkins to make an uber creamy and candy pumpkin pie filling.

To this present day, I nonetheless make all my pies and pie crusts from scratch. Not solely is it nostalgic, but in addition therapeutic and 10x higher than any store-bought pie crust. The love and care that goes into baking home made pies is one among a sort.

At present, I’m going to share all of my ideas and methods for making the very best flaky pie crust recipe that’s made with all butter and nil shortening. It’s actually foolproof and no fail, and I’m SO excited so that you can strive it.

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Butter vs. shortening in pie crust

The talk of butter vs shortening in pie crust has been happening for many years, however personally, I consider an all-butter pie crust to be higher for a number of causes.

1. Higher taste: butter positively has higher taste and texture than shortening. So whereas shortening does have the next melting level, butter will provide you with a extra scrumptious crust with scrumptious flaky pockets.
2. Deliciously flakier: butter will produce a barely flakier crust. Since butter has the next water content material when in comparison with shortening, it’s going to supply a barely flakier crust. You’ll additionally discover that an all butter pie crust may have a puffier crust as a result of layers of butter basically steaming throughout the flour.

Components in the very best home made all butter pie crust

This straightforward pie crust recipe requires a number of easy substances that you simply seemingly have already got in your pantry, which is one more reason why it’s so nice.

• All function flour
• Salt
• Sugar
• Chilly unsalted butter
• Vodka (elective however beneficial!)
• Ice water

Gear wanted to make pie crust

You’ll want these three items of apparatus to make sure excellent pie crust success:

1. Meals processor: I want to make use of a meals processor for ease, however you may also use a pastry cutter.
2. Rolling pin: a rolling pin is important to rolling out pie dough. At all times be certain your rolling pin is effectively floured earlier than rolling.
3. Pie pan: a traditional glass pie pan is ideal for baking your pies.

Ideas for making the right butter pie crust

There are a number of important ideas and methods to making sure that your pie crust comes out excellent each time:

• Be sure your butter is VERY chilly. Chilled butter is greatest when making pie crust, particularly because you’ll be working with heat palms. My suggestion is to cube up the butter, place on a plate and set within the freezer for not less than 15-Half-hour. This may also provide the alternative to get your whole substances out and able to go.
• Use vodka. I like to recommend utilizing vodka in your pie crust to realize an ideal, flaky crust. If that’s not attainable for you, then you’ll be able to exchange vodka with 1 tablespoon buttermilk, milk or cider vinegar, I wouldn’t use greater than a tablespoon although (the remainder of the liquid ought to be water.) That is additionally assuming you’re solely making a single pie crust as an alternative of a double.
• Permit your pie dough to relaxation within the fridge for not less than Half-hour-1 hour. Resting your pie dough within the fridge will permit gluten to chill out, the butter to harden and agency up throughout the pockets of flour and provide you with a flaky, excellent crust.
• Thaw out your pie dough for a couple of minutes earlier than rolling. Earlier than you roll out your dough, permit it to take a seat out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes in order that it’s simpler to roll. When you’ve got hassle rolling it out, then merely wait one other 5 minutes.
• Attempt to not overwork the dough. Don’t spend a ton of time processing the dough within the meals processor; you actually solely have to pulse it 10 instances to get the butter to come back collectively into the dough earlier than including your liquid.
• Chill your crust within the pie pan earlier than including your pie filling. After rolling out your dough and inserting it in your pie pan, cowl the pie crust and place it again within the fridge to get the dough again to being very chilly by chilling the fats within the crust. Once more, that is greatest for attaining a flaky pie crust and serving to to maintain the form of your crust upon baking. Alternatively, you’ll be able to all the time roll it out instantly, put it in your pie pan after which refrigerate the crust within the pan till you’re prepared to make use of.
• Be sure your floor and rolling pin are well-floured: that is to forestall the dough from sticking to the floor or to the rolling pin.

Why use vodka in home made pie crust?

I first keep in mind listening to about utilizing vodka in pie crust from Cook dinner’s Illustrated, and it’s remodeled my pie crusts into flaky little goddesses. Primarily, the speculation is that vodka provides moisture to the dough and in addition prevents gluten within the pie crust from over-developing, leaving you a flakier pie crust and a pie dough that’s simpler to work with.

Don’t attempt to substitute one other alcohol for the vodka as you’ll not find yourself with the identical outcomes. If you wish to strive a substitute, you’ll be able to strive subbing in a tablespoon of cider vinegar, or a tablespoon of buttermilk or milk rather than the vodka.

Time to form your pie crust

As soon as you’re able to go, it could actually really feel intimidating to really place it and form it onto your pie pan. Don’t fear! It’s simpler than you suppose with a number of easy directions and ideas:

• Roll out the dough: the dough ought to be about 1 inch bigger than the pie pan diameter. Don’t fear an excessive amount of about cracks, you’ll be able to patch them up as you go or simply begin over. The pie dough ought to be about 1/eighth inch thick when rolled out.
• Fold the dough. Take your rolled out dough and gently fold it in half so to choose it up and switch it to your pie pan.
• Place the dough. Rigorously unfold and ease the dough into the pan. Don’t fear if the dough cracks or messes up, simply reshape the dough right into a disk and roll out once more!
• Trim the surplus. As you place the dough into your pan, trim the additional crust across the edges of the pie plate and discard extra dough.
• Flute the sides. Lastly, flute the sides of the crust nevertheless you’d like. I usually use my finger and thumb to pinch the dough or you should use a fork! See above for a photograph instance, and take a look at the video to see it in motion.

Do I have to do a blind bake?

A blind bake, AKA a pre-bake or a par-bake, signifies that you partially bake your pie crust earlier than including the filling and baking all of it collectively once more. I personally don’t blind bake this pie crust earlier than making any of my pies as a result of the pies all the time end up excellent as-is!

Whether or not or not you might want to do a blind bake earlier than baking your complete pie actually relies on the pie recipe and the filling, so simply remember to take note of the recipe you’re following to see if a blind bake is beneficial. For instance, no bake pies typically require blind baking the crust as a result of the filling (in fact) is not going to be baked after including it to the crust.

Prime savory pies with this home made crust

Not solely can you employ this straightforward pie crust recipe to make a scrumptious crust in your favourite candy pie recipes, however you may also use it to prime savory pies like my well-known rooster pot pie and scrumptious broccoli cheddar rooster pot pie!

As a substitute of inserting the pie crust in your pie pan and shaping it as described above, you’ll merely:

1. Cook dinner the savory pie filling
2. Add the filling to your pan
3. Rigorously layer the crust on prime of the filling, press the sides to seal it
4. Poke a number of holes or slits to let the filling steam whereas it bakes!
5. Brush the crust with an egg wash so earlier than baking in order that it will get good and golden

See how one can make an all butter pie crust

Are you able to freeze pie dough?

Sure! I like freezing pie crust earlier than baking as a result of then anytime I need to make a pie all I’ve to do is thaw it out and roll. Making and freezing pie dough forward of time can also be an effective way to save lots of time through the hectic vacation season.

There are two choices for freezing pie dough.

1. Freeze, then roll out later. That is my favourite possibility. First make the recipe as instructed, then wrap in plastic wrap then wrap in foil and place in a reusable or freezer secure bag and freeze for as much as 3 months. As soon as able to make your pie, you’ll be able to thaw the frozen pie dough within the fridge for a number of hours, then roll it out and place in your pie pan.
2. Freeze within the pie pan. To save lots of extra time, you’ll be able to freeze your pie crust earlier than baking proper in your pie pan. Merely roll out the dough, then freeze within the pie pan you intend on baking in. You’ll simply want to verify it’s well-wrapped with plastic freezer wrap, foil after which locations in a freezer bag. As soon as able to bake you’ll be able to add your filling on to the frozen crust and bake your pie as your usually would. You simply might have so as to add 5-10 minutes extra baking time.

Do that pie crust with these wonderful recipes

Don’t overlook to get all of our wonderful Thanksgiving recipes right here!

In case you make this pie crust recipe remember to depart a remark and a score so I understand how you preferred it! Do you’ve any ideas or methods for making the very best pie crust? I’d love to listen to from you — depart a remark under!

Tips on how to Make the Good All Butter Pie Crust

Prep Time 50 minutes minutes

Complete Time 50 minutes minutes

ServesServes 1 pie crust

Learn to make an all butter pie crust that is flaky, straightforward and completely scrumptious! Watch a easy video tutorial to see how one can make and form the right pie crust. Utilizing the following pointers and methods, you may be baking scrumptious home made pies very quickly.

Components

• For the crust:
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon vodka (or sub buttermilk)
• 2-3 tablespoons ice chilly water, plus extra if crucial

Directions

• Earlier than you make the crust, lower the butter for the crust into small cubes and set on a plate. Place within the freezer for 15-Half-hour so it will get VERY COLD. Whilst you do that, you will get your whole different substances out and able to go.

• To make the crust: Add the flour, sugar and salt to a meals processor and pulse a number of instances to mix. Add the VERY COLD butter cubes and pulse once more for 20-30 seconds till pie dough begins to resemble tiny peas.

• Subsequent, add 1 tablespoon of vodka, then add in 2-3 tablespoons ICE COLD water to the dough. Pulse till dough comes collectively only a bit, resembling small beads. The dough ought to nonetheless be considerably crumbly; I like to recommend squeezing a small quantity of dough between your fingers; it ought to stick collectively effectively, but when it doesn’t and could be very crumbly, add extra ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, till it simply comes collectively. In case your dough is simply too moist, add 1/2 tablespoon flour till it comes collectively. I often don’t mess with ratios an excessive amount of as a result of that is what works for me. Don’t overwork the dough.

• Place dough onto a well-floured floor and kind right into a disk form, then wrap with plastic wrap or in a reusable bag. Chill within the fridge for not less than Half-hour-1 hour or as much as 2 days. Dough will also be frozen for as much as 2-3 months if effectively wrapped in each plastic after which foil.

• As soon as dough has been chilled for not less than Half-hour, place dough on a VERY well-floured clear floor and use a effectively floured-rolling pin to roll the dough right into a spherical form about 1 inch bigger than an upside-down 9-inch pie plate. Fold dough in half to assist switch to position in pie plate. Unfold and ease the dough into the pan. (In case you mess up, that’s utterly okay — simply reshape the dough right into a disk and roll out once more.) Trim the additional crust across the edges of the pie plate and discard extra dough. Flute the sides of the crust nevertheless you’d like (I usually use my finger and thumb to pinch the dough or you should use a fork!). Cowl the pie crust tightly with plastic wrap and place pie pan within the fridge whilst you put together your pie filling. Makes 1 pie crust. Be happy to double the recipe to make a double pie crust.

Recipe Notes

Don’t attempt to substitute one other alcohol in for the vodka as you’ll not find yourself with the identical outcomes. If you wish to strive a substitute, you’ll be able to subbing in a tablespoon of cider vinegar, or a tablespoon of buttermilk or milk rather than the vodka.
Tips on how to freeze pie crust:
Freeze, then roll out later. That is my favourite possibility. First make the recipe as instructed, then wrap in plastic wrap then wrap in foil and place in a reusable or freezer secure bag and freeze for as much as 3 months. As soon as able to make your pie, you’ll be able to thaw the frozen pie dough within the fridge for a number of hours, then roll it out and place in your pie pan.
Freeze within the pie pan. To save lots of extra time, you’ll be able to freeze your pie crust earlier than baking proper in your pie pan. Merely roll out the dough, then freeze within the pie pan you intend on baking in. You’ll simply want to verify it’s well-wrapped with plastic freezer wrap, foil after which locations in a freezer bag. As soon as able to bake you’ll be able to add your filling on to the frozen crust and bake your pie as your usually would. You simply might have so as to add 5-10 minutes extra baking time.

Vitamin

Serving: 1slice (primarily based on 9)Energy: 139calCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1.4gFats: 10.2gSaturated Fats: 6.4gFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.2g

This submit was initially revealed on November 11, 2019, republished on October 31, 2021, and republished on October twenty first, 2023.