A good pie dough recipe is something every home cook should have in their back pocket. Store-bought crusts will do in a pinch (I will not tell anyone), but I would still take the flakiness and buttery flavor of homemade. The process is more forgiving than people think, as long as you keep everything cold and don’t overwork the dough.
This version is all butter, no shortening, and a spoonful of vinegar in the ice water keeps the crust tender. Chill the dough for at least an hour before rolling it out, or make it up to three days ahead and keep it in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to three months, which makes it an easy head start on Thanksgiving pies: one double-crust pie, or two single-crust pies like pumpkin and pecan. Just thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Cut Cold Butter into Flour
Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add cold butter cubes and toss to coat each piece in flour. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work quickly to cut the butter into the flour. The goal is a mixture that looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces and some larger almond-sized pieces. The variety of sizes creates the flakiest layers. Work fast to keep the butter cold.
Add Ice Water Gradually
Mix ice water and vinegar together. Drizzle it over the flour-butter mixture a couple tablespoons at a time, tossing with a fork after each addition. Stop adding water as soon as the dough holds together when squeezed in your hand. It should look shaggy and rough, not smooth. Too much water makes tough dough. Gather the dough, divide into two portions, shape each into a flat disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Roll Cold Dough Gently
Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for five to ten minutes until pliable enough to roll without cracking. On a lightly floured surface, roll from the center outward, rotating the dough a quarter turn after every few rolls to maintain an even circle. Roll to about twelve inches in diameter and one-eighth inch thick. If the dough gets warm and soft, slide it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for ten minutes before continuing.
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All-Butter Pie Dough for Double-Crust Pies
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 1 double crust (8 servings)
Description
All-butter pie dough made with cold butter, ice water and a spoonful of vinegar, shaped into two disks for one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies. It keeps 3 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (320g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup ice water, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat each piece in flour.
- Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized and some almond-sized butter pieces remaining. The variety of sizes is what creates flaky layers.
- Combine the ice water and vinegar. Drizzle it over the flour mixture a couple tablespoons at a time, tossing with a fork after each addition. Stop adding water when the dough just holds together when squeezed — it should look shaggy, not smooth.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather it together. Divide into two equal portions. Shape each into a flat disk about 1 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- When ready to use, let the dough sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until pliable enough to roll without cracking. Roll from the center outward, rotating the dough a quarter turn after every few rolls, to a circle about 12 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick.
- Transfer the rolled dough to the pie plate by loosely rolling it around the rolling pin, then unrolling it over the plate. Gently press into the bottom and sides without stretching.
Notes
- The vinegar keeps the gluten from developing too much, so the crust stays tender. You will not taste it.
- Leave some butter pieces larger than others: the big pieces melt during baking and create steam pockets, which is what makes the dough flaky.
- If the dough gets warm and soft while rolling, slide it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes before continuing.
- Dough disks freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 355
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 290
- Fat: 23
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make pie dough ahead for Thanksgiving?
Yes. Wrap the disks tightly and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before rolling so it does not crack.
Why do some of the butter pieces need to be bigger?
Cut the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, with some pea-sized and some almond-sized pieces left. The larger pieces melt in the oven and leave steam pockets, and those pockets are the flaky layers.
How much water do I add?
Start with 1/2 cup of ice water mixed with 1 tablespoon of vinegar and drizzle it in a couple of tablespoons at a time, tossing with a fork. Stop as soon as the dough holds together when squeezed. It should look shaggy, not smooth, because too much water makes a tough crust.
