This all-butter pie crust relies on a hint of red wine vinegar for balance and it's tenderizing effects.
Ingredients
Makes one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies
Step 1
Cut the butter into 1/2-inch (13-mm) cubes. Freeze 5 Tbsp. (70 grams) for 20 minutes or overnight; chill the remaining 1 1/8 sticks in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Step 2
Stir the red wine vinegar into the cold water and set aside.
Step 3
Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 5 or 6 times to combine.
Step 4
Add the chilled butter and mix for 25 to 30 seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Step 5
Add the frozen butter and pulse 15 to 20 times, until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.
Step 6
Add 6 tablespoons of the vinegar water and pulse 6 times. The dough should start to look crumbly. Test the dough by squeezing a small amount in the palm of your hand. If it easily holds together, it is done. If not, add 1/2 Tbsp. of the vinegar water and pulse 3 more times. Repeat this process as needed until the dough holds together.
Step 7
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead together until smooth; dough should never come together in the food processor.
Step 8
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll each into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator until ready to use, at least 20 minutes but preferably overnight.
Once the dough is rested, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 week.
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Reviews (5)
Back to TopThis is the very best pie crust ever. The frozen and cold butter combination is the key, along with the use of the food processor. Cuts the handling of the dough way down, leaving the butter pieces intact for flakiness. Rolls out well, and is easy to manage. Warning: the recipe calls for much too much salt. Absolutely necessary to use half (or even less) than the recipe calls for. The Hoosier Mama Book of Pies also recommends using "crust dust", a mixture of half flour and half sugar that's dusted over the bottom of the crust before adding the filling. Keeps the bottom crust from becoming soggy. Overall, a great recipe.
Anonymous
Western New York
9/17/2022
The dough itself was fine (I used less salt) and didn't fall apart when I moved it to the pie plate. It's impossible to roll when it's straight from an overnight in the fridge - but it was fine after I let it warm up a bit. It wasn't quite as flaky as I'd hoped, but maybe I rolled it too thin. I had to, to make it fit my 9 1/4 inch glass pie plate. For me, however, it all took too long and needed too much planning ahead with the butter freezing etc. I'll look for a faster recipe.
Jurnee
Vancouver, BC
9/8/2021
This will be the one for me. It handled beautifully.
katpages1
SE PA
1/17/2021
令人难以置信的纹理和不容易,but WAY TOO MUCH salt. Reluctantly put in 2 tsp and tasting the crust was like being hit in the mouth with a salt lick. I will be halving the salt when I remake it tonight.
highjumper
Dallas, TX
2/3/2018
This crust, unlike many that I've tried, has not only worked the first time with no extra balancing, but continuously. It tastes great and cooks evenly. The only pie crust I ever use.
pxmxtorres
Burlington, VT
11/22/2017
