Description
This All-Butter Pie Crust recipe delivers a flaky, tender base perfect for both sweet and savory pies. Using cold butter and a splash of alcohol helps create a light and crisp texture, while the turbinado sugar sprinkled on top adds a subtle crunch and sweetness when baked. Ideal for bakers who want a reliable homemade crust with a rich buttery flavor.
Ingredients
Liquids
- 120 mL cold water
- 15-30 mL alcohol (any spirit, preferably bourbon)
Dry Ingredients
- 300 grams all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1-2 Tbsp turbinado sugar (for sprinkling)
Fats & Others
- 227 grams salted butter (cold, cubed)
- 1 large egg (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Prepare Alcohol-Water Mixture: Combine the alcohol and cold water in a measuring cup and place it in the freezer to chill while you prepare other ingredients.
- Chill Flour: Place the flour in the bowl of a food processor, then place the bowl in the freezer to chill while you cube the butter.
- Cube and Chill Butter: Cube the cold salted butter into small pieces and add them to the flour in the freezer. Let it chill together for 5-10 minutes to keep ingredients cold.
- Pulse Butter and Flour: Remove the bowl from the freezer, attach it to the food processor, and pulse until the mixture forms pea-sized chunks, ensuring the butter remains cold and evenly distributed.
- Add Liquid Mixture: While the processor runs, gradually stream in the cold alcohol-water mixture. Start with about 1/3 cup and add up to 2/3 cup as needed, just until the dough begins to clump together but remains crumbly enough to hold when pressed.
- Form Dough: Remove the dough from the processor, gently press it together by hand until it sticks together into a cohesive ball. Avoid overworking to maintain flakiness.
- Chill Dough: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour to firm up before rolling out.
- Use as Desired: Roll out the chilled dough for your pie. If blind or par-baking, brush the crust with egg wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar just before the final bake to achieve a golden, sweet finish.
Notes
- Using alcohol in the dough helps inhibit gluten development, leading to a more tender crust.
- Keep all ingredients cold to ensure flakiness in the pastry.
- The amount of water mixture added may vary depending on flour absorption; add gradually.
- Turbinado sugar adds texture and subtle sweetness when sprinkled on top before baking.
- Can be used for both sweet and savory pies by omitting or adjusting the sugar topping.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-20 minutes (dependent on pie recipe, crust-only baking time)
- Category: Baking
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
