Perfect All-Butter Flaky Pastry Crust
Every baker and home cook should have at least one pie crust recipe in their repertoire. This basic flaky butter pastry crust is one of my absolute favorites, with a tender crumb and lots of flaky layers in the dough. Best of all, one batch of this pie crust recipe makes four crusts- enough for two covered fruit pies or four open topped pies or quiches. You can halve the recipe, but they keep for months in the freezer, so make the whole batch! This is THE recipe you'll find yourself reaching for again and again for holiday pies or for other festive occasions, or to freeze and have on hand for quick and easy pies, pastries, and quiches on a whim.
Equipment
- 5-6 quart mixer fitted with paddle attachment.
- or, large mixing bowl to make by hand
- pastry blender, sturdy whisk, or butter knives to make by hand
- liquid measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- bowl scraper or spatula (optional)
Ingredients
- 5¼ cups all-purpose flour (sub pastry flour or 50/50 blend for an extra tender crust, or up to 50% whole wheat flour for a heartier crust)
- 17 oz cold unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (sub 2 tsp fine sea or regular salt)
- 1 cup ice water
- 1 tbsp distilled vinegar or vodka (or additional ice water if you prefer)
Instructions
mix dry ingredients:
- Add the flour and salt to the bowl of the mixer, and stir on low to combine with the paddle attachment.
cut in first addition of butter:
- Add the first addition of 12 oz of cubed butter (three sticks). Mix on low speed, stopping to scrape the bowl and pulse the mixer, until the butter is well cut-in. The flour and butter mixture should begin to look crumbly, with a texture ranging from fine to coarse cornmeal.
- This butter is the "shortening" for the dough, coating the flour and preventing long gluten strands from forming when you add the liquid, which will give the dough a tender crumb.
add the second addition of butter:
- Next, add the remaining 9 oz of cubed butter (one stick plus two tablespoons) and mix just enough to break it into small irregular pea-sized pieces. Do not overmix. These larger pieces of butter will give your dough the lovely flaky layers when rolled out and baked.
add the liquid:
- Combine the ice water and vinegar or vodka and drizzle this over the surface of the mixture.
- Pulse the mixer on the lowest setting just until the dough starts to combine. It will look rough, shaggy, and almost dry and crumbly- this is ok.
- The dough will become more cohesive as it rests, but at this point it should be only just damp enough hold together when pressed. If it's still too dry, add additional ice water by the teaspoon.
wrap and chill the dough:
- Divide the dough into four balls (roughly 12 oz each) and wrap each with a square of plastic wrap or reusable food wrap, pressing them together into a cohesive circle about 6" in diameter and 1"-2" thick.
- Place these in the fridge or a cold place for at least 30 minutes to rest and come together before rolling out or freezing the dough for later use.
- This chilling and resting time will allow the gluten in the dough to relax and the flour to fully absorb the liquid and hydrate the starch in the flour. This will make the pastry dough easier to work without tearing or shrinking.
Notes
Mixing Pastry Dough By Hand:
- To make the flaky pie crusts by hand, follow the same steps listed above for using a mixer, but instead of using the paddle attachment to cut in the butter, you'll do it by hand.
- This takes a bit longer, but is a great way for beginners to learn how this dough should behave with less risk of over-mixing.
- You can use a pastry blender, a sturdy whisk, two crossed butter knives, or even your clean fingertips (using a pinching motion, keeping the butter from melting with the heat of your hands as much as possible) to cut in and incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients, in two additions as described above (first cutting in completely until the flour/butter mixture is crumbly, and leaving pea-sized chunks of the second addition of butter).
- Follow the rest of the steps listed above, but use a spatula, bowl scraper, or wooden spoon to incorporate the ice water mixture into the dough, folding it in with a gentle motion.
Nutritional Info:
Quantities listed are per whole 12 oz pie crust, calculated with unsalted butter, all purpose flour, and distilled white vinegar. Divide by number of servings to estimate nutritional information per serving. These values are an estimate for informational purposes only.Nutrition
Calories: 1462kcalCarbohydrates: 125gProtein: 18gFat: 99gSaturated Fat: 62gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 4gCholesterol: 259mgSodium: 1764mgPotassium: 205mgFiber: 4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 3014IUCalcium: 57mgIron: 8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!