Description
Grandma’s Pie Crust is a classic, flaky pastry dough perfect for all your favorite pies. Made with simple ingredients like cold butter, flour, and a touch of vinegar or lemon juice, this versatile crust achieves a tender texture with a beautifully golden finish. Ideal for both sweet and savory pies, it requires chilling and can be blind baked for a crisp base.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, very cold and cut into cubes
- 6 to 8 tbsp ice water
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Optional Egg Wash
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar until evenly combined to ensure consistent flavor and texture.
- Cut in Butter: Add the cold unsalted butter cubes to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or food processor to blend until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs, which helps create the flaky layers in the crust.
- Add Liquid: Mix the ice water with the apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Gradually add this liquid to the flour and butter mixture, stirring gently just until dough clumps begin to form, being careful not to overwork.
- Form Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it into a cohesive ball, then divide it into two equal portions and shape each into a disc for easy rolling later.
- Chill Dough: Wrap each dough disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the butter and hydrate the flour, which enhances the dough’s texture.
- Roll Out Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc into a 12-inch circle, preparing it to fit a 9-inch pie plate.
- Transfer to Pie Plate: Carefully transfer the rolled dough to the pie plate, being gentle to avoid stretching the dough out of shape.
- Trim and Crimp Edges: Trim any excess dough, fold the edges under, and crimp them as desired to create a decorative and secure crust edge.
- Chill Again: Place the prepared pie crust back in the refrigerator and chill for an additional 15 to 30 minutes to maintain its shape before baking.
- Blind Bake (if needed): If your recipe calls for a pre-baked crust, dock the bottom with a fork, line with parchment paper or foil, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 15 to 20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Notes
- Use very cold butter and ice water to keep the dough tender and flaky.
- Do not overmix or overknead dough to prevent a tough crust.
- The apple cider vinegar or lemon juice helps tenderize the gluten for a more delicate texture.
- Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing shrinkage during baking.
- Blind baking is essential for custard or cream pies to avoid a soggy bottom.
- Egg wash is optional but adds a beautiful golden color and slight sheen to the crust.
