Butter Pie Crust

Flaky homemade all Butter Pie Crust is the best pie crust recipe you can make. Easy step by step instructions and a secret ingredient give perfect results!

You'll never buy pre-made pie crust again after following this recipe.

Why this recipe works:

The perfect flaky pie crust is equally dependent on the ingredients and the technique.

• This easy pie crust recipe is super flaky with layer upon golden layer of buttery goodness.
• Four simple ingredients of all-purpose flour, butter, salt, and vodka (with a bit of water) come together to make a crust that is easy to roll and form.
• The vodka completely burns off in the cooking process. You cannot taste it, however it helps create a super tender crust.

How to make butter pie crust:

There are two main steps in creating the perfect homemade pie crust: the mixing and the rolling. I'll break it down into two sections and we'll start with the mixing.

1. First step is to incorporate the butter with the flour. You can do this by hand in a bowl with a pastry cutter or you can pulse in a food processor (photos 1 & 2). The goal is to get the largest pieces of butter about the size of a pea.
2. Next you will alternate adding small amounts of ice cold water and vodka (photos 3 & 4). The vodka is the secret ingredient. The alcohol completely bakes off, you can't taste it at all, and you are left with the most tender and flaky crust.
3. After each amount of liquid is added, gently mix the dough to distribute it. Gently toss, turn over, and squeeze. Stop adding liquid and mixing as soon as it sticks enough to form a disk (photo 5).
4. Transfer the disk to plastic wrap (photo 6),  wrap tightly, and chill.

The quality of your crust largely depends on your technique.   Can you see any of those little globs of butter?  Much like homemade biscuits, you need those little globs of butter to create your layers.

How to roll it:

Although pie crusts made with Crisco or lard are much easier to work with, nothing compares to the taste of a pie crust made only with butter.

1. If you're wrapped pie crust was frozen, allow it to thaw for a day in the refrigerator. Once ready to use, remove wrapped dough disk (photo 1) and place on a floured surface (photo 2). I like to use a non-stick silicon Silpat Roul'Pat for easy of use and easy clean up, but you can use your counter top or even roll the dough between two pieces of wax or parchment paper.
2. When I roll out a pie crust, I usually go from the center out and will rotate the circle. I also like to use my hands to shape the outside to maintain the round edge. The trick is to work the dough the least amount possible, so be firm and deliberate with each roll (photo 3). I like this rolling pin because it's nice and heavy plus the handles are comfortable.
3. To transfer the dough to your pie dish, drape it over the rolling pin for transport and center it in the dish. Use your fingers to flute the edges (photos 4 and 5). If baking a pie that requires a top crust (photo 6) or a lattice, you'll need to double this recipe.

Pie crust baking tips:

• Brushing an egg wash on top of your homemade pie crust will give it the best golden brown color as it bakes.
• If making a dessert, I love sprinkling decorators sugar on top of the egg wash. Not only does that give the pie a sweet crunch once baked, but it give it a sparkly topping.
• Baking a pie can sometimes be tricky. In order for the base and inside of a pie to be fully cooked, the top crust is often over cooked. To prevent over browning, use a pie shield to protect the edges. Also, I usually will bake my pies in the lower third of my oven. You can also loosely tent the top of the pie with aluminum foil to prevent over browning and give the pie more time to bake.
• This butter pie crust will drip butter in your oven while it bakes. Not only will that make a mess, but it will fill your oven with smoke. Be sure to always bake your pies on a baking sheet or a heavy duty piece of aluminum to avoid a smoky kitchen and messy oven.

This post was originally written in June 2014 (one of my first recipes on the blog) and was updated in November of 2014 for your viewing pleasure.