Description
Creamy Pioneer Woman Pie Crust with Butter combines classic baking techniques from American kitchens. Home bakers can master this flaky, rich pastry with simple ingredients and straightforward mixing methods.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2.5 cups (591 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, cubed and kept cold
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
- 6 tbsps (90 ml) water, chilled
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Flour Preparation: Sift flour and salt together in a spacious mixing bowl, creating a uniform dry foundation for the pie crust.
- Butter Integration: Slice cold butter into small cubes and quickly blend into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, creating coarse, uneven crumbs while maintaining a low temperature.
- Liquid Incorporation: Combine ice-cold water and apple cider vinegar, then gradually pour over the flour-butter mixture. Gently fold with a fork until the dough begins to combine, avoiding overmixing.
- Dough Formation: Transfer the mixture to a clean surface and perform minimal kneading—just 4-5 gentle compressions—to create a unified, shaggy mass without developing excess gluten.
- Portioning and Chilling: Divide the dough into two equal disks, wrap individually in plastic, and refrigerate for 2-48 hours. This crucial resting period allows gluten relaxation and butter solidification, ensuring a flaky, tender crust.
- Preparation for Use: Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly, making it easier to roll and shape for your desired pie recipe.
Notes
- Chill Butter Thoroughly: Keep butter ice-cold and cut into tiny cubes to create perfect flaky layers in your pie crust.
- Handle Dough Minimally: Work quickly and knead only 4-5 times to prevent tough, dense pastry and maintain delicate texture.
- Add Vinegar Strategically: The apple cider vinegar helps prevent gluten development, ensuring an incredibly tender and soft crust.
- Rest Dough Completely: Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow butter to solidify and gluten to relax, which guarantees a perfectly flaky result.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 298
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 238 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 61 mg