Description
Flaky Pioneer Woman Pie Crust delivers buttery perfection with simple ingredients. Home bakers can master this classic recipe that creates delicate, golden pastry for sweet and savory pies.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups (591 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, cubed and kept cold
Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) kosher salt
Liquid Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons (90 ml) water, chilled
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- In a spacious mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour (240 grams or 2 cups) and salt (5 grams or 1 teaspoon), creating a uniform dry base for the pie crust.
- Extract cold butter (226 grams or 8 ounces) from the refrigerator and slice into small, precise cubes. Integrate the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fingertips, working quickly to maintain the butter’s chilled temperature and creating a landscape of uneven, coarse crumbs.
- Prepare a chilling liquid by combining ice-cold water (120 milliliters or 1/2 cup) with apple cider vinegar (15 milliliters or 1 tablespoon). Pour the liquid incrementally over the flour-butter mixture, using a fork to gently fold and incorporate until the dough begins to show signs of cohesion.
- Transfer the slightly moistened mixture onto a clean surface and perform minimal, deliberate kneading; no more than 4-5 gentle compressions; just enough to form a unified, shaggy mass without developing excessive gluten.
- Partition the dough into two equal portions, carefully shaping each into a flat, round disk approximately 1 centimeter (1/2 inch) thick. Encase each disk securely in plastic wrap, ensuring no air pockets remain.
- Nestle the wrapped dough disks into the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or up to 48 hours, allowing the gluten to relax and butter to solidify, which guarantees a flaky, tender crust with exceptional structural integrity.
- When ready to use, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly, making it more pliable for rolling and shaping.
Notes
- Chilling transforms your pie dough from good to extraordinary, allowing butter to solidify and gluten to relax for maximum flakiness.
- Cold butter creates magical layers that separate during baking, delivering a melt-in-your-mouth texture professional bakers adore.
- Minimal handling prevents tough crusts, letting you gently mix ingredients until they just come together.
- Apple cider vinegar adds unexpected tenderness and subtle complexity that elevates your pastry from ordinary to remarkable.
- Refrigerating dough disks overnight gives you flexibility and improves overall texture, making prep easier for spontaneous baking adventures.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg