Ask 5 bakers what their secret to a flaky pie crust is, and you will likely get 5 different answers. Some swear by butter, some by lard, some add vodka to their crust, etc etc. I have a two-part answer. Flaky secret number 1? Shortening (Crisco). Flaky secret number 2? Vinegar. I know, I know, and no, I swear you can’t taste the vinegar 😂 Read on to see why the heck we’re using vinegar. Without further ado, I’m thrilled to share my Perfect Flaky Pie Crust recipe.
Why Do You Put Vinegar in Pie Crust?
Simply, the vinegar helps tenderize the dough by inhibiting the development of gluten strands. Gluten strands build structure which is great for breads, but pies aren’t a fan of that 🙂
What is Better for Pie Crust, Shortening or Butter?
This is a divisive topic among pie bakers. There will be a few differences: 1. Butter has a richer flavor while Shortening is more neutral. 2. Butter has a lower melting point (it melts faster than Shortening) which can make it harder to work with. I find Shortening to be more forgiving and I think it’s more versatile to not have a dairy crust (for allergies, dietary restrictions).
INGREDIENTS
- 3 1/2 cups Flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 1/2 cups Crisco Shortening, refrigerated
- 1 Egg, refrigerated
- 5 tbsp Cold Water
- 1 tbsp Vinegar
- 1 tsp Salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Add the flour to a large mixing bowl. Whisk the flour to smooth any clumps.
Add in the crisco and use your hands to crumble the crisco and flour together. Imagine you’re giving someone a shoulder massage–that’s basically what you’re doing with your hands.
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg with a fork. Add the egg, cold water, vinegar, and salt into the flour mix. Use your hands to bring the dough together. If your dough is very wet, add more flour, a bit at a time. This will largely depend on the humidity when you make it. The dough will be tacky.
Divide the dough in half and form each half into a round disk. Put each disk into a large ziploc bag and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Lightly flour a mat or counter. Roll out one of the dough circles, adding a bit more flour to the mat or rolling pin if it’s sticking.
Transfer the crust to a pie plate and trim the excess. If you get little cracks, you can use your fingers to push it back together, not to worry!
You can either use the second crust for a separate pie (you can also freeze it), or as a top crust.
Bake according to your recipe!
That’s it! This Perfect Flaky Pie Crust will become a staple in all your pie baking.
Try it out in any of these recipes:
The Ultimate Thanksgiving Leftovers Pie
Follow me on Instagram and tag #500spatulas so I can see all the recipes you make. 👩🍳
Perfectly Flaky Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour plus more for rolling
- 1 1/2 cups Crisco Shortening refrigerated
- 1 Egg refrigerated
- 5 tbsp Cold Water
- 1 tbsp Vinegar
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Add the flour to a large mixing bowl. Whisk the flour to smooth any clumps.
- Add in the crisco and use your hands to crumble the crisco and flour together. Imagine you’re giving someone a shoulder massage–that’s basically what you’re doing with your hands. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg with a fork. Add the egg, cold water, vinegar, and salt into the flour mix. Use your hands to bring the dough together. If your dough is very wet, add more flour, a bit at a time. This will largely depend on the humidity when you make it. The dough will be tacky.
- Divide the dough in half and form each half into a round disk. Put each disk into a large ziploc bag and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Roll out on a floured mat or surface. Roll from the middle out, until the dough is 1/4″ thick. If the dough begins to stick to the mat or rolling pin, add a bit more flour to the mat or rolling pin. Transfer the crust to a pie plate and trim the excess. If you get little cracks, you can use your fingers to push it back together, not to worry! You can either use the second crust for a separate pie (you can also freeze it), or as a top crust.
- Bake according to your recipe!
