All Butter Pie Dough Recipes

ALL BUTTER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter on top.
• Using a pastry cutter, food processor, or two forks (pastry cutter is ideal, see post above), cut the butter into the dry ingredients until all flour is coated. You're looking for pea-sized bits of flour coated butter. A few larger bits of butter is OK.
• Measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 2 Tablespoons (30ml) at a time, and stir after each addition. Stop adding water when the dough comes together easily and begins to form large clumps. The dough will feel moist and a little sticky, but not feel overly wet. Do not add any more water than you need to. I always use about 1/2 cup (120ml) of ice water.
• Place pie dough on a lightly floured work surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball. Divide dough in half. Using your hands, flatten each half into a 1-inch thick disc.
• Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days before using in a pie recipe.
• When rolling out the chilled pie dough discs, use gentle force with your rolling pin. Start from the center of the disc and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands between rolls. Smooth out the edges if you notice cracks. (See video above.) Keeping your work surface, rolling pin, and hands lightly floured makes rolling out easier.
• Proceed with the pie per your recipe's instructions.

THE BEST ALL-BUTTER PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and process until the largest pieces of butter are pea-size. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Combine the vodka, vinegar and 4 tablespoons of the ice water in a small bowl. Drizzle the wet ingredients over the dough, then mix with a fork until shaggy pieces form. Knead the dough in the bowl with your hands a couple of times until it comes together (it will look quite dry, which is fine). Transfer the large clumps of dough to a work surface. Drizzle 1 tablespoon ice water over any remaining smaller bits of dough in the bowl and knead again to bring it together. If the remaining dough is still too dry to come together, add more ice water in 1-tablespoon increments. Add to the dough on the work surface and press together into a single mass, incorporating any dry bits. Pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick block.
• Divide the block into 4 pieces with a bench scraper or knife. Stack the pieces on top of one another, tucking any unincorporated dry bits in between the layers. Flatten the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick block. Repeat this process (cutting, stacking and flattening) 3 more times; this creates layers of butter in the dough that produce a wonderfully flaky crust.
• Divide the dough in half and form into 1-inch-thick discs; wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 hours and preferably overnight. The dough can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months.

ALL-BUTTER PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Cut the butter into 1/2-inch (13-mm) cubes. Freeze 5 Tbsp. (70 grams) for 20 minutes or overnight; chill the remaining 1 1/8 sticks in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Stir the red wine vinegar into the cold water and set aside.
• Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 5 or 6 times to combine.
• Add the chilled butter and mix for 25 to 30 seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add the frozen butter and pulse 15 to 20 times, until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.
• Add 6 tablespoons of the vinegar water and pulse 6 times. The dough should start to look crumbly. Test the dough by squeezing a small amount in the palm of your hand. If it easily holds together, it is done. If not, add 1/2 Tbsp. of the vinegar water and pulse 3 more times. Repeat this process as needed until the dough holds together.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead together until smooth; dough should never come together in the food processor.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll each into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator until ready to use, at least 20 minutes but preferably overnight.

BUTTERCRUST PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Place blade insert into bowl of food processor. Add 1 cup flour. Sprinkle frozen butter cubes over flour. Add remaining 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt. Cover. Pulse in short bursts on and off until butter is broken into small pieces and looks crumbly, about 1 minute. Drizzle in ice water. Pulse with longer pulses, on and off, until mixture turns pale yellow and looks like crumbs, about 10 to 12 seconds. Scrape down sides with spatula. Pulse once or twice more.
• Transfer mixture onto a work surface. Bring pieces together to form a tight round ball of dough. Flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight before rolling out.

BUTTER FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
• Roll dough out to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place crust in pie plate. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

ALL-BUTTER PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Pulse flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Pulse in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal with pieces of butter still visible, about 20 pulses.
• Combine vinegar and 1/2 cup ice water in a measuring cup. Pulsing, drizzle in vinegar mixture; pulse until dough just holds together when squeezed (it should still be crumbly), about 10 pulses.
• Turn out dough and divide in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and use plastic to press into disks. Wrap and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
• Do ahead: Dough can be chilled 3 days ahead. Or, freeze up to 2 months.