Butter and vodka are the secret ingredients to a pie crust that is flaky, tender, and great tasting! With this easy to make Butter and Vodka Pie Crust you will have better-than-bakery pies every time!
Add the cold butter slices and pulse about 15 times, until small chunks form. Scrape down the sides, then add the remaining flour. Pulse 5-6 times.
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch slices
Transfer the dough to a medium bowl. Drizzle the water and the vodka across the surface of the dough, then use a rubber spatula to fold and press the liquids into butter and flour. The dough will be shaggy. Press the crumbs into the dough. If they stick together then you do not need additional liquid.
¼ cup ice water, ¼ cup cold vodka
Split the dough into two balls and flatten each into a round disk. Wrap each disk individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator set the disk on a well-floured surface. Use a rolling pin to create a circle of dough that is ⅛-inch thick. Use additional flour, if needed, to keep the dough from sticking to your rolling pin.
Transfer the dough to your pie plate and fold the excess dough under to create a rim around the edge of the pie plate. Crimp using your preferred style. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
For baking, follow your pie recipe instructions or see the notes section for additional information.
Notes
Tips:
It is normal for the dough to have crumbs. Use the plastic wrap to press the crumbs into the dough while forming the disk.
If you press the crumbs into the dough and they stick then no additional water is needed.
The dough will continue to hydrate in the refrigerator, as the butter is absorbed into the flour.
Do not skip the step of freezing the pie for 10 minutes. This re-chilling is necessary for the butter to solidify after rolling.
I use 4 packages of pie weights so that the pie plate is almost completely full. This helps prevent the dough from sliding.
To par-bake (blind bake) the crust, bake it at 425°F for 15 minutes with pie weights, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and remove the pie weights, baking an additional 5 minutes.To fully bake the crust, bake it at 425°F for 15 minutes with pie weights, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and remove the pie weights, baking an additional 15 minutes, or until the bottom of the crust is golden brown.For best results, freeze the pie crust for 10 minutes, or refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking.The disks of pie dough can be frozen for up to 5 months, or refrigerated for 5 days. If freezing, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.