Classic Pie Dough

View Instructions

Makes:

enough for one 9-inch (23 cm) double-crust pie

Prep Time:

10 minutes, plus chilling

Category:

sub-recipe

Introduction

About this Recipe

Recipe from Baking Day with Anna Olson
Appetite by Random House, 2020

This is my staple pie dough recipe for fruit pies, cream pies, savoury pies…pretty much any recipe that calls for a flaky, buttery pastry shell. Use the full recipe if you’re making a double-crust pie, or just half if you want either a pie shell or a top but not both.

Ingredients

2½ cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
3 Tbsp (45 mL) vegetable oil (see notes)
1 cup (225 g) cool unsalted butter, cut in pieces (does not have to be ice-cold; see notes)
¼ cup (60 mL) cool water
2 tsp white vinegar or fresh lemon juice
vegetable oil (see notes)

NOTES: If you are not making a pie immediately, refrigerate the dough, well wrapped, for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling. The idea that butter is more difficult to work with than shortening is a myth. However, I have found that working with cool—but not ice-cold—butter is easiest. Pull your butter from the fridge about 30 minutes before making your dough and it will cut into the flour quickly and more evenly. Adding a little vegetable oil to the flour before adding the butter is another secret for tender and flaky pie dough. The oil coats the flour so that it won’t overhydrate when the water is added. Too much water develops the protein in the flour, which is why a crust becomes tough or shrinks when it bakes.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil. Using a pastry cutter, electric beaters or a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend until the flour looks evenly crumbly in texture.

Step 2

Add the butter and cut in until the dough is rough and crumbly but small pieces of butter are still visible.

Step 3

Place the water and vinegar (or lemon juice) in a small bowl, stir together and then add all at once to the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together. Shape it into two discs, wrap well and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.