Foolproof Pie Dough

Foolproof Pie Dough
Karsten Moran for The New York Times
Total Time
10 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
5(1,612)
Comments
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Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavor — do not substitute. This dough, which was developed by a test-kitchen team led by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt for "America's Test Kitchen," will be moister and more supple than most standard pie doughs and will require more flour to roll out (up to ¼ cup).

Featured in: Christopher Kimball's Favorite Test-Kitchen Discovery: Foolproof Pie Dough

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Ingredients

Yield:2 pie crusts
  • cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12½ ounces)
  • 1teaspoon table salt
  • 2tablespoons sugar
  • 12tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1½ sticks), cut into ¼-inch slices
  • ½cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
  • ¼cup vodka, cold
  • ¼cup cold water
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

909 calories; 61 grams fat; 28 grams saturated fat; 3 grams trans fat; 21 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 74 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 445 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Process 1½ cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage-cheese curds, and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Tip
  • Correction: December 9, 2012Because of an editing error, a headline for a recipe that accompanied an article on Oct. 14 about Christopher Kimball, the host of the TV show ‘‘America’s Test Kitchen,’’ referred imprecisely to the discoverer of ‘‘Foolproof Pie Dough.’’ It was developed by a test-kitchen team led by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, not by Kimball.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,612 user ratings
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Comments

I have made this crust three times now. The end result is the best pie crust I've ever had!
However, I wonder about the water/vodka vlm. Even adding half the liquid volume makes for a very wet and sticky dough. I've never been able to add more than 1/8 + 1/8 cup.
Another thing is when baking the crust, the crust shrinks considerably down the sides of the pie plate. I try and leave ample crust up the edge of the plate, otherwise I've had some pies leak over and under the crust.

I'm a good pie crust maker- been at it since I was 12. So, I'm like, you know, Qualified.

This is the best crust I've ever made. J. Kenji Alt is a minor god in my pantheon. You do have to have faith and follow the instructions (except for the vodka part- you can also use cheap rum.) You do have to use waaay more flour when rolling than you ever thought appropriate. Try it, follow the instructions, practice a little bit, reap the compliments. It's that good...

I pour the dough from the food processor to a large ziplock bag. The bag keeps all of the bits together as you work it into a cohesive shape. Take it out, divide in half and make discs. Bag in the bag and into the freezer or refrigerator.

So for many years I made perfect pies, probably 20 years. About 3 years ago, my pie crusts starting falling apart as I folded it to take it from the cutting board to the pie plate. I have tried everything including this “foolproof” recipe which crumbled before I chilled it and then was rock hard and broke after chilling it. What am I doing wrong? Please give me your thoughts. Know that I have tried more moisture, less moisture, shortening vs butter vs mixture. Maybe my pie baking days are over?

They don't call it foolproof for nothing! This is an outstanding pie crust for desserts as well as for savory dishes like chicken pot pie. It's the only crust I use now and it always receives rave reviews. Having the shortening, butter, and liquids icy cold is key. Thank you J. Kenji López-Alt!

I used this recipe for two lemon Meringue pies I was making. I had reservations after reading the comments about shrinkage. Those reviews were spot on. Too much shrinkage - even using rice to hold in place. I hope the filling and meringue will cover the sides. Very unsightly. My question is whether or not shrinkage would be a problem if I made a pie with an uncooked filling - apple? NYT care to straighten me out?

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