Double-Crust Pie Dough
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 16, 2013
Time
30 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling
Yield
Makes enough for one 9-inch pie
Ingredients
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon table salt 8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks), cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled6 - 8 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Process the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the shortening over the top and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds (see related Tip). Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using short pulses, process the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl.
- Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula until the dough sticks together. If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does.
- Divide the dough into two even pieces and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let the chilled dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it out and fitting it into a pie plate.
- The dough can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the frozen dough thaw on the countertop until malleable before rolling.
to make ahead
Time
30 minutes, plus 1 hour chillingYield
Makes enough for one 9-inch pieIngredients
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks), cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled
6 - 8 tablespoons ice water
Ingredients
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks), cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled
6 - 8 tablespoons ice water
Ingredients
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks), cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled
6 - 8 tablespoons ice water
Why This Recipe Works
For our Double-Crust Pie Dough recipe, we wanted the best of two worlds: The rich flavor of a butter crust and the flakiness of a shortening crust. Combining the two fats gave our pie dough optimum flavor and texture. To quickly cut the fats into the flour, we turned to our food processor, but preferred to add the water by hand. In this recipe, we err on the side of too much water. Pie dough that is too dry will crack and crumble.
Instructions
- Process the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the shortening over the top and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds (see related Tip). Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using short pulses, process the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl.
- Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula until the dough sticks together. If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does.
- Divide the dough into two even pieces and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let the chilled dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it out and fitting it into a pie plate.
- The dough can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the frozen dough thaw on the countertop until malleable before rolling.
to make ahead
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