I swore by cold butter for pie crust until my last one was tough

Now I use room temp butter and handle it less for a flakier crust.

3 comments

3 Comments

But is the difference really that huge? I've made decent crusts with cold butter too (just chopped it super fine before mixing). Sometimes I wonder if we get too deep into tiny details when the main thing is just not overworking the dough. Sure, room temp might be a bit easier, but calling it the "secret" feels like a stretch. My grandma used ice water and cold lard and her crusts were always fine. Maybe it matters more for fancy bakers, but for a regular pie, both ways work if you're careful.

wilson.elliot15h ago

You're right about room temp butter and handling it less. That's the secret to keeping the crust tender. When butter is rock hard, you have to manhandle the dough to mix it, and that makes too much gluten. Soft butter blends in fast so you can stop mixing sooner. I take it further by using my hands to gently press the dough together instead of kneading. Then I let it rest in the fridge so the butter firms up without toughening the crust. It turns out so flaky it almost shatters when you cut it.

troygreen12h ago

Try keeping your butter cold but blending it in fast with a pastry cutter. You can still get a flaky crust without overworking the dough.