Classic Pie Crust
Submitted by happyzhangbo
A flaky, tender pie crust made with a blend of whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour, butter, egg yolk, and a splash of lemon juice. A healthier high-fiber crust that rolls out like a dream.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
0 minREADY
1⅓ hrsA pie is only as good as its crust, and this one won’t let you down.
This recipe splits the flour between whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose, giving you a crust with nutty flavor and extra fiber that still bakes up flaky and tender. Cold butter gets cut in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, then an egg yolk and lemon juice bring it all together into a smooth, workable dough.
One hour in the fridge and it rolls out beautifully for any sweet or savory pie.
Kitchen Tips
- Keep the butter ice cold. Cut it into small pieces and work quickly so it doesn’t soften. Those cold butter bits create steam pockets in the oven, which is where flakiness comes from.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Mix just until it clumps together. Tough crust comes from too much handling.
- The lemon juice (or vinegar) isn’t for flavor. The acid relaxes the gluten, making the dough easier to roll and more tender after baking.
- This makes one single crust. Double the recipe if you need a top and bottom.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix together flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.
Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces.
Add oil and stir with a fork to blend.
Put ¼ cup water, egg yolk and lemon juice (or vinegar) in a measuring cup.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
Add enough of the egg yolk mixture, stirring with a fork, until the dough clumps together. (Add a little water if the dough seems too dry.)
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times.
Form the dough into a ball, then flatten into a disk.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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