Alison Roman's Buttery All-Purpose Pie Crust Recipe
Alison Roman's famous "Only Piecrust" delivers exceptional flakiness through a simple hand-mixing technique that creates irregular butter pieces for superior texture. The addition of vinegar tenderizes the dough while maintaining structure, making it perfect for both sweet and savory pies. This foolproof method produces a shaggy, workable dough that bakes into golden, flaky layers every time. Ideal for holiday baking, fruit pies, or quiches when you want bakery-quality results at home.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rollingpastry flour1:1gluten-free
creates more tender texture
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, chilled
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar
- ¼ cup ice water
Instructions
- 1
Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl
- 2
Add chilled butter pieces and toss to coat in flour mixture
- 3
Using hands, smash butter between palms and fingertips, mixing into flour to create long, thin, flaky bits
- 4
Continue until most butter is incorporated with no large chunks remaining
- 5
Dump flour mixture onto work surface
- 6
Combine vinegar with ice water and drizzle over flour-butter mixture
- 7
Run fingers through mixture to evenly distribute water until dough starts coming together
- 8
Knead dough a few times to gather dry bits and incorporate
- 9
Form shaggy mass of dough and knead once or twice more
- 10
Divide dough in half and pat each piece into flat disk about 1 inch thick
- 11
Wrap each disk individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours
Tips
Keep butter very cold and work quickly to maintain temperature for maximum flakiness
The dough should look shaggy and rough - smooth dough means overworked and tough crust
Chill dough at least 2 hours but can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen for months
Good to Know
Wrapped dough keeps in refrigerator up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months
Make dough up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate, or freeze for longer storage
Roll out and use for sweet or savory pies, tarts, or quiches
Common Mistakes
Keep butter cold to avoid greasy, tough crust
Don't overwork dough to avoid dense, hard texture
Add water gradually to avoid sticky, difficult-to-handle dough
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Gluten-Free Swaps
creates more tender texture
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I make this dough ahead of time?
Yes, wrapped dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough in refrigerator overnight before using.
What if my dough is too dry or crumbly?
Add ice water one teaspoon at a time until dough just comes together. Too much water will make the crust tough, so add gradually.
Can I use this for both sweet and savory pies?
Absolutely. The small amount of sugar won't interfere with savory fillings, and you can omit it entirely for purely savory applications if preferred.