This Vodka Butter Pie Crust is the best and only pie crust you will ever need. It is flaky (thanks to the vodka), buttery, bakes beautifully, and no soggy bottoms EVER. Follow this simple, fool proof recipe and you will quickly become a pie expert!

Make mini pie crusts using the backside of a cupcake baking pan with this ingenious method: Mini Pie Crust Recipe. I also recommend making my Pie Crust Cookies with your scraps or make a whole batch to snack on!

I love this Vodka Butter Pie Crust so much and boy was it a labor of love. I spent a lot of time experimenting with butter versus shortening, vodka versus water, food processor versus pastry cutter. I chilled all my ingredients, some of my ingredients, and none of them. I froze my prepared dough, I refrigerated it, I worked it multiple times to see it’s durability. I baked it various ways in cherry pie, chicken pot pies, blackberry hand pies, strawberry pop tarts, fruit galettes, etc.

What I am getting at is it is well tested and versatile because I know how hard it is to sift through recipes online and in cookbooks to end up feeling overwhelmed. I started making pies because I wanted to create the gorgeous crust designs I kept seeing on Pinterest. So, with the experimentation and frustration, came practice and also knowledge I want to share with you!

A Quick Video Tutorial:

This Vodka Butter Pie Crust recipe is good for:

• Sweet or savory pies and pastries
• Recipes that require a blind baked crust
• Recipes where you bake the crust and filling at the same time
• Ornate pie crusts

Why Vodka Makes Pie Crust Flaky

Vodka results in a lighter and flakier pie crust, no matter the quality of vodka you use. Essentially we are replacing two thirds of the water with vodka to limit gluten development and keep our crust from getting tough and dense as we work it. But don’t worry because as the crust bakes the vodka evaporates out completely. You will never taste it!

Ingredients In Vodka Butter Pie Crust:

• Unsalted Butter: The higher quality, the better. Cheaper butter tends to have a higher water content which isn’t great for pies. I do want to note too that some recipes call for shortening but butter is the way to go (it gives the crust so much flavor).
• All- Purpose Flour: Go with a mid grade or higher quality unbleached flour, I use King Arthur. The flour is one of our main ingredients and we want to make sure it is as pure as possible.
• Granular Sugar: This adds a tiny bit of sweet but you will want to omit the sugar completely if you are looking for savory crust.
• Vodka: Use whatever you have on hand, no need to go out and buy the best bottle either. Vodka is vodka and it will evaporate anyways. I use a cheap $8 bottle I get at the gas station and it always works great.
• Water: Just a little water goes a long way in helping our dough come together.

How To Make Vodka Butter Pie Crust

1. Add flour and sugar to the food processor, pulse until incorporated (2-3 times)
2. Add your butter chunks, pulse until mixture is sandy and the chunks of butter are now pea sized (5-10 times).
3. Slowly add your vodka to the butter/flour mixture while pulsing. After the vodka is incorporated it will still be fairly dry.
4. Add one tablespoon of water at a time, while pulsing, until the mixture comes together into a smooth ball (NOTE: mine usually takes two tablespoons of water but it depends on how dry your ingredients are and can take up to 4 tablespoons).
5. Remove from your food processor and divide into two equal crusts. Wrap them in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for one to two hours to firm up. If you are crunched on time, you can place the crusts in the freezer for thirty minutes.

Preparing the Pie Crust for Baking

1. Remove your crust from refrigerator or freezer and set it aside until it becomes pliable enough to roll out.
2. Lightly flour your surface, rolling pin, and dough (this is to keep it from sticking). I use a marble rolling pin because it is cold and heavier which is perfect for rolling out pie crust.
3. Starting at the center and rolling outward, continue to roll until desired the thickness is achieved (I like mine as thin as I can get it, around ⅛ inch thick). If your dough starts sticking to your rolling pin, add a dusting of flour and continue.
4. Fold your dough in half and then in half again so it resembles the shape of a pizza slice, transfer it to your pie plate, and unfold it.
5. Trim off any excess dough and crimp it to your liking.
6. Prick holes in the bottom of your pie crust to release excess steam and moisture.
7. Freeze the pie crust for 10 minutes, or refrigerate for 30 minutes, before par baking or filling your crust with it’s filling.

Follow your favorite recipe for continued directions and baking instructions or use my parbake (blind baking) method below.

PRO TIP: Making Pie Crust Cookies with any leftover scraps you may have. Find the full instructions here!

How To Par Bake Your Crust

Par baking is also known as blind baking and it is when you partially bake your pie crust. For this you will need parchment paper and pie weights (you can also use dry beans or rice).

1. Place parchment paper on top of the chilled pie crust and fill it with your pie weights.
2. Bake at 425° F for 15 minutes and then remove the parchment and pie weights. Be careful it will be hot!
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° F and bake for 5 more minutes. If you are wanting the crust to be fully cooked, bake it for 15 minutes instead of 5 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

The Cardinal Rules for Pie Crust

• Work with cold ingredients. You want your ingredients to be as cold as possible when making this vodka butter pie crust, especially if you live in a warmer climate. If the butter melts either from being room temperature or from room temperature vodka and water, you will have a sticky mess trying to get your crust to come together. So, start by chunking your butter and measuring out your water and vodka (all in separate containers) and put them back in the refrigerator for thirty minutes or so. While you wait, measure out your flour and sugar and get your food processor ready.
• DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT skip chilling the crusts! Chilling them gives the crust time to rest and meld together and ensures your butter has firmed up. If you try rolling them out room temperature or warm they will stick to your rolling pin and become a mess. The same rules apply to your crust prior to baking them no matter what method. If you try baking them room temperature or warm, the butter will melt into a greasy pool and your crust will be hard, crunchy, and have no flakiness.
• Handle the dough as little as possible. The more you overwork or over roll the dough, the more gluten that builds up in the dough. Too much gluten in pie crust makes them dense, thick, and flavorless once baked.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

More Pie Recipes You Will LOVE:

• Strawberry Blueberry Pie
• Peach Mango Pie
• Mini Lemon Meringue Pies
• Mini Pie Crust Recipe
• Apple Crumble Tart
• Pie Crust Cookies (Pie Crust Chips)
• Pumpkin Pie Dip
• Pecan Pie Dip

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