My Favorite Buttermilk Pie Crust
User Reviews
5
My Favorite Buttermilk Pie Crust
Description
My Favorite Buttermilk Pie Crust offers a classic combination of cold butter, flour, sugar, salt, and buttermilk. The process begins by chilling the cubed butter, then pulsing it with dry ingredients in a food processor until pea-sized chunks remain. Gradually adding buttermilk brings the dough to a crumbly state that holds together when pressed. This method preserves the butter pieces, promoting flakiness after baking.
The buttermilk adds slight tang and moisture, balancing the richness of the butter while helping the dough bind. You shape the dough into disks and chill them to allow the butter to firm and the gluten to relax, which aids in rolling and prevents shrinking.
This pie crust is adaptable for a range of pie sizes, with full, half, and quarter batch ingredient options. The crust is suited for any baked pie that requires a tender, flaky base.
Ensure to add buttermilk gradually to avoid a tough crust from excess liquid. Measuring flour by weight might require slightly more buttermilk for proper dough consistency. Refrigerate the dough at least one hour before use, up to 24 hours, for best texture and handling.
Ingredients
Full Batch (9-inch Double Crust)
- 1 cup unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch chunks, cold, 8oz, 2 sticks
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 13g
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 buttermilk 2/3 cup
Half Batch (9-inch Single Crust or 6-inch Double Crust)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch chunks, cold, 4oz, 1 stick
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 150 g
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 buttermilk 1/3 cup
Quarter Batch (6-inch Single Crust)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch chunks, cold, 2oz
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons (75g
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons
Instructions
- Before you begin measuring everything out, place the cubed butter in the freezer to chill.
- Stir together flour, sugar, and salt, and pour into the food processor. Add butter and pulse until butter is cut into the flour, but still has visible chunks no larger than a pea.
- While pulsing, slowly pour in 1/2 cup of the buttermilk (1/4 for half batch, 2 tablespoons for a quarter batch) and continue to pulse until the buttermilk is incorporated into the dough. At this point, your dough should look like rough crumbs and just hold its shape if squeezed together. If the dough does not, add a a little more buttermilk, a teaspoon at a time.
- Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and dump half of your dough crumbs onto the sheet. (If you are making only a single crust, do not divide dough.) Gather the edges and press tightly together to form a 1-inch thick disk. Do the same with the rest of the dough. Place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least an hour, up to 24.
Notes
- Measure flour accurately; if weighing flour, you may need closer to 2/3 cup buttermilk for a full double crust.
- Add buttermilk slowly to avoid overhydrating the dough, which can lead to toughness.
- Chill the dough at least one hour and up to 24 hours to firm the butter and relax gluten before rolling out.
- Keeping butter cold and in pea-sized pieces helps achieve a flaky texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 284 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 284kcal | 14% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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