I finally chose butter over shortening for my pie crust

I had to make a choice for a big family Thanksgiving last month - use my grandma's shortening recipe or switch to all butter. I went with butter because I wanted that flaky texture everyone talks about. The crust came out golden and tasted GREAT but it was a PAIN to keep cold while rolling. Has anyone else had trouble with butter crusts falling apart on you?

3 comments

3 Comments

stella_scott969d ago

Americas Test Kitchen did a whole thing on this and they say the trick is to grate frozen butter into your flour instead of cutting it in. Made a huge difference for me with keeping it together lol.

the_holly10d ago

Butter crusts are worth the hassle though.

avery_flores9d ago

You said "butter crusts are worth the hassle though" and I think that's true for some things but not everything. I read somewhere that a lot of home bakers swear by shortening for pie crusts because it makes them flakier without the butter taste getting in the way. For me, butter is the way to go if I'm making a fruit pie where I want that rich flavor to show through. But for a quiche or a pot pie, I've heard using half butter and half lard gives you the best texture without being too much work. I guess it depends on what you're making, @the_holly.