What's Cooking: Fill your home with the smell of the holidays with a home baked pie crust

For some reason, this five-ingredient baked good — the homemade pie crust — has terrified many of us for years on end. Fears of the crust being too dry, too crumbly, too chewy, not holding the pie together or being tasteless have left us searching for premade crusts in the frozen food aisle, disappointed that the fabulous pie filling we spent so much time on is not paired with an equally amazing crust. 

Where this fear stems from is a mystery but the key to making pie crust shouldn’t be one any longer. With some high-quality butter (yes butter, not shortening) and a food processor, you’ll be cranking out pies like there’s no tomorrow. 

Pro tip: Omit the sugar for savory pastries like quiche or pot pie. 

► Prep time: 45 minutes

► Servings: 1 pie crusts (double recipe for a top and bottom crust)

Recipe:

► 1 ¼ cup all purpose, unbleached flour

► ¼ kosher salt

► 1 tbsp. sugar

► ½ cup European unsalted butter, cold and cut into ½-inch cubes

► ¼-⅓ cup ice cold water

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

► Food processor that can hold at least 3 cups

► Plastic wrap

► Rolling pin

Steps:

1. Place flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse quickly to combine. 

2. Add half the butter into the food processor and pulse in short bursts to cut butter down into small, pea-sized bits. Repeat with second half of butter. The key here (and throughout the recipe) is not to overwork the dough. We want chunks of butter.

3. Sprinkle in one tablespoon of very cold water at a time and pulse dough in short bursts to incorporate. Continue to add water and pulse until dough becomes the consistency of damp sand and holds together when squeezed. 

4. Gather dough into a flat disc and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling out for use. 

5. Split dough in two and wrap second half and return to refrigerator. Gently roll out dough into an approximately ¹/₆ inch thick round, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. 

6. Lay crust in a lightly greased pie pan and return to the refrigerator to chill until pie filling is ready.

7. Roll out second crust similarly when ready to top pie.

Filling Option:

Whiskey Apples and Pears

► 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced, about ¼ inch

► 3 Asian pears, peeled and thinly sliced, about ¼ inch

► ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

► 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and browned

► 1 tsp. vanilla

► ½ tsp. kosher salt

► 2 tsp. cornstarch

► 1 tbsp. whiskey or bourbon

► 1 egg, beaten with water, for egg wash

► Granulated sugar, for dusting

Steps:

1. In a large bowl, toss apple and pear slices with sugar, vanilla, salt, cornstarch and whiskey. Allow to sit and macerate for 15 minutes. 

2. Add melted butter and toss before spooning apple mixture into prepared pie dish. Lay second crust on top and press edges to seal.

3. Lightly brush top with egg mixture and dust with cinnamon sugar. 

4. Transfer to oven and bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling and apples are tender, about 25 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.