If You're Not Using Vodka In Your Pie Crust, What Are You Doing?

At least once a year, we line up the pie plates, dust off the sacred family pie crust recipe, and bake up a batch of pumpkin, pecan, chocolate silk, or fruit-based pies. Inevitably, the family bakers compare recipes, problems, and pies, trying to discern how each fared against the others. One question always surfaces: "How'd you create such a perfect crust?"

Most pie crust recipes call for three main ingredients: water, flour, and butter (or another fat alternative). When water combines with flour, it promotes the creation of gluten, which gives pie dough some needed flexibility to roll and mold into a pie plate. However, too much water can cause a substantial amount of gluten formation and render the mixture tough. This typically results in a hard crust that few will find edible. 

Why do some pie crusts have the buttery flavor and perfectly flaky crust that could win a Food Network baking championship while others are dense, tough, and crunchy? It's likely your pie crust recipe is missing one essential ingredient: vodka. 

Vodka plays a special role in baking, particularly when you want a firm, tender, and delicious pie crust. Unlike water, vodka adds liquid but naturally inhibits gluten development. Often, too much gluten is the culprit for tough crusts that crack easily and taste chewy — the opposite of what you'd expect from a pie crust.

When some of the water in a pie crust recipe is substituted for unflavored vodka, it gives the dough just enough moisture to blend and hold together — without gluten interfering. This minimal gluten prevents unwanted cracking or holes in the dough as it's rolled out, and gives a pie crust its beautifully light and flaky texture.  One other tip — use cold vodka when making your pie crust. It makes all the difference.  

Exactly how much vodka is needed for a pie crust? Depends on who you ask. Chef and author J. Kenji López-Alt created a vodka-based pie crust recipe that calls for a quarter-cup of vodka. Other recipes leave the discretion to the baker, but estimate using anywhere from a couple of tablespoons to a quarter-cup. Vodka is a forgiving liquid, so if you use a little more, it'll burn off during the baking process, and won't be discernible by taste once the filling is added. If you're not sure, just search "vodka pie crust" online and select a recipe that speaks to you.