DIY Whole Wheat Pie Crust
DIY whole wheat pie crust skips the shortening, using grated frozen butter and tender whole wheat pastry flour for a flaky, nutty all-butter crust. An egg and ice water hold it together. Roll, fill, and bake sweet or savory pies.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
20 minHomemade pie crust, no shortening and no stand mixer required. The secret here is twofold: grated frozen butter for flakiness, and whole wheat pastry flour, which is milled finer and lower in protein than regular whole wheat, so the crust comes out tender and nutty instead of tough and heavy.
Grating frozen butter is a trick worth keeping. It scatters tiny, cold flecks of butter through the flour in seconds, and those bits melt and steam in the oven to create flaky layers, the same job that cutting in cold butter does, but faster and more evenly. Keep it frozen until the moment it goes in, since warm butter is the enemy of flaky.
An egg whisked into ice water binds the dough and keeps the whole-wheat crust from crumbling apart. When you fit it into the plate, press it gently and never stretch it, or it’ll shrink right back as it bakes.
The recipe yields two crusts, so freeze the spare for next time.
Chef Tips
- Keep the butter frozen and the water icy. Cold fat is what makes the layers flaky, not greasy.
- Don’t stretch the dough into the pan, or it will shrink during baking.
- For a pre-baked shell, dock the base with a fork so it doesn’t puff and bubble.
Variations
- Use it for sweet pies, or for savory bakes like quiche and pot pie.
- Whisk a spoonful of sugar into the flour for dessert pies.
- Blend in some all-purpose flour for a lighter, less hearty crust.
Ingredients
Directions
Fill a drinking glass with water and stick a few ice cubes in it while you grate the frozen butter. (Avoid using a box grater as the butter will stick to the inside.)
Place butter in the freezer until you’re ready to use it.
Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Take the ice water and measure out ¼ cup into a 1-cup measuring cup.
Crack the egg into the measured ice water and beat with a fork.
Grab the grated butter from the freezer and dump it into the dry ingredients.
Using your fingers, break up the butter if it clumps together to thoroughly combine everything.
Pour in the egg-water mixture and stir with a hefty spoon.
Add a tablespoon or two of water if it seems dry.
Gather all the dough into one lump.
Divide it in half. If you’re not using both crusts, wrap one half in plastic wrap, place it in a freezer bag and freeze it.
Or put it in the fridge if you plan on using it within a couple of days.
Using a wet washrag or your wet hands, moisten the countertop and place a piece of wax paper over top. It shouldn’t slide anywhere.
Sprinkle flour over the wax paper and place your dough ball in the center, flattening it like a disk.
Start rolling it out, working from the center to the outsides.
Turn your pie plate upside down on the dough and cut dough with a sharp knife about an inch larger than the pie plate.
Remove the dough from the wax paper by rolling the dough up onto the rolling pin while peeling away the paper underneath.
Gently lift the dough up and over to the pie plate, centering it as you unroll it from the rolling pin.
Press the dough into the pie plate, but don’t stretch it. (It will shrink when it bakes.)
Fold the ragged edges of the pie crust under the side of the plate. If you want, you can flute the edges. If you’re making an apple pie or something where the crust isn’t pre-baked, it’s ready to use.
If you’re baking the crust by itself, preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃) F and poke a lot of holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork to keep it from bubbling up.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges just barely start to turn brown. (Don’t let the raw dough sit out for too long before you bake it. Stick it in the fridge if you need to wait for the oven to heat up.)
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