ChefSteps is a team of chefs, writers, and food lovers who develop recipes, techniques, and guides to help people cook better at home.

ChefSteps

Making a flaky, delicious pie dough is one of the great joys of life, mostly because of the joy it can bring. Push a fork through the top crust and listen to it shatter into softness. The bottom is firm and fully baked, not the soggy bottom most people create unintentionally. The edges of the pie dough are crimped, the edges unfurling in a hundred layers like a croissant. Best of all is the look on people’s faces when they take a bite, let go a deep sigh, and pause to fully enjoy the flavor. How do you make that happen? We set out on a journey to figure out what makes great pie dough. We tested every flour that seemed appropriate, all the fats, hydration levels, and the type of hydration. Our pastry chef, Matthew Woolen, made dozens and dozens of pies, meticulously testing every one. Would a pie dough be better with bread flour or plain all-purpose flour? Butter or shortening? Sugar or not? Here is some of what we learned.