Spiced All-Butter Pie Crust – A Flaky Festive Twist

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A festive twist on a classic, spiced all-butter pie crust is perfectly crisp and flaky. It’s perfect for any and all holiday treats like apples pies, pumpkin pies, pear tarts, persimmon galettes, and sweet potato pie.

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Pie crust is one of those dishes, like cakes and stews, that can get stuck in a rut. Once you find a good one, you just want to keep using it forever!

And don’t get me wrong! A deliciously crisp, flaking pie crust under layers of pumpkin or apples makes my mouth water too. But every once in a while, I like to change things up.

More than that, the holidays are a time for decadence right? So why not add just a tiny touch of some sparkle to our pie crust and take it from mouthwatering to mind blowing?

I say yes! Enter: the spiced all-butter pie crust of my dreams.

(Also note: You can use this on more than just conventional pies. Try it with this wintry Persimmon and Ginger Galette or even this Savory Mushroom and Leek Galette for more unique recipes.)

Want something small and customizable? Try using this pie crust in some mini leftover chicken pot pies or these adorable assorted mini galettes – sweet or savory, you choose!

Why all-butter pie crust?

Because it’s good.

Kidding. (Sort of.) That is a big part of it. All-butter pie crusts are delicious…really anything all-butter is delicious.

But an even bigger reason than buttery goodness is the crisp and flake factor. All butter crusts are made by layering huge clumps of butter with flour and salt. When the butter melts as it cooks it creates pockets of thin dough which leads to extra flaky and crispy crust!

Want yet another reason? All-butter pie crusts are easier. Yep. No cutting in shortening or sugar or powders. All you need is flour, butter, salt, and vodka (or water). And then whatever spices you choose!

Why vodka?

Have you ever bitten into a pie crust expecting it to crumble and flake in your mouth and it’s tough or chewy? Talk about disappointing.

That happens because there was too much moisture and water in the dough. All that water combines with flour proteins and creates gluten. Gluten in a binding agent. Good for bread. Not good for pies.

Vodka is only 60% water, which means it adds moisture and binds the dough without forming chewy gluten. (This also means if you accidentally add too much, it’s not as much of a headache.)

Vodka has no noticeable taste when baked into a pie crust. And all that alcohol will evaporate as it cooks, so you won’t be intoxicating anyone.

How to make a flaky spiced all-butter pie crust

It’s not a difficult process! Spiced all-butter pie crusts are just as easy as regular pie crusts, especially if you are only using butter.

1. Combine the dry ingredients.
2. Toss in your cold butter, cubed. Mix until at the correct consistency.
3. Add your liquid in slowly. Mix until the dough forms a ball.
4. Separate into two parts. (One slightly larger for the bottom crust.) Wrap in plastic. Chill.
5. Take out and roll and shape.

But of course there are a few key things to remember…

Use a bit less flour if you are adding spices. Even the slightest change in ratio can change a pie crust. Consistency is key. Adding in an extra tablespoon of dry ingredients can make for less flaky, tougher dough. In a spiced all-butter pie crust, cut down on the flour to make room for spices. If you are choosing the regular ol’ un-spiced all-butter pie crust version, keep the flour ratio the same.

Keep all your ingredients cold. This is very important when working with an all butter crust. If the butter melts before you’re done mixing you won’t have the consistency you need to create a flaky crust. You need chunks of unmelted, unmixed butter for that! That means the butter and the water/vodka should be cold! Cut your butter into cubes then keep in the fridge until you are ready to use. Add it to the dry ingredients fresh out of the fridge.

Don’t mix all the butter. It seems strange, I know, but you want to leave a few medium-sized butter pieces in your mixture (think chickpea or lima bean, smaller than the cube you dropped in but not tiny). These are what keeps your crust so buttery and flaky! Mix all of the butter in too finely and you end up with a yummy crust, just not as much crumble and flake.

Mix with your hands or a food processor. I prefer to mix the butter and flour with my hands so I have more control over the consistency of the dough. And I know I can stop while there are still big enough butter chunks. But there’s no denying a food process is much easier! Just take care and keep an eye on consistency.

Add the liquid in slowly. I cannot stress how important this is! It’s a painstaking step, I know. But it makes such a huge difference to your dough. Start with 1-2 tablespoons of water and toss with your hands or a fork to see how well the dough comes together. Keep adding, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together when pressed. It shouldn’t be sticky. When you pull it apart, you want the dough to separate easily, but not crumble. (A tiny bit of crumble is good. Look at the photo for help!)

If you get to a point where it’s almost there, don’t just dump another tablespoon in. Drop your water/vodka in just a sprinkle at a time until it’s perfect. Slow and painstaking, yes, but the result is SO worth it!

Make one half slightly larger. The bottom crust will need a bit more crust, so don’t divide your dough directly in half.

Chill for at least 30 minutes to an hour before rolling. If not overnight! This will re-solidify the butter and keep your dough easy to work with. If it’s cold, you’ll even be able to make some designs. Make sure you press the dough into disks before you wrap it up. Balls of dough are cute, but they are very hard to roll when they’ve been chilled. Disks are the best shape for an easy roll after chilling.

Take it out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before rolling. Not totally necessary, but it is very helpful when it comes to rolling. It’s a real pain to try to roll solid butter. A little resting beforehand will keep the butter cold but make it much easier to roll and shape as need be. Otherwise you’ll be beating it with your rolling pin in frustration. (I’ve definitely never done this myself…)

Do I have to use Vodka in an all-butter pie crust?

Of course not. It’s your pie, do what you will with it.

In fact, changing the alcohol can change the whole character of your pie so it’s a fun element to experiment with. The real key is just to stick with a hard liquor with lower water content. You can use bourbon, whisky, brandy, rum, gin, scotch (why would you waste it though?!), and even some flavored liqueurs. Try out new versions and have fun with this part.

Alcohol pairings I’d recommend: bourbon and pecans, rum and chocolate, gin and rose or lychee (floral or light fruits), brandy and apple

If you are dead-set against alcohol, you can use plain ice water too. Just be very careful and add in slowly. Another tip: try adding just a teaspoon or two of vinegar. Vinegar acts to stop the binding of gluten so your crust will be a little flakier.

Can I change which spices I used in spiced all-butter pie crust?

Yes! It’s actually a good idea to change up your spices based on what filling you’ll be using.

I chose cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon because I thought those went best with my filling: cranberries and apples. (The recipe for the Spiced Cranberry Apple Pie is in my new Thanksgiving eBook. Check it out here!) In this case I matched some of the filling spices to the pie crust.

But you can change it up and either blend the spices between crust and filling like I did or try something totally different and complementary.

Sweet Spices I’d recommend: Ginger, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Allspice, Vanilla Bean

Savory Spices: Parmesan (or other hard cheese), Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic, Ginger, Allspice, Sage

Can I freeze homemade pie crust?

Absolutely. You can freeze spiced all-butter pie crust either once its been wrapped in plastic wrap or once it’s in its pie plate. (Don’t freeze it in a glass dish! Use metal or disposable ones.)

If you’ve frozen it before it’s rolled, take it out about 30 minutes before you intend to roll it out to let it defrost.

How long does homemade pie crust keep?

You can keep it in the fridge for about 1 week if it’s well wrapped in plastic. All-butter pie crust is definitely make-ahead friendly.

In the freezer it will keep for up to 6 months. So you could start your Thanksgiving prep in June… (But that’s sort of like buying all your Christmas presents in April.) Besides, you won’t be able to keep a delicious pie crust in your freezer that long without eating it will you?

How do I get the pie crust into the pie dish?

Simple. Roll it out on some wax paper. When you are ready to place it in your dish, place the pie pan upside down on top of your crust. Flip the whole ensemble over and allow the crust to settle into the dish. Remove the wax paper from the crust and arrange as desired!

Do I need to blind bake all-butter pie crust?

If you are going to be baking a custard filling, then yes. You should blind bake your spiced all-butter pie crust (or a regular all-butter pie crust too!)

What is blind baking? Simply, baking your pie crust a little before you pour the filling in. Blind baking ensures your crust will finish cooking the same time as your pie filling. (Custard pies will often finish baking before the crust is done.)

Blind baking will also keep your crust crispy rather than soggy from wet filling.

To blind bake, place your pie crust in its dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. And bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until it’s fully set. Allow to cool slightly before adding your filling.