Vodka Is the Secret to a Perfectly Flaky Pie Crust

Mashed potatoes, stuffing, and macaroni and cheese are common components of a Thanksgiving feast. However, the meal isn’t complete without desserts like pumpkin or pecan pie. If you want to achieve a light and flaky crust for your holiday menu, All Recipes suggests a secret ingredient you may have never considered: vodka.   

The science behind the trick is simple. Unlike water, which most pie crust recipes call for, alcohol doesn’t cause gluten growth. Gluten is a protein found in wheat. When exposed to water, the proteins bind together and become stronger, which causes the dough to get thicker and tougher. 

Guy Crosby, former science editor at America's Test Kitchen and author of The Science of Good Cooking, told All Recipes, “The alcohol in vodka does not develop gluten like water does. So adding vodka adds liquid that helps to make the dough more workable and pliable without developing tougher gluten.”  

If you’ll be serving your pie to alcohol-sensitive individuals, All Recipes suggests using apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar as an alternative to vodka in the crust. Like alcohol, the liquids don’t promote gluten growth.

You can also get a perfect, golden-brown pie crust using a brown paper bag. Start by following a recipe to prepare your pie. Then, grab a food-grade paper bag with no branding, puff out the edges, and place the pie inside. Wrapping the dish in parchment paper will also do if you don’t have a bag. Place the covered dessert on a sheet pan, stick it in the oven, and follow the recipe baking instructions. You’ll want to ensure the bag or parchment paper isn’t touching any part of the oven, too. The trick works by distributing heat evenly across the pie’s surface. Cutting a circle from the top of the material near the end of the cook time will achieve the best results.

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