Butter vs shortening in pie crusts, after 12 attempts I finally picked a side

I baked 6 pies with butter and 6 with shortening over the last two weeks and butter won by a landslide for flavor but shortening gave me that perfect flaky look, anyone else feel like you have to choose between taste and texture?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_william2d ago

That half and half approach really is the sweet spot. I started doing the same thing after a few lopsided attempts, and it solves the whole argument right there. Also, if you freeze your butter like Emma said and then grate it into the flour, it gives you even more of those little flaky layers.

emma_dixon703d ago

Honestly I've been in that same spot. Butter tastes way better but it never looks as nice as the shortening version. The trick I landed on is using half butter half shortening, gives you the flavor and the flakes at the same time. Also chill your butter pieces really well before mixing, like stick them in the freezer for 15 minutes first.

jennifer_jenkins2d ago

Wait, are we really out here stressing about perfect pie crust flakes like it's some kind of life-or-death test? It's just pie, try the half-and-half thing if you want, or don't.