Question about pie crusts - cold butter vs frozen butter

Last weekend I tried frozen grated butter in a crust recipe and the layers came out great but the dough was a pain to work with. Cold cubed butter gave me easier handling but less flake. Which way do you all think is worth the extra effort?

2 comments

2 Comments

jennysullivan13d ago

Heard this EXACT debate on a baking podcast last week, and the host said frozen grated butter is the way to go if you want that super flaky texture but you gotta chill the flour and bowl first. I tried it myself after listening, and yeah the dough was a pain to handle but I just let it rest in the fridge for like 20 minutes before rolling and it worked way smoother. Cold cubed butter gave me decent layers but nothing compared to that frozen grating method, honestly the extra fuss is worth it for those big flakey pockets.

torres.sage13d ago

Tried the frozen grated method myself last winter and it's a game changer. One thing I'd add is to work fast when you're grating the butter directly into the flour, if your hands are warm the butter starts melting right away. I keep a bowl of ice water nearby to dip my fingers in if things get sticky. The 20 minute fridge rest is key, I learned that the hard way when I tried to roll it out immediately and ended up with a greasy mess. For anyone on the fence, just do it once and you'll see the difference in those big flaky layers.