Tried adding a tablespoon of vinegar to my pie dough and it changed everything

I've been making pies for like 8 years now and always struggled with tough crusts. Last week I saw a baker on YouTube toss a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into her flour mix before adding butter. I figured why not try it on my apple pie for Sunday dinner. The dough rolled out way easier and didn't shrink weird in the pan like usual. The crust came out super flaky and tender, not tough at all. Has anyone else experimented with acids in their dough, or is this just some weird hack that only worked once for me?

2 comments

2 Comments

jasonc509d ago

nah bro you're making a whole pie, not solving world hunger lol. i've seen folks swear by vodka in their crust too but tbh i just use cold butter and don't overwork it. like you're telling me a spoonful of vinegar is the difference between a good crust and a bad one? i've had plenty of flaky crusts without it, seems like people just need a reason to feel fancy in the kitchen. but hey if it works for you and you're not hurting anyone, go off. i'll pass though, my grandma's recipe doesn't need a chemistry lesson.

davis.linda9d ago

Nah, you're right that vodka isn't a magic bullet, but it's not about being fancy either. It just evaporates faster than water so you can add more liquid without developing too much gluten.