Learned the hard way that cold butter is ruining your pie crust, not helping it

Mason Fisher · 2026-10-02T18:25:03.527604+00:00

I used to freeze my butter solid before making pie dough because that's what every old recipe says, right? Then a baker friend from Vermont stayed with us and watched me struggle to work frozen butter into flour for like 20 minutes, and she just shook her head. She told me the sweet spot is butter that's cold but still bendable, like 60 to 65 degrees, and the reason is that frozen butter shatters into tiny pieces that don't create those flat flakes you want. When it's slightly soft, you can smear it between your fingers into flat sheets, and those sheets are what make the crust flaky instead of crumbly. I tried it on my next batch, a double crust apple pie, and my husband actually asked what bakery I bought it from. So now I pull my butter out 30 minutes before I start, cut it into cubes, and check it by pressing a piece flat with my thumb. If it cracks, it's too cold, if it squishes easy, it's too warm. What temp do you all keep your butter at when you make dough?

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Learned the hard way that cold butter is ruining your pie crust, not helping it | Bakers - Topic Shares