An Ode to Butter Crust

There are generally three fat options when it comes to pie crust: vegetable shortening, animal fat, or butter. Pie makers tend to have strong opinions on which is best. The main considerations are ease of use and the flavor and texture of the finished product. Butter has the reputation for being the most difficult to work with, which might make a baker wonder if it’s worthwhile to make a butter crust.

For some bakers, vegetable shortening is a viable option. It is pure fat that is solid at room temperature, it’s usually vegan, and it makes a tender dough that is perhaps the easiest to work with. That said, it does have its pitfalls. The main drawbacks for me are that vegetable shortening is far removed from nature, not to mention completely devoid of flavor—you won’t find it in my recipes.