Perfect Pie Dough

By miss5elements

Recipe created by Cheryl Slocum
Oprah.com | October 06, 2009

Make sure your sweetest creations have that extra homemade taste with this perfect dough.

Servings: Makes 1 (9-inch) piecrust, 25–30 cookies, or 6–8 tartlets

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa, preferably Dutch-processed (for chocolate dough only)
• 12 Tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Stir together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. If making chocolate dough, also add cocoa.

Use a pastry blender or a fork to cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter throughout. (Or combine dry ingredients in a food processor, then pulse in butter.)

Drizzle in 1 to 2 tablespoons of ice water at a time (up to 6 tablespoons total), tossing after each addition, and using only enough water to make dough clump together when squeezed. Add vanilla (if using).