This pie dough recipe from the author of The Book On Pie is made with butter instead of shortening for a perfectly flaky pie crust. 

"This is my go-to pie dough," Erin says. "All buttah, all the time. Butter can be harder for beginners to work with, because it has a lower melting point than fats such as shortening, but the flavor can't be beat. And once you know how to handle the dough, it's easy. The key? Colder is always better when pie dough is involved. When in doubt, toss everything—the ingredients, the bowl, and maybe even the half-mixed dough—into the fridge before proceeding." 

Try it out in her Caramel Apple Pie recipe or to make holiday appetizers like these Pimento Cheese Palmiers and Thanksgiving Hand Pies filled with stuffing. 

Pro Tip: The tightly wrapped disk of dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Wrapped in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using. 

Get Erin's best pie tips here—including exactly how to roll out your dough and crimping techniques, plus everything you need to know about parbaking and blind baking. 

Adapted from The Book On Pie by Erin Jeanne McDowell. Copyright © 2020 by Erin Jeanne McDowell. Used with permission by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.