Flaky Pie Dough (Using Fresh Milled Flour)

Anytime I hear the word pie I think of both savory and sweet. This flaky pie dough using fresh milled flour will be perfect if you are needing to make holiday pies or dinner for you and a friend.

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Simple Ingredients

3 cups of Fresh Milled Flour (Soft White Wheat)

1 cup of Grass-Fed Butter (unsalted and frozen)

3 tbsp Beef Tallow

1 tbsp of Maple Syrup

3/4 tsp of Salt

2/3 cup Ice Cold Water (start with 4-6 tbsp, add more as it will depend on what type of flour you are using)

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, maple syrup and salt in a bowl.
2. Using a cheese grater, grate the frozen butter. It will come out into perfect little slivers that will eventually mix well into the flour, creating a beautiful crust. When done grating, add the cold frozen butter to the flour mixture. You can use a pastry blender or your hands and really cut the butter into the flour so it’s evenly distributed. You can also use a food processor but don’t overwork the dough.
3. Add the beef tallow (or lard) to the bowl.
4. Now, add the ice cold water. I used exactly 11 tbsp with the soft white wheat flour but start slowly using 4-6 tbsp. Depending on what kind of flour you use, you may need more or less water. Depending on what kind of flour you use, you may need more or less water. Using your hands, gently knead or mix it all together forming a ball.
5. Divide the dough in half and form into two discs. Wrap each half in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 days. I like to go on the longer time, especially with fresh milled flour.
6. Pull the dough out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. I ended up needing to add a little more water as my dough was a little dry when I pulled it from the fridge. Next, place another piece of parchment paper on top. Roll it out according to the width of the pie plate you are using. You’ll go back and forth and side to side. Leave at least a 1 inch border for the edge of the pie, depending on if you crimp the edges. Make sure your dough is about 1/8” – 1/4” thick.
7. Carefully, place your pie dough in the bottom of the pie plate (I used a 9 inch). Fill it up with your favorite filling, bake and enjoy!

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Why Use Beef Tallow?

First and most important, beef tallow will not make your apple pie crust taste like a steak haha. Beef tallow pretty much has no flavor so it’s perfect to use in a pie crust. It will make it super flaky, similar to using lard.

Beef tallow is rendered fat from the cow and any fat will give the flour a flaky texture. When using fresh milled flour, the fiber and bran in the wheat can make your crust a little stiff. The beef tallow will make it so nice and flaky.

TIPS on Achieving a Flaky Pie Crust

1. Make sure your butter and water are ice cold. It’s important not to skip this step. The fat (butter, tallow, lard) stays solid and will prevent the dough from becoming tough.
2. When pulling the dough out of the fridge and ready for rolling, make sure you are quick about it. Chilled dough is easier to handle. Plus, your dough won’t shrink when baking.
3. Be careful not to mix your dough too much as it can make the crust too tough. Pie dough can be mixed by hand or in a food processor.
4. Place your ball of dough on parchment paper and then roll it out. The paper will be easy to transfer the crust to the pie plate.
5. The ideal thickness of your pie crust should be between 1/8” and 1/4”. Try not to go too thick as it will be tough. The bottom crust can be a little thicker but the top one needs to be thinner.
6. To keep your pie crust from burning, wrap the outer edges in tin foil. Alternatively, you can use a pie shield.

Does Pie Crust Freeze Well?

I actually like to make my pie crusts several at a time and pop them in the freezer. That way, you get dirty with the dough in one shot haha. You can also make a pie pretty quick for those impromptu gatherings. Freeze the round discs by placing the wrapped dough in a ziplock bag. You can also form the pie crust in a pie plate. Let it freeze for an hour. Then, pop it in a ziplock bag. They will store for 2 months. Don’t forget to write the date on the outside of the bag.

Is Fresh Milled Flour Nutritious?

Yes, it is. When I tell others I mill my own flour, they either look at me like I have three heads or I am living in the stone ages haha. I do live in the country and have a farm but we can’t grow wheat here in Florida. If we could, I definitely would be growing it! After many years of being sick, I turned to fresh milled flour. My gut was a wreck and lacking so much nutrition. Contrary to what is being said (even with functional doctors), real wheat straight from the field is so good for us. 

•  Nutrition: Fresh milled flour retains the grain’s bran, germ, and endosperm, preserving vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that degrade in commercial flour.

These components have various effects on our bodies:

• Bran and fiber slow the breakdown of starch into glucose—thus maintaining a steady blood sugar rather than causing sharp spikes.
• Fiber helps lower cholesterol as well as move waste through the digestive tract.
• Fiber may also help prevent the formation of small blood clots that can trigger heart attacks or strokes.
• Phytochemicals and essential minerals such as magnesium, selenium and copper found in whole grains may protect against some cancers.

Recipes That Use Flaky Pie Dough

Cherry Galette

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Easy Baked Hand Pies

Items Used in This Recipe

Fresh Milled Flour (receive 20% off) and Grains (receive 15% off)

Food Processor

Pastry Cutter

Rolling Pin (Mine is antique but I love that this one is made in the USA)

Parchment Paper

Grain Mill (Receive $20 off)

Real Salt

Resources

https://nutritionsource.hsps.harvard.edu/whatshouldieat/wholegrains

Wang J, Chatzidimitriou E, Wood L, Hasanalieva G, Markelou E, Iversen PO, Seal C, Baranski M, Vigar V, Ernst L, Willson A, Thapa M, Barkla BJ, Leifert C, Rempelos L. Effect of wheat species (Triticum aestivum vs T. spelta), farming system (organic vs conventional) and flour type (wholegrain vs white) on composition of wheat flour – Results of a retail survey in the UK and Germany – 2. Antioxidant activity, and phenolic and mineral content. Food Chem X. 2020 May 4;6:100091. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2020.100091. PMID: 32420543; PMCID: PMC7215096.

The Essential Home-Ground Flour book by Sue Becker

I hope you enjoy making this pie dough. Your family will love it too! Tag me over on Instagram if you make it. I’d love to see how yours turns

Medical Disclaimer:

The content on our website is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice. It is also not intended to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Wendy Walker, NTP (Little House Simple Living) and the publisher of this content do not take responsibility. This applies to any health consequences that might occur. It applies to any person reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content should consult their physicians. This is especially true for those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications. They should do this before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

Wendy Lea Walker, NTP

Nutritional Therapy Practitioner

I’m Wendy. A wife, empty-nester mama, homemaker, homebaker, gardener and small-time farmer. I love sharing wisdom and mistakes I’ve learned along the way. Anyone can garden or homestead, no matter where you live. It’s a mindset. You just have to start somewhere. I believe food is medicine. Feed the body real whole foods and healing will begin.