Buzz
If your butter-based dough starts to soften too much, you can typically save it by placing it on a cutting board and chilling it in the fridge for a few minutes. After a brief rest, the fats—whether from butter or shortening—will solidify, allowing you to continue working with the dough or transfer it to the pie plate, as long as you act quickly.
During hot weather, especially when the kitchen is warm, this softening moment can sneak up on you. Take a break from rolling your dough for just a moment, and suddenly it’s so delicate and pliable that it tears or squishes when you try to lift it. Even a bench scraper won’t be much help at this point. Forget about transferring it to the pie plate—it won’t stay in one piece.
When it’s hot outside and your kitchen feels like an oven, this problem can happen without warning. You leave your pie dough alone for just a few minutes, and suddenly it becomes so thin and soft that it rips or loses shape when you try to lift it. At this stage, even a bench scraper is useless, and the dough is no longer going anywhere in one piece.
The issue is that the dough now contains softened or liquefied fats. To fix this, you need to chill the fats back into their solid form or get as close to that as possible. Instead of freezing the dough, bring the freezer to it. Grab two or three bags of frozen foods like peas, edamame, or corn and place them on top of the dough. If you're worried about direct contact, you can cover the dough with plastic wrap. (It’s all going to bake at 350°F or 400°F, so it’ll be fine.) Let it sit for five to ten minutes. Afterward, check the dough by lifting a bag to feel the temperature. If the dough feels cool to the touch, you’re good to proceed.
Feeling left out of the pie-making fun? Here are a few tools to get you started:
Pyrex Easy Grab Pie Dish
Fox Run False Bottom Tart Pan
Emile Henry Rectangular Tart Dish
Use enough frozen bags to cover the dough completely, ensuring every part is chilled so you don’t need to keep adjusting the bags or worry about sections of the dough staying soft while others firm up. While almost anything frozen will work, bagged items are great since they don’t have sharp edges that could tear the dough. Small frozen fruits or veggies are perfect as they maximize surface contact with the dough and minimize air pockets. I’ve had great results using frozen blueberries, but ice packs work just as well.
Once the dough has chilled, you’re ready to move it. Sprinkle some flour under the dough because the fats may have absorbed some of it, and then continue working. Roll out the dough, transfer it to the pie plate, and press it gently into the dish. You’re now in a safe zone. If you want, you can place the pie plate in the fridge to chill further while you calmly prepare your pie filling.
