Why You Should Be Adding Vodka to Your Piecrust

Important baking news: We recently came across a life-changing (well, dessert-changing) recipe for the flakiest piecrust maybe ever. And it’s all thanks to one very weird last-minute addition.

The secret ingredient? Vodka.

Seriously, it’s magic. We read about the trick inthisCook’s Illustratedrecipe, which rightfully calls itself “foolproof.”

The vodka works for two reasons. First, it makes the dough feel way more moist and easier to work with. Second, the ethanol in the vodka stops the gluten in the flour from binding, making for a more tender end product.

And since we know you’re wondering, yes, the alcohol cooks off, so there’s no need to worry about a) your pie tasting weird or b) getting your kids drunk.