Coconut Pie Dough

Step 1

Place the flour, coconut, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Or combine in a food processor and pulse a few times to mix.

Step 2

Cut the cold butter into 1/4"- 1/2" cubes.

Step 3

If using a food processor, add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients in the food processor. Gently pulse until the flour changes from silky to mealy; this should only take a handful of pulses so watch it carefully.If you don't have a food processor, you can easily cut in the butter by blending the flour mixture with either a pastry blender, two butter knives or even just by squishing it between your fingers, just be careful that the butter doesn't start to melt. You want it to stay cold for a flaky texture.

Step 4

If using a food processor, while pulsing, slowly pour the vodka through the feed tube just until combined. If you aren't using a food processor, use a pastry blender or fork to combine the vodka into the dough.At this point, I like to turn the crumbly dough into a large mixing bowl to check the hydration level of the dough by gathering a small fistful; if it holds together, it’s ready. If it is dry or crumbly, slowly add the ice cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, using a fork to blend. Test the dough by squeezing a small handful together, it should just stick together but not feel heavy or wet or dry and crumbly.*Be careful to add only as much water as it takes to combine the dough into a ball or disk. The exact amount of water can vary depending upon the moisture content of the flour, the quality of the butter, and the weather. When it has the proper amount of water, the dough will come together without much effort or deliberate packing. If you need to add more water, make sure the ingredients are still cold.

Step 5

Form the dough into 2 disks and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1-2 hours before rolling and forming. If you don't plan on using the dough within a few hours or on the day you prepare it, you can store the dough in the freezer. *If it sits in the refrigerator too long, it could start to turn a grayish color.

Step 6

Once your pie dough has chilled, on a lightly-floured counter, roll one disk to 1/8"-1/4" thickness. Use for pies, hand pies or galettes!