• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Baking the Goods

Step by step baking recipes with heaps of sass from Becky Sue.

  • Recipes
  • Work With Me
  • ABOUT
  • Contact
Home » All Recipes » Cream Cheese Pie Dough

Cream Cheese Pie Dough

July 21, 2020 By beckysue

Jump to Recipe
Cream Cheese Pie Dough by Baking The Goods
Cream Cheese Pie Dough by Baking The Goods.

I bake a lot of pies. And galettes. And a slightly ridiculous amount of hand pies. I almost exclusively use my All Butter Vodka Pie Dough for all of these recipes. Because it works. It’s a reliable and solid recipe that is easy to make and bakes up like a buttery, tender and flaky dream. I love it and will always use it for my pies. However, I recently started dipping my toe into a new world of pie dough and this Cream Cheese Pie Dough recipe needs to be shared.

This recipe stems from my classic All Butter Vodka Pie Dough but is a difference experience altogether. There are new flavors and textures happening in this dough, giving it that something extra.

All I did here was slightly adapt my original recipe for that All Butter Vodka Pie Dough. The vodka is still in there to give it that signature flaky crust. If you aren’t down with vodka, you can sub in apple cider vinegar. Both help create a more tender dough and evaporate faster than water when baking, resulting in a flakier crust. Ice cold water works too. Don’t stress, it’s gonna be great no matter which direction you go.

As always, I use high quality, European style butter with a higher fat content. It gives pie dough a superior flavor and texture that can’t be matched. The changes comes from the incorporation of cream cheese and pulling back a bit on hydration, since the cream cheese itself has a lot of moisture. I use a little less salt and that’s it. We still use the same techniques and tools. The changes are minimal but the end results are major.

Now, let’s break down what the cream cheese brings to the table:

Now, let’s break down what the cream cheese brings to the table:
  • Taste: The cream cheese adds a richer, tangy undertone that compliments sweet fruit fillings beautifully. And would add a creamy compliment to savory fillings.
  • Texture: The cream cheese gives the pie dough an almost velvety texture. It feels more luxurious and tender. The edges don’t have quite the same crisp breakage in the bite as my traditional pie dough. But, the flakiness is still there and the crust is unbelievably tender.
  • Workability: I’d say this Cream Cheese Pie Dough is actually a bit easier to work with than my traditional pie dough. The cream cheese lends a pliability that makes it roll out smoother and more easily.

I can’t pick a favorite between this recipe and my All Butter Vodka Pie Dough recipe, they are so different and offer their own delights. But, I truly love having the option of this Cream Cheese Pie Dough when I want to add a little luxury to my pie, hand pie and galette recipes. Using this recipe in my Cherry Hand Pies with Cream Cheese Crust recipe is one of the best pairings I’ve ever made. The Cream Cheese Pie Dough gives the hand pies a elegant cheesecake flavor that really elevates the whole deal. The interplay between the cream cheese and cherry is really something special to be experienced. I suspect this pie dough would be pretty spectacular with my Ricotta, Potato & Spring Pea Galette or my Huckleberry Hand Pies.

So next time you bake a pie, take things up a notch and give this Cream Cheese Pie Dough a try.

Cream Cheese Pie Dough ingredients
This Cream Cheese Pie Dough recipe uses just a handful of ingredients: All Purpose Flour, granulated sugar, fine sea salt, unsalted butter, ice cold vodka and cream cheese!
Cream Cheese Pie Dough mixing
Using a food processor isn’t necessary for this pie dough but does make it quicker and easier to mix up. If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix with a pastry blender or just your hands. Lots of options!
Mixing Cream Cheese Pie Dough
Blitz the dry ingredients with the cold butter cubes and chunks of cream cheese until the texture turns into pea sized granules.
Adding vodka to Cream Cheese Pie Dough
Slowly add the ice cold vodka, mixing just until the dough starts to come together. It should still look shaggy and have some dry bits of flour.
  • Once hydrated properly, the dough will still have a rough texture.
  • Give the dough a squeeze to check the hydration.
  • See how it holds together after a gentle squeeze? That means it’s perfectly hydrated.
Forming Cream Cheese Pie Dough
Transfer the dough to a clean, smooth surface before shaping it into two discs.
Cream Cheese Pie Dough discs
Gather the dough into 2 disks. There is no need to roll or knead the dough, you just gather and pat it together.
Cream Cheese Pie Dough ready to roll
To roll out the pie dough, flour up that surface. The cream cheese in this dough makes it slightly stickier than my classic All Butter Vodka Pie Dough.
Cutting Cream Cheese Pie Dough
This dough rolls out like a velvety smooth dream. I love working with this dough. It’s especially great for making hand pies.
Cherry Hand Pies with Cream Cheese Pie Dough
This rich pie dough is perfect for my Cherry Hand Pies with Cream Cheese Crust. It adds a whole other dimension of flavor and texture to these cute little hand pies.
Cherry Hand Pies with Cream Cheese Crust
Look at all of those delicately, tender layers in that rich and luxurious dough surrounding my Cherry Hand Pies with Cream Cheese Crust. Sooo dreamy.
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Cream Cheese Pie Dough by Baking The Goods

Cream Cheese Pie Dough


  • Author: Becky Sue of Baking The Goods
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 pie dough disks
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This versatile pie dough is luxuriously rich, made with smooth and tangy cream cheese for the most tender texture ever. European style butter and vodka give the dough an unmatchable flakiness perfect for pies, hand pies and galettes.


Ingredients

Units
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (- cold and cut into 1/2" – 1/4" cubes)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (- cold and divided into 1/2" – 1/4" hunks)
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons vodka (or apple cider vinegar or water) (- ice cold )
  • 1–2 tablespoons water (- ice cold )

Instructions

  1. If using a food processor, place flour, sugar and salt in food processor bowl and pulse a few times to mix.
    If mixing by hand, place the flour, sugar and salt in mixing bowl with high sides and whisk together.
  2. Cut the butter and cream cheese into 1/4"- 1/2" cubes. If they start to warm up or soften, place back in the fridge to firm back up for a few minutes.
  3. If you have a food processor, you can use it to mix the pie dough. Place the dry ingredients, cubed butter and cream cheese in 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 and cream cheese 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.
  4. If using a food processor; while pulsing, slowly pour the vodka (or apple cider vinegar or water) through the feed tube just until combined. 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 pinching it occasionally.
    If you aren't using a food processor, use a pastry blender or fork to combine the vodka into the dough and slowly add ice water if necessary.
    *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.
  5. Form the dough into two disks and wrap them in plastic wrap or place them in a reusable, sealable baggie. Chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before rolling and forming.
    If you don't plan on using the dough 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.
    This dough will last at least a couple of months if wrapped up tightly in the freezer. Defrost the frozen dough overnight in the fridge before using or on the counter 1.5 -2 hours before using.
  6. Allow the Cream Cheese Pie Dough to sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before rolling it out. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough disk into a 11" – 12" round, about 1/8" thick. Then use as desired for any pie, hand pie or galette recipe.

Notes

This dough will last at least a couple of months if wrapped up tightly in the freezer. Defrost the frozen dough overnight in the fridge before using or on the counter 1.5 -2 hours before using.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: hand pies

Keywords: all butter pie dough, cream cheese hand pie dough, cream cheese pie dough, galette dough, hand pie dough, pie dough, vodka pie dough

Questions? Hot tip?

Baking the Goods on Instagram & Pinterest

Cream Cheese Pie Dough by Baking The Goods

Filed Under: All Recipes, Basics, Pie Dough Tagged With: all butter vodka pie dough, butter pie dough, cream cheese pie dough, hand pie dough, pie, pie dough, vodka pie dough

Previous Post: « Pear Berry Cobbler
Next Post: Cherry Hand Pies with Cream Cheese Crust »

Primary Sidebar

Sign up for email

Best of Baking the Goods, right to your inbox.



California Date Cookbook

banner: California Date Cookbook featuring 3 recipes from Baking the Goods

Skillshare

Learn to bake Picture Perfect Pie - video at Skillshare.com

Baking Steel

banner: Baking the Gods is a Baking Steel Ambassador

Foodgawker & Tastespotting

banner: Baking the Goods on Foodgawker

Pinterest

Follow Baking the Goods' board Baking The Goods on Pinterest.

Copyright © 2023 · Becky Sue Wilberding · Baking The Goods LLC - Oregon, USA · WordPress · Privacy Policy