Update: switched from a cold butter block to frozen grated butter in my pie dough and it finally stopped shrinking

Barbara Schmidt · 2026-10-29T01:55:06.915239+00:00

For years I did the cold cubed butter thing, cut it in with a pastry blender until it looked like coarse meal, and my crusts always pulled away from the pan and slumped down the sides. Back in March I tried a tip from an old baker in Duluth who said to freeze the stick solid, grate it on a box grater, then toss it with the flour and ice water. First try the dough held its shape, and after 6 pies now there's barely any shrink at all. I think the grated bits stay cold longer and get flatter, so the layers are more even. Anyone else grate frozen butter, and do you do it for biscuits too or just pies?

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Update: switched from a cold butter block to frozen grated butter in my pie dough and it finally stopped shrinking | Bakers - Guest Forum