Flaky Vegan Pie Crust

1. Dry Ingredient Blend

In a spacious mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

2. Shortening Incorporation

Distribute the cold shortening in teaspoon-sized pieces across the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles a coarse, pebbly meal.

3. Moistening Mixture

Stir the apple cider vinegar into 1/4 cup of cold water. Drizzle this over the flour mixture in thirds, tossing gently with a fork until the dough begins to come together. If the mixture is too dry, sparingly add the additional water until the dough is pliable.

4. Dough Formation

Collect the dough into a ball and knead it sparingly on a lightly floured surface until it forms a cohesive mass. Flatten into a disk, encase in cling film, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.

5. Rolling Out

On a large sheet of baking parchment, roll the chilled dough into a roughly 12-inch circle, dusting your rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking.

6. Pie Assembly

For a bottom crust: Invert the pastry by lifting the parchment, guiding it into the pie dish. Gently fit it in without stretching, and trim the excess crust from the edges. For a top crust: Carefully invert the rolled-out pastry over your pie filling, trim any excess, and seal the edges by crimping or using a fork to create a patterned edge.