Get out a 9” (23cm) pie plate that’s oven-safe and suitable for transitioning from the fridge or freezer to a hot oven (refer to the post for additional information - I use this one). Do not grease.

In the bowl of a food processor equipped with an S-blade, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Pulse a few times.

Switch the processor to the lowest speed and add the butter. Process until you have pea-sized bits of butter; avoid overprocessing.

Evenly drizzle vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar over the mixture.

Process briefly until the dough starts coming together; it should have a shaggy appearance rather than forming a uniform ball. Pinch some together, and if it holds without being excessively crumbly, it's ready. Be cautious not to add too much water, as an excess leads to a non-flaky pie crust. If needed, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time. If you can form a disc without it crumbling apart, it's another indication that it's ready.

Place the dough in the center of a large piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a flat disc, approximately 1” (2.5cm) or slightly less. If it remains crumbly and doesn't form a disc, it requires a touch more water.

Chill the dough for a minimum of 45 minutes and up to 2 days.

Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper and place the unwrapped dough on it. Sprinkle a small amount of flour over the dough.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap or another piece of parchment paper and roll it out to be approximately 1/2” (1 1/4 cm) wider than the top circumference of your pie plate.

Remove the plastic wrap or parchment covering the pie crust, place the ungreased pie pan on top of the dough, and flip over the dough and pan. Press the dough down around the edges at the bottom of the pan, then remove the parchment paper.

Fold the dough so that it aligns with the edges and crimp the rim.

If your recipe calls for baking the filling in an unbaked pie crust, then chill the crust, uncovered, for 15 minutes before filling and following your pie recipe instructions.

Cover the pie crust loosely with plastic wrap and transfer it to the freezer (not the fridge!) for 45 minutes.

While it chills, preheat the oven to 400 °F (205 °C) and position a baking sheet on the lower third baking rack.

Line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or beans. Many suggest filling them to the top, but I found success just filling the bottom.

Gently place the pan on the now-hot baking sheet and bake for 20-23 minutes or until the crimped edges lightly brown.

Remove the weights and parchment paper and continue baking the crust for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the crust's bottom is dry and beginning to brown. If you need a fully baked pie crust (like for a pie with a no-bake filling), bake until the bottom of the crust is a nice golden brown - about 1-3 minutes more.

Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before filling. Letting it cool for at least 30 minutes ensures a crisp crust.