Adding liquor to pastry dough can have several benefits in the baking process. According to Sarah Fennel, a baker and founder of Broma Bakery, any type of liquor can be used as long as it's 80-proof or above. Plain spirits like vodka, rum, gin, or whiskey are recommended over flavored liqueurs. The alcohol content in liquor evaporates during baking, resulting in a flakier and crispier crust. It also makes the dough more liquidy and easier to work with when rolling or shaping.