This Homemade Pie Crust Recipe is tender, buttery, and flaky. Tips & tricks that show you how easy making pie crust from scratch is, whether you’re making it with a food processor or by hand.
Easy Homemade Pie Crust Recipe
A good butter pie crust recipe always comes in handy! And the good news is that it’s easier to make than you can imagine.
At the request of many, today I’m sharing my go-to all-butter pie crust recipe. I’ve included all my tips and tricks for the best pie crust whether you’re making it with a food processor or by hand.
This pie crust recipe is buttery, flaky, tender, and taste delicious!
Ingredients to Make Pie Crust from Scratch:
You’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Iced water
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
How to Make Pie Crust from Scratch:
1 – Make the Dough:
- Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine.
- Add chilled butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps.
- Slowly add iced water until the dough just barely begins to hold together.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gather dough together, form one or two disks depending if you are making a single or double recipe, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill.
2 – Roll out the chilled pie dough
After the chilling time, place dough on a floured surface, roll to 1/4″ thick, and place into a pie dish, crimping edges.
3 – Chill again!
Refrigerate for 30 minutes and then proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions.
What is next?
For a double crust fruit pie, such as apple pie, usually, the filling goes directly into a chilled dough-lined pie dish; for a single crust pie, such as sweet potato or pecan pie, I usually blind bake the crust before adding the filling. This prevents the bottom crust from becoming soggy.
How to Blind Bake Pie Crust:
- Line chilled pie shell with a double layer of parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Fill the pie with pie weights (about 1 quart / 950 gr).
- Bake at 400º F (200º C) for 15 – 18 minutes, or until the edges are set and just beginning to turn golden.
- Carefully, remove the pie crust from the oven. Remove weights and paper and return the crust to the oven to continue baking until golden and crisp, 5 – 10 minutes.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I make pie dough without a food processor?
Yes, you can! Read the recipe card for detailed instructions.
Can I make pie dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can make pie dough ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze. Refrigerate the pie crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months. Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap if chilling if you’re freezing it. If you freeze it, let it thaw for a couple of hours in the refrigerator before baking.
What to use instead of egg wash for pies?
The best egg wash substitute is made by mixing 2 tablespoons of whole milk with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
How do you protect the edge of the pie from burning?
I like to use these pie crust shields. Alternatively, you can also cut a piece of foil a bit longer than the diameter of your pie dish then fold in half and gently wrap around the edge of your pie.
PRO TIPS:
- Use ice-cold water. Fill a glass with 1/2 cup of water, add ice.
- Substitute 1 tablespoon of iced water for 1 tablespoon of cold apple cider vinegar for an extra flaky crust.
- Use cold butter. I like to cube my butter and freeze it for 15-20 minutes before making the dough.
- Chill the pie dough for at least 2 hours before rolling out.
STORING
Refrigerate the pie crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months. Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap if chilling if you’re freezing it. If you freeze it, let it thaw for a couple of hours in the refrigerator before baking.
Looking for Eggless Pie Recipes?
- Easy Eggless Key Lime Pie
- Easy Eggless Pecan Pie
- Easy Eggless Pumpkin Pie
- No-Bake Eggless Chocolate Cream Pie
- Easy Eggless Sweet Potato Pie
How to Make Pie Crust from Scratch
Ingredients
Single Crust:
- 1 1/4 cup (175 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) kosher salt
- 9 tablespoons (126 g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) iced water
Double:
- 2 1/2 cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt
- 18 tablespoons (252g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 8 tablespoons (120 ml) iced water
Instructions
Food Processor:
- Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine.
- Add chilled butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps.
- Slowly add iced water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Pulse once or twice after each addition until the dough just barely begins to hold together. Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until incorporated, then test again. Do not overwork the dough, or it will be tough.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gather dough together, form one or two disks depending if you are making a single or double recipe, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill, at least 2 hours up to 5 days.
- After the chilling time, place dough on a floured surface, roll to 1/4" thick, and place into a pie dish, crimping edges.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes and then proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions.
By Hand:
- Place the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Mix to combine.
- Add the cold butter. Use a pastry cutter (or two forks) to cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps.
- Drizzle the iced water in, 1 tablespoon at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after each addition until the dough just barely begins to hold together. Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stir until incorporated, then test again. Do not overwork the dough, or it will be tough.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gather dough together, form one or two disks depending if you are making a single or double recipe, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill, at least 2 hours up to 5 days.
- After the chilling time, place dough on a floured surface, roll to 1/4" thick, and place into a pie dish, crimping edges.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes and then proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions.
To Blind Bake Pie Crust:
- Line chilled pie shell with a double layer of parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill the pie with pie weights (about 1 quart / 950 gr). Bake at 400º F (200º C) for 15 – 18 minutes, or until the edges are set and just beginning to turn golden. Carefully, remove the pie crust from the oven. Remove weights and paper and return the crust to the oven to continue baking until golden and crisp, 5 – 10 minutes.
- Substitute 1 tablespoon of ice water for 1 tablespoon of cold apple cider vinegar for an extra flaky crust.
- Use ice-cold water. Fill a glass with 1/2 cup of water, add ice.
- Use cold butter. I like to cube my butter and freeze for 15-20 minutes before making the dough.
- Chill the pie dough for at least 2 hours before rolling out.
- Easy Eggless Key Lime Pie
- Easy Eggless Pecan Pie
- Easy Eggless Pumpkin Pie
- No-Bake Eggless Chocolate Cream Pie
- Easy Eggless Sweet Potato Pie
Nutrition
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- Pastry Cutter
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- Deep Pie Dish
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- Silicone Pie Crust Shields
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- Pie Crust Weights
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