How to make a Perfect Flaky All Butter Pie Crust. This recipe is my absolute favorite and I have included step-by-step photos with detailed instructions to give you guys a visual of what it should look like!
Aaaah, pie. Is there any other baked dessert that says “made with love” like a homemade pie does? Today I’m going to teach you guys how to make a homemade pie crust along with my go-to recipe for no-fail crusts every time! Making a pie crust from scratch can be tricky, but if you follow my easy-to-follow instructions + step-by-step photos, you’ll be a pie crust making pro in no time!
Before I begin, I do have to say that there is totally nothing wrong with using a store-bought pie crust but to me, nothing compares to a crust made from scratch. The taste, the texture, everything is 100% better – at least in my humble opinion. This pie crust is my absolute favorite and I use it in all of my pie recipes. Some people use all shortening, some a mixture of butter + shortening but I like to use all (salted) butter. I love the flavor butter lends and you will still get a perfectly flaky crust every single time without having to use shortening. That stuff sort of freaks me out so I tend to try to stay away from it, but I do use it occasionally.
A basic pie crust recipe uses very basic ingredients – flour, salt, fat – in this case, butter – and cold water. To ensure your pie crust comes out successfully, your butter and water need to be VERY cold. I leave my butter in the refrigerator right up until I am ready to use it to ensure it stays completely cold. For the water, I like to fill up a measuring cup with water + ice and use my measuring spoon to scoop out the water when I need it, this way I know that my water is ICE cold.
Okay, now that I talked a little bit about the ingredients of my perfect flaky all butter pie crust, let’s move onto the good part! If you are just here grabbing the recipe, you can find it below. If you are here for the step-by-step-photos, you can find them with detailed instructions under the recipe since it is rather lengthy.
*This recipe creates enough for a double pie crust. If you only need one, feel free to just cut the recipe right in half. Instructions will be for a double crust pie.*
Perfect Flaky All Butter Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter cold & cubed*
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3-4 tbs ice water
Instructions
- Place flour and salt in food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add COLD cubed butter and pulse until fine crumbs form - you want to see little pieces of butter. Add 1 tbs of water at a time and pulse until a dough-like consistency forms. You do not want your dough to feel wet so only add as much water as you need.
- Pat dough into a ball-shape and cut in half. Set the other half to the side and work on your first half. Roll the first half of dough out into a 10" circle on a lightly floured surface. Make sure you measure your pie plate because some are 9" or 10". Depending on which size you have, roll your dough out 1" more than your size pie dish to ensure there's going to be enough to go up the sides.
- Grease your pie plate. Roll your dough up with the help of your rolling pin for an easy transfer. Life the dough over the pie plate and unroll the rolling pin on top. Gently press and smooth the crust down and up the sides until it fits snug in the dish. Place it in the fridge and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes while you get the rest of your ingredients ready.
- If you are using the second crust, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 10" circle (or 1" greater than the size of your pie dish). You are going to be chilling this dough also, so I like to roll it out on the surface I am going to place in the refrigerator so I don't have to handle the dough after rolling it out. I usually roll it out on parchment paper on top of a large baking sheet. Place dough in the refrigerator and chill it for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling you are making.
- Fill the crust with your pie filling of choice and set it to the side. At this point you can also preheat your oven. I bake this crust at 400 degrees.Take out your second pie crust and you can either just lay it on top of the bottom crust, crimp the edges with your fingers to meet the bottom one and poke some vent holes in the middle or you can make a lattice crust. To make a lattice crust, cut the cough into strips with a pizza cutter about 1" wide or to your desired thickness. Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern, one over the other until the pie is covered. If you have a couple left over strips that is okay.
- Before I bake my pie, I usually brush it with a little egg/milk mixture and sprinkle some sugar on top for a little extra sweetness + crunch. Also before putting it in the oven, you will want to cover the edges with a pie shield to prevent over-browning since the crust is always the first to start browning. If you are like me and don't own a pie shield, you can improvise with a few small pieces of aluminum foil and crimp it around the edges to cover the crust.
Notes
* If you are using unsalted butter, increase the salt by 1/2 tsp.
Tips for freezing: After cutting the dough in half, flatten into disks. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe zip loc bag. Pie crust may be frozen for up to 3 months.
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Place flour and salt in your food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add COLD cubed butter.
Pulse until fine crumbs form – you want to see little pieces of butter.
Add 1 tbs of water at a time and pulse until a dough-like consistency forms. You do not want your dough to be wet in he slightest so only add as much water as you need to form a dough.
Pat dough into a ball-shape and cut in half. Set the other half to the side and work on your first half. At this point, you may also freeze the dough for later use. To do so, flatten each half into a disk, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. Dough will keep in freezer for up to 3 months.
Roll the first half of dough out into a 10″ circle on a lightly floured surface. Make sure you measure your pie plate because some are 9″ or 10″. Depending on which size you have, roll your dough out 1″ more than your size pie dish to ensure there’s going to be enough to go up the sides.
Grease your pie plate. Roll your dough up with the help of your rolling pin for an easy transfer (see photo above).
Lift the dough over the pie plate and unroll the rolling pin on top. Gently press and smooth the crust down and up the sides until it fits snug in the dish. Place it in the fridge and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes while you get the rest of your ingredients ready.
Now it’s time for the second half of dough, if you are using it. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 10″ circle (or 1″ greater than the size of your pie dish) exactly like the first half of dough – sorry, no photo. You are going to be chilling this dough also, so I like to roll it out on the surface I am going to place in the refrigerator so I don’t have to handle the dough after rolling it out. I usually roll it out on parchment paper on top of a large baking sheet. Place dough in the refrigerator and chill it for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling you are making.
Fill the crust with your pie filling of choice, my choice pictured below is a blueberry + strawberry mixture (recipe coming soon!). Take out your second top pie crust and you can either lay it on top of the bottom crust, crimp the edges with your fingers to meet the bottom and poke some vent holes in the middle or you can make a lattice crust. Lattice is always my first choice because I think it looks adorable finished! To make a lattice crust, cut the cough into strips like in the photo above with a pizza cutter about 1″ wide or to your desired thickness. Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern, one over the other until the pie is covered. If you have a couple left over strips that is okay.
Before I bake my pie, I usually brush it with a little eg/milk mixture and sprinkle some sugar (HA! That was not on purpose) on top for a little extra sweetness + crunch. Also before putting it in the oven, you may want to cover the edges with a pie shield to prevent over-browning since the crust is always the first to start browning. If you are like me and don’t own a pie shield, you can improvise with a few small pieces of aluminum foil and crimp it around the edges to cover the crust.
I love making homemade pie crusts, even though I suck at decorating them. However, just something about the texture and the taste… Now I want a pie! Hmmm, might be stopping at the grocery store on the way home for some apples 🙂
Oh, me too! I don’t even attempt the whole crimping or decorating thing because of that reason. The lattice crust is as far as I go! Lol
You’re speaking my language here with the all-butter crust! I am a terrible pie crust maker because I have almost no patience, but I will definitely have to try this recipe! Love it!
This pie crust is no-patience tested and approved by myself! Lol 😉
YES!! All butter all the time, please 🙂
Agreed! 🙂
You make one beautiful lattice crust!! And I like the tip about the ice cold water!
Thanks so much, Beth! Yes, the ice water really does help! 🙂
I am not a shortening fan, so this is my kind of pie crust! What a helpful tutorial! now I want to go bake a peach pie!
Flaky pie crust is the only way to go! Thanks for the perfect recipe!
I have a question I dont have a food prosessor to make the pie crust with can I still make it and use a blender instead ?
I would love a lesson on the lattice crust. You mentioned just lay one on top of the other.a step by step would be great!! Thank you.
That’s a great idea! In the meantime, here’s a really great visual for you. I hope this helps you out! 🙂
I just put this dough in pie plate in fridge now I felt when I cut in half that I did not have quite enough dough to get a nice lattice but we will see how it taste also I’m wondering if I’m making pumpkin can I still add egg wash and sugar
Yes, you can
My dough was just a little crumbly. Is it not enough water or too much? I loved the way it felt though. Just getting ready to back, not pretty but I’m sure it will be good
Crumbly dough would mean not enough water.
Well I’Am going to tray to make the pie crust.