Honey, let me tell you, a fab pie begins with a homemade, flaky crust! Easy-peasy, and legit flaky, this all-butter Pie Crust Recipe is about to be your new go-to for all your pie dreams. It’s made with just a few simple baking ingredients and is so straightforward, any baker, no matter your skill level, can nail it. I’ve even got a video below to check out. Seriously y’all, it’s the best pie crust recipe ever!
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Tutorial Video
How to Make The Best Pie Crust
Let’s get started making our pie crust! Here’s a look at the main steps but you can find all the details in the recipe card.
Mix the Pie dough
- Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk them together just to combine.
- Add your butter cubes to the flour.
- Cut the butter using a pastry cutter into the flour mixture until various-sized crumbs appear.
- Add the cold water to the flour until a ball of dough forms. Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into 3-4 round balls. Cover each ball tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to rest.
PRO TIP: Start with ONLY a half of water and add more if you need it. Knead the dough quickly to bring it together. Don’t worry if there is any flour left in the bowl.
Roll Out the Pie Crust
- Roll out the dough on a floured work surface or clean counter until the pie dough is about 1/4-1/3 inch thick.
- Place the crust in your pie plate and bake or fill with fillings of your choice.
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Recipe Tips
- Cold Butter, Cold Water, & Cold Hands: To make a FLAKY pie crust recipe, you must have super cold ingredients. Incredible pie dough requires cold everything. The air pockets that the cold crumbs of butter form in the flour are irresistible when they interact with the heat of the oven.
- Butter Getting Warm. If you sense it’s warming up as you work with it, then return the bowl to the fridge and let it cool back down. This may vary depending on the weather when you’re baking. The summertime can be a bit of an issue when it’s warmer in your home.
- Add Water Slowly. This ensures you get the right texture. You need just enough for the dough to moisten and come together. The water is also variable depending on the brand of flour you’re using and the temperature and moisture in the air.
- Avoid Overworking the Dough. Mix just long enough to form the dough. If you knead or handle it too much it can end up a bit tough rather than flaky and tender.
- Let the Dough Rest. Giving it time to rest in the fridge for about thirty minutes chills back down the butter but also allows the gluten time to relax so it rolls out easily and cooks up with the best texture.
Serving Suggestions
- Use a Single Pie Crust. I love seasonal pies like this strawberry rhubarb pie, a brown sugar chess pie, or peppermint French silk pie.
- Use a Double Crust. Try this amazing fresh peach pie or apple pie.
- Great Pie Crust for Your Favorite Holiday Pies. From classics like pumpkin pie and pecan pie to more complex pies such as bourbon pecan pie.
- Make Some Mini Pies. I love these strawberry hand pies or blueberry hand pies.
Recipe Help
To be honest, making a flaky pie crust isn’t as difficult or time-consuming as you may think. But the real reason why is that there is absolutely nothing like it when it comes to taste. So I hope you will try making it! I know there are times when you’re busy and may need to take some shortcuts in order to cut down on additional work in the kitchen. I get it! In those instances, refrigerated pie dough from the grocery store can be your best friend in a pinch.
You can but I don’t recommend it. Many recipes call for using one but I am a bit old-fashioned when it comes to pie crust and really find a pastry cutter or two forks the best method. It’s the best way to end up with a variety of different sizes of butter throughout the pie crust. The food processor can sometimes create butter pieces that are too small which means your crust may not be as flaky. I can’t imagine what my big mama would think if I pulled out a food processor for pie dough. I love a little bit of hustle in the kitchen. It makes me feel like I am doing something.
The most important tip is to make sure all your ingredients are cold! Butter and water should be cold. After it’s mixed make sure the dough stays cold. It’s the key to a flaky and tender pie crust.
More Baking Basic Recipes and Tips
- Baking Tips For Beginners
- How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust
- American Buttercream Recipe
- How to Make Perfect Pizza Dough
How To Make A Pie Crust
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup very cold unsalted butter, cut in cubes 2 sticks
- ½-⅔ cup very cold water
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, add flour, sugar and salt and whisk together to combine.
- Next add your butter cubes to flour and using your pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until various sized crumbs appear.
- Slowly add the cold water into the flour until a ball of dough forms. Start with 1/2 cup and add more water if you need it. Knead the dough quickly to bring it together. Don’t worry if there is any flour left in the bowl.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, cut into 3 or 4 sections and round into balls. Cover each ball tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes to rest. If you want to freeze the additional balls, this is a great time or you can roll out into pie plates and freeze.
- Remove dough from fridge and add a bit of flour to a working surface or clean counter and place dough on it. Using a rolling pin, quickly roll dough out to about 1/4-1/3 inch thickness and place in your pie plate. Decorate according to your preference, bake and fill with fillings of your choice.
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My grandma made an old fashioned lemon pie with butter, egg yolks, lemon juice & zest of lemons, some flour…..she mixed it..then added some pet evaporated milk and poured it in a homemade crust….then after it baked it she put meringue on top & baked it. Talk bout delicious..but have u heard of this scratch recipe? How can I tweak it?
Oh Gwendolyn that sounds amazing. I have heard of something similar but would have to research and test it before I put it up here but I’m adding to my recipe list to make sure because it sounds wonderful. Was it regular sugar used?
How do I keep the crust from cooking faster than the filling?
A good idea is to use a pie crust shield. You can either buy them at a store or you can make one with foil but it goes around the top of your pie crust leaving the filling exposed so while it bakes, the crust doesn’t overbake but the filling bakes as it should.
Is this for one or 2 single pie crusts or can it be used for deep dish? I’m always trying to find a good deep dish pie crust and it’s difficult to find something that works.
This recipe can make up to 4 single pie crusts actually and about 2 for deep dish crusts. This is a great recipe that isn’t took difficult and you can freeze the crusts.
I made pie crust is it okay to leave in fridge over night
Hi There! I have to tell you, I have been struggling for over 20 years trying to make a pie crust as good as my Mother In Laws. I am still convinced she left something out. I tried your pie crust last night. What a dream! I followed your directions exactly. I could roll it out like a pro, perfect circle and all, and my husband loved it! So THANK YOU Pie is no longer a problem in this house thanks to you! I am NEVER EVER Using shortening again.
So easy.
Hooray! Thank you so much Laura! That makes me so happy.
What’s the difference between a regular sweet potato pie and the sweet potato chess pie ?
The chess pie is all about a texture difference to be honest plus the corn meal makes a taste difference as well.
Can you freeze the pie crust?
Absolutely!!
yesss-I’m firmly on team all butter pie crust!! Yours looks amazing!
Team butter is seriously the best team ever!
How long do I bake and at what temperature, a 1 crust pie (like for lemon meringue)?
Hi Kat, it would really depend on your recipe. This pie crust recipe can go into any recipe of your selection for your pies and then you can bake according to the instructions of the lemon meringue recipe. You can also blind bake ahead if you would like.
This looks completely perfect!