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Knowing how to make a classic pie crust is one of the best things you can do. Instead of using store-bought with added preservatives and artificial ingredients, you can make your own from scratch with just a few simple ingredients. Once you do it once, you will never go back to the pre-made kind!

Best pie crust recipe

Best Pie Crust Recipe

To make the best pie crust recipe, you just need a few simple ingredients you likely have on hand. You’ll want to use this for all pies from sweet to savory to surprise and delight your family.

Ingredients for pie crust

Pie Crust Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour – all pie crusts begin with some form of flour.
  • Unsalted butter – butter helps bind the flour together into your dough when making all butter pie crust. A necessary ingredient for any pie crust recipe without shortening.
  • Salt and sugar – these both balance the dough and add a hint of sweet and salty tastes to really bring out the flavor.
  • Ice water – keeps the dough from being too crumbly.

Easy pie crust recipe

I have fillings for you 😉
Megan

How do you make pie crust from scratch

Easy Pie Crust Recipe

This homemade pie crust recipe really is so easy that my kids help with it. There’s only 5 ingredients required to make it. The hardest part is deciding which pie you’ll make using this easy pie crust recipe!

Tips and tricks for perfect pie crust

How do you Make Pie Crust from Scratch?

Basically, you combine the ingredients in a food processor. Then you knead your dough, refrigerate it, and then roll it out when you’re ready to use it. While there is a wait time, if you do this on a weekend, you’ll have plenty of time to make your pies.

How to make buttery and flaky pie crust

Expert Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Pie Crust Every Time

  • Cold butter – When making a pie crust recipe with butter, your butter should be cold. In fact, the colder, the better. Keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to add the cold butter into your pie dough recipe.
  • A little water at a time – When it comes to adding in water, add it very slowly in limited amounts. If you want it to stay tender, go easy on that water.
  • Chill the crust – Don’t forget to allow time for the dough to chill. Pie crust needs time to refrigerate, but the wait is worth it!

How long to bake pie crust

Is it worth it to make your own pie crust?

Yes, because learning how to make pie dough is easy and you’ll be only using wholesome ingredients. Plus, once you make one, you’ll always know how to do it off the top of your head and it will be easy as pie, pardon the pun!

How to store pie crust

Which flour to use for pie crust?

All-purpose flour will always work the best in a simple pie crust recipe. You can sub in keto or gluten-free options to suit your dietary needs though.

Can you freeze pie crust

Should I Sift flour for pie crust?

Sifting is important for cakes but not for pies. The crust needs to be dense so don’t sift it.

Is butter or shortening better for pie crust

How to make Buttery and Flaky Pie Crust

It all comes down to the butter. That fat is what renders a flaky crust texture for your pie. When it’s very cold, it keeps you from overworking that fat from the butter for the best pie crust around.

Why use vinegar in pie crust

Is butter or shortening better for pie crust?

When given the choice, use butter for your pie crust to make it flakier and tastier. Shortening is great, but butter wins for pie crusts.

How do you make pie crust from scratch without shortening?

Simply use butter and you won’t need shortening. Butter is a better choice for homemade pie crusts.

What is the difference between shortcrust pastry and pie crust?

What is the difference between shortcrust pastry and pie crust?

Shortcrust won’t puff up in the oven and is made with less fat, but other than that, it’s pretty similar to pie crust.

What is the best flour to use for pie crust

Why would you put vinegar in pie crust?

Vinegar can tenderize your pie crust and slightly halt the development of gluten. This recipe uses butter though so you won’t need vinegar.

Best pies to make at home

Why is my pie crust tough?

If your pie crust is tough, it’s a sign you overworked the dough. Do not over-mix and it should turn out flaky and soft.

Homemade pie crust recipe

Pies to make with homemade Pie Crust

I could probably go on for hours, but you could make apple, cherry, blueberry, rhubarb, chocolate, buttermilk, pumpkin, peach, and so many more pies using this pie crust. You can also use it to make chicken pot pie, a favorite in my house!

More Homemade Pie Crust Ideas

Pie crust in pie dish

How Long to Bake Pie Crust

That depends on the pie you’re making. Fruit fillings will take about 45 minutes and if you want to blind bake the crust, you should plan on doing so for about 10 minutes before adding anything into it. Using pie weights or dried beans can be helpful when blind baking. The key in timing is the filling as well as how brown your crust looks.

Pie crust topping

How to Store Pie Crust

If you bake your pie crust, cool it first, then wrap it up in foil. You can keep it in your fridge until you’re ready to bake your pies the next day.

Can you Refrigerate pie crust overnight?

Yes. Simply wrap it in plastic wrap and it will be ready for you the next day.

Can you Freeze Pie Crust?

Or you can simply freeze it. After wrapping in foil, put it in a freezer bag and label it with the date. You can keep it for up to a month. You’ll want to thaw it out overnight in your fridge before putting it to use.


Watch How To Make Pie Crust (Video)

Best Buttery Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 8 servings
Calories 332
A fun and easy recipe tutorial for a delicious buttery flaky homemade pie crust you can make yourself or with the kids. Only a few simple ingredients are needed to make this quick pie crust recipe that comes out perfect every time.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup butter (unsalted, cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 8 tbsp ice water

Instructions 

  • Place flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for about 5 seconds to mix well. Add butter, 1/3 at a time, to the flour mixture and pulse several times after each addition. Continue to pulse until the remaining pieces of butter are about the size of peas. Sprinkle in the ice water and pulse until the dough is just starting to hold together.
  • Empty the pie dough mixture onto a floured surface. Keep a few tablespoons of flour easily accessible for when you need more for your hands or working surface. Separate the mixture equally into two different piles. Knead each pile into a disk similar to the shape of a large cookie, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for one hour.
  • After refrigerating, take the dough and roll out into a circle that is about one foot in diameter and that is about 1/8th of an inch thick. Carefully place onto a 9-inch pie pan and press the dough down so that it lines the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Trim the excess dough, add the filling to the pie, and roll out the second disk to place over the top of the pie plate and filling.
  • Fold the edge of the top piece over the bottom and crimp the edges of the pie plate with a fork and score the top with four 2-inch long cuts or with a circular opening about 1 inch wide.
Calories: 332kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg

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Author

I’m a mom of two, food and wine lover, and recipe creation enthusiast. Good food brings families together. Which is why I’m devoted to sharing my best recipes that are simple enough for even the beginner cook that your family will love!

1 Comment

  1. 5 stars
    Perfect pie crust! I have been looking for the best pie crust for 6 years and finally found one I am happy with. The instructions were clear and simple, and the result was a flaky delicious pie crust that baked to perfection.

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