Description

This flaky, buttery homemade pie crust recipe delivers a tender and crisp base perfect for sweet or savory pies. Made with simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, this crust offers a classic texture and rich flavor from cold, cubed butter and just the right amount of ice water. Whether you’re baking fruit pies, quiches, or tarts, this homemade crust will elevate your baking with its delicious, golden finish.

Ingredients

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Dry Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar (optional, for sweet pies)

Wet Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
6-8 tbsp ice water

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Instructions

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar if making a sweet pie crust. This ensures an even distribution of seasoning throughout the dough.
Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, quickly cut and rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This step is crucial for creating a flaky texture.
Add Ice Water: Gradually drizzle 6 to 8 tablespoons of ice water over the flour and butter mixture, tossing gently with a fork or your hands after each addition. Add just enough water for the dough to come together when pressed, avoiding overworking it to maintain flakiness.
Form the Dough: Gather the dough into a ball, then divide it in two equal portions. Flatten each into a disk shape, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling relaxes the gluten and firms the butter, which helps achieve a tender, flaky crust.
Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one chilled disk of dough into your desired size and thickness, typically about 12 inches in diameter and ⅛ inch thick, for a 9-inch pie plate. Carefully transfer the rolled dough to the pie plate, gently fitting it in without stretching.
Prepare for Baking: Trim excess dough from edges, leaving a slight overhang if desired for crimping or decorative edges. Fill with your pie filling as required or blind bake according to your pie recipe instructions.
Repeat with Second Disk: Use the second disk to create a top crust if your pie requires it, or store it wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 1 month.

Notes

Keep all ingredients as cold as possible for the flakiest crust.
Avoid overmixing the dough to prevent a tough crust.
For a sweeter crust, do not omit the sugar.
If the dough is too dry, add ice water one tablespoon at a time.
Chill the dough at least 1 hour before rolling out for best results.
You can freeze wrapped dough disks for up to 1 month.