This Homemade Pie Crust Recipe uses only five simple ingredients and yields a buttery, flaky crust that’s perfect for fruit pies, custards, quiches, and savory pot pies. It’s straightforward enough for beginners but reliable enough for experienced bakers.
Easy Homemade Pie Crust Recipe
When a recipe calls for a pie crust, store-bought dough is convenient, but a homemade crust is surprisingly quick and rewarding. This all-butter crust requires just all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, cold unsalted butter, and ice water. The method is simple: combine the dry ingredients, cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, add ice water until the dough just holds together, then form, chill, and roll.
I use this crust for fruit pies, custard pies, quiche, and especially chicken pot pie. The butter creates a rich flavor and crisp, flaky texture that complements both sweet and savory fillings.
What You’ll Need
Five ingredients are all that’s required:
- All-purpose flour
- Fine sea salt
- Sugar
- Unsalted butter – very cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Ice water – use water with ice to keep the dough cold while mixing
Butter vs Shortening in Pie Crust
There are different approaches to the fat in pie crust. This recipe uses all butter for flavor and structure: butter gives a sturdy yet flaky crust and adds a rich taste. Shortening can yield a very tender, flaky crust but lacks the distinctive buttery flavor. Either approach works, but this recipe is written for an all-butter crust.
How to Make Homemade Pie Crust
Follow these straightforward steps to make the dough:
- Combine the dry ingredients. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt until evenly distributed.
- Cut in the butter. Add the cold diced butter and work it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; small pea-sized pieces of butter are ideal.
- Add ice water. Start with 6 tablespoons of ice water and gently add more by the tablespoon only until moist clumps form and the dough holds together when pressed. Avoid overhydrating.
- Form and chill. Gather the dough into a ball without kneading, divide into two portions, flatten each into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Roll out. Roll one disk on a lightly floured surface to fit your pie plate, then transfer carefully and prick the bottom with a fork if the recipe calls for blind baking.
Double Crust Directions For Making a Pie
Use these steps when making a two-crust pie:
- Prepare the bottom crust. Remove one chilled disk and let it sit a few minutes at room temperature. Roll to a 13-inch circle on a lightly floured surface and transfer to a pie dish, leaving a 1-inch overhang.
- Add filling and top crust. Spoon the prepared filling into the bottom crust. Roll the second disk into a circle and place it over the filling. Trim the edges to about 3/4 inch, fold the top edge under the bottom edge, and crimp to seal.
- Finish and bake. Brush the top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with a little sugar if desired. Cut 3 to 4 slits for steam vents and bake according to the filling recipe instructions.
Tips for Success
These tips help ensure a tender, flaky crust:
- Keep ingredients cold. Use very cold butter and ice water; warm butter will be absorbed rather than creating flaky layers.
- Know when you’ve added enough water. The dough should hold together when pressed between your fingers. Too much water makes a sticky dough that’s hard to roll.
- Do not knead. Handle the dough as little as possible. Kneading develops gluten and yields a tough crust.
- Prefer glass pie dishes. Glass distributes heat evenly and helps the crust bake more uniformly.
How Can I Use This Recipe?
This all-purpose, buttery crust works for nearly any pie. Some pies—particularly custard or no-bake fillings—require a par-baked crust. For pot pies and quiches, this crust bakes well and often does not need pre-baking.
Is Vodka Good for Pie Crust?
Some bakers add chilled vodka in place of part of the water. The idea is that vodka contributes liquid without promoting gluten development, which can yield a flakier crust. If you want to try it, replace a couple of tablespoons of the ice water with chilled vodka. The alcohol mostly evaporates during baking, and the crust will not taste alcoholic.
Freezing The Pie Dough
You can freeze the dough disks before baking. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out.
Try It With These Pie Recipes
- Grandma’s Pecan Pie
- Apple Pie
- Best Pumpkin Pie
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Chocolate Chip Pie
Homemade Pie Crust (All-Butter)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (2 sticks)
- 8 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Place the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, and salt) in a food processor or large bowl and combine.
- Add the cold diced or grated butter and work it in until the mixture forms coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter.
- Begin with 6 tablespoons of ice water and add more by the tablespoon only until moist clumps form and the dough holds together when pressed.
- Transfer the dough to a work surface, gather into a ball (do not knead), divide in half, flatten each into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour before using.
Single-Crust Pie Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and place a baking sheet on the center rack.
- Roll one disk to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Prick the bottom with a fork to prevent bubbling. Line with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Chill 30 minutes (or freeze 10 minutes) until firm.
- Place the crust on the baking sheet and reduce oven to 400°F. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden.
- Make an egg wash of one egg yolk and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Remove weights and foil, brush the crust with egg wash, then bake about 4 minutes until shiny. Cool before filling.
Double Crust Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Remove one disk from the refrigerator and let rest a few minutes. Roll to a 13-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick.
- Fit the dough into the pie dish, leaving a 1-inch edge. Add the filling.
- Roll out the second disk to cover the filling, trim excess to about 3/4 inch, fold the top edge under the bottom edge, and crimp to seal. Chill 15–20 minutes or freeze 5 minutes before baking.
- Just before baking, brush the top with an egg wash (1 egg + 2 tablespoons water), sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar, cut 3–4 slits for steam, and bake according to your pie recipe.
Last Step:
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