Description
This all-butter pie crust recipe delivers a tender, flaky base perfect for both sweet and savory pies. Made with cold unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, and just the right amount of ice-cold water, it creates a classic pie dough that can be customized with herbs, whole wheat flour, or gluten-free blends. Easy to prepare, this crust requires chilling to ensure optimal texture and is ideal for double or single-crust pies.
Ingredients
Scale
Basic Pie Dough
- 1 cup (225g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 1/2 cups (312g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
- 6 to 8 tablespoons ice cold water
Optional Variations and Add-ons
- Chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme) for herb-infused crust
- Substitute half the flour with whole wheat flour for a whole wheat blend
- Gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum for gluten-free crust
- Extra sugar (1-2 tablespoons) for sweetened crust
- Cinnamon or nutmeg for spiced crust
Instructions
- Chill Ingredients: Place the cold unsalted butter cubes and ice cold water in the refrigerator for at least one hour to ensure they remain chilled, which is essential for achieving a flaky pie crust texture.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar if using. This helps evenly distribute the ingredients and prevents clumping when the butter is added.
- Cut in Butter: Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the chilled butter into the flour mixture until you have pea-sized crumbs. Leaving some larger butter pieces is beneficial for flakiness.
- Add Cold Water: Slowly add the ice cold water one tablespoon at a time, gently mixing with a fork just until the dough begins to come together. Be careful not to overwork the dough to keep it tender and prevent warming the butter.
- Form and Chill Dough: Gather the dough together and divide it into two discs. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flour to hydrate and the gluten to relax.
- Roll and Prepare for Baking: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll each dough disc to about 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer the rolled dough to your pie dish, trim the edges neatly, and proceed with your desired pie filling and baking method.
Notes
- Keep all ingredients as cold as possible for the flakiest crust.
- Do not overwork the dough, as this can cause toughness.
- Chilling the dough before rolling helps prevent shrinking during baking.
- For a gluten-free crust, use a gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum.
- Adding herbs or spices to the dough can complement savory or sweet pies.
- This recipe yields enough dough for two single-crust pies or one double-crust pie.
