Perfect Pie Crust

A great pie crust is (literally!) the foundation to a great pie, so when you’re trying to bake the perfect one, you’re going to want to get it just right. Our classic, all-butter crust is sturdy and flaky, and there’s nothing too intimidating about it. Read on for all my top tips to master it in no time: with just a little practice (and cold butter), you’ll be on your way to all your favorite pies, from classic apple pie to coconut cream pie, even quiche.

What People Are Saying:
"This is the perfect crust, truly! A great texture from top to bottom, and slightly sweetened. Does any pie good! " - kim8699

“My favorite thing about pie is the crust. This recipe is delicious!!” - mramroop

How to Make Pie Crust

INGREDIENTS

• Flour: I like to use all-purpose because it truly is, well, great for almost everything! It’s mid-to-low protein percentage (~11%) means that I can rely on it for everything from cookies to pastry to breads. You could use pastry flour here (~10% protein), but it can be a little trickier to worth with, so I recommend sticking with AP.
• Granulated Sugar: If you’re using this pie dough for something that isn’t sweet (like a chicken pot pie or quiche Lorraine), you might be tempted to skip the sugar here. I don’t recommend it! Sugar does add a little sweet flavor, but more importantly, it helps slow gluten development, which can help keep your pie dough nice and tender. It also helps with browning, guaranteeing your final pie looks golden and not unappetizingly pale.
• Kosher Salt: Salt makes food taste good, and that’s especially true in pie dough, so don’t skip it.
• COLD Salted Butter: The thing about “salted” butter is that there’s no standards between brands, so unless you’re using one you know you love, I find it’s best to stick to unsalted and add your own salt. If you bake a lot and are confident in a salted butter, feel free to use it and adjust the kosher salt above. Heads up: cold butter creates pockets of steam as it finally starts melting in the oven, and that steam is what creates those layers of flaky crust inside. If your butter is already softened or warm when it goes into the oven, it will melt too quickly, causing a flat, droopy crust that won’t hold its shape. So when I say cold here, I mean it!

• Water: Just the right amount of liquid in your pie dough will give it the perfect amount of structure—strong enough to hold your filling, but still nice and flaky. I personally prefer to use all water, rather than other popular options like vodka or buttermilk, because I don’t need to go out of my way to buy it. Whatever you do, make sure it’s ICE COLD. This will help keep your butter from melting both while you’re making your dough, and as it starts to bake, which will create those lovely flaky pockets.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Start by mixing together your flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl (or a food processor, see Recipe Tips, below).

Add your butter, and toss it to get every piece covered in flour. Then using your hands, work the butter into the flour by pinching the pieces between your thumb and forefinger as you coat them in more flour. Continue till most of the butter is incorporated, and is more shaggy than cubes, though it’s okay if some walnut-sized pieces remain.

Then SLOWLY add in your ice water (you can always add more but you can’t take it back once it’s in there), working it into your flour and butter until a dough forms. It shouldn’t feel sticky, but you should be able to hold it together and roll it into a cohesive ball.

Form your dough into a disc (don’t overwork it too much here, it doesn’t have to be perfect), and tightly wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or up to three days (or even longer in the freezer, see Storage below).

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

What if my pie needs a top crust?
This dough makes enough for one layer of a 9" pie. If you need a top crust for your pie, this recipe doubles easily. Just divide the dough in half before wrapping and chilling to make it easier to roll out each portion.

How to make the best pie crust.
My absolute best advice for making this crust is to keep everything as cold as possible. The colder the dough stays before baking, the flakier it will turn out and will hold its shape better for all your pretty crimping and lattice work. A warm kitchen or warm hands will start softening your butter, so it’s best to work quickly. When rolling out the crust, if it starts to feel too sticky or melty, put it back in the refrigerator to chill for a bit. This will also help it rest and relax, keeping you from getting a pie crust that is too tough.

Can I use a food processor to make pie crust?
A food processor can be helpful when making pie crust, though I personally prefer mixing dough with my hands because I can control the size of butter more closely that way. A food processor does do the job quickly though, making it very helpful when you’re in a rush or your kitchen is particularly warm. Additionally, a food processor will break your butter down into more pea-sized pieces (rather than walnut-sized) that are better for making more detailed shapes or designs with your crust.

What is par-baking vs. blind baking?
A lot of pie recipes require a “blind bake” or to “par-bake” the crust. Par-baking is done before adding any filling to your crust and is to ensure that it bakes all the way through and doesn’t get soggy on the bottom. To par-bake your crust, place parchment paper or foil inside of the unbaked crust and fill it completely full with dry beans, rice, or pie weights. It needs something heavy to weigh down the crust so that it doesn’t puff up while baking. I like to fill the crust all the way to the edges to help keep it from falling in. Then you’ll want to bake it long enough so that it’s only partially baked through. Remember that your crust will need to go back into the oven with the filling and continue to cook, so pull it earlier than you think. Look for your edges to have just started turning golden and to look set and dry.
Blind baking, on the other hand, is for when you need to completely bake your crust without the filling in it. This is for pies like a chocolate pudding pie or a lemon meringue pie where the filling doesn’t bake in the oven. You’ll bake the crust the same way as par-baking, but continuing until your crust is deeply golden.

Storage

Making your dough ahead of time is ideal. You can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If using a frozen dough, let it thaw out in the refrigerator overnight before using it.