Description
This Flaky Pie Crust recipe offers a classic homemade crust with a tender, buttery texture perfect for sweet or savory pies. Made with simple ingredients and a straightforward method, it yields a versatile crust that can be blind-baked or filled and baked according to your preferred pie filling instructions.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional, for sweet pies)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar (if using) in a large mixing bowl to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Cut in Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter throughout. This step is key to achieving a flaky texture.
- Add Ice Water: Gradually drizzle the ice water over the mixture, tossing gently with a fork to help the dough start to come together without overworking it. Add just enough water so the dough holds together when pressed.
- Form Dough: Gather the dough into a ball, divide it into two equal portions, and flatten each into a disk shape. Wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill and rest the dough, which helps prevent shrinkage during baking.
- Roll Out: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one chilled dough disk into a 12-inch circle, suitable for lining a 9-inch pie pan. Trim any excess dough, leaving a slight overhang for crimping or sealing if needed.
- Assemble Pie: Use the rolled dough as directed in your pie recipe, whether for a single-crust pie, a double crust, blind baking, or filling with your desired ingredients.
- Bake: Follow your pie recipe’s baking instructions to cook the crust and filling properly, as baking times and temperatures vary depending on the pie type.
Notes
- Keep the butter and water very cold to ensure a flaky texture.
- Do not overmix the dough; it should remain slightly crumbly before forming into disks.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days for best results.
- For blind baking, prick the rolled crust with a fork to prevent bubbles and line with pie weights or dried beans.
- The sugar is optional and mainly used for sweet pies to add a subtle sweetness.
