All-Butter Flaky Pie Crust
This all-butter pie crust delivers gorgeous flaky layers that shatter beautifully with every bite. The secret to achieving that coveted flakiness lies in keeping your ingredients cold and handling the dough gently. When cold butter melts in the oven, it creates steam pockets between layers of dough, resulting in those light, crispy sheets that make every pie exceptional. This recipe works beautifully for both sweet and savory pies.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Food processor - optional
- Pastry cutter - or two forks
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rolling Pin - French rolling pin recommended
- Plastic wrap - or parchment paper
- 9-inch pie dish - glass recommended
- Bench scraper - optional but helpful
- Marble pastry board - optional, helps keep dough cool
- Parchment paper - for blind baking
- Pie weights - or dried beans for blind baking
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour - 315g, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar - 12g (reduce to 1 teaspoon for savory pies)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt - 6g
- 1 cup unsalted butter - 2 sticks/226g, very cold and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 6 tablespoons ice water - 90-120ml, plus more as needed
For Savory Variation
- fresh thyme - ½ teaspoon, or rosemary
For Herb-Infused Crust
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs - minced (rosemary, thyme, or sage)
For Cheddar Crust
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese - shredded
For Cinnamon Sugar Crust
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Cut cold butter into ½-inch cubes and refrigerate. Fill a small bowl with ice water and measure 8 tablespoons, keeping it chilled.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt until well combined.
- Add cold butter cubes to flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized to lima bean-sized butter pieces.
- Drizzle 6 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Gently mix with a fork until dough begins to clump together. Add remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time only if needed. Dough should hold together when squeezed but look slightly shaggy.
- Turn dough onto a clean work surface and gather into a mound. Divide into two equal portions and shape each into a flat disk about 1 inch thick.
- Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. For best results, chill for 2 hours before rolling.
- Remove one disk from refrigerator and let sit for 5 minutes. Lightly flour work surface and rolling pin. Roll from center outward, rotating dough a quarter turn after each roll, until you have a 12-inch circle about ⅛ inch thick.
- Roll dough loosely around rolling pin, then unroll over pie dish. Gently press dough into bottom and sides without stretching. For single-crust pie, trim overhang to 1 inch, fold under, and crimp decoratively.
- Place prepared pie crust in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before filling and baking to prevent shrinkage.
Notes
- Keep everything cold: Cold butter is essential for flakiness. Work quickly and return dough to refrigerator if it becomes warm or sticky.
- Don't overwork the dough: Mix just until ingredients come together. Overmixing develops gluten and creates tough crust.
- Use a light touch when rolling: Apply even, gentle pressure without pressing down too hard, which can compress the layers.
- Flour sparingly: Too much flour makes crust dry and tough. Add just enough to prevent sticking.
- Embrace the shaggy look: Dough should look slightly rough and uneven before chilling for a more tender crust.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into measuring cup and level off rather than scooping directly from the bag.
- Freezer-friendly: Wrap dough disks tightly in plastic wrap and place in freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.
- Preventing soggy bottom: For wet fillings, blind bake at 375°F for 15 minutes with pie weights, then remove weights and bake 5-10 minutes more until lightly golden.
- Vodka crust variation: Replace half the ice water with vodka for even flakier texture (alcohol evaporates during baking).
- Storage: Baked pie keeps at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 4 days. Cover loosely with foil.