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I love making this all butter Homemade Pie Crust recipe! It has the perfect tender texture with flaky layers, that makes every pie feel like it came from a bakery.
“Cold butter, and just enough ice water, this recipe makes for a perfect pie crust every time.”
If you have ever wanted the secret to a perfect pie crust recipe, this simple recipe shows you exactly how to turn cold butter and simple ingredients into the kind of flaky pie crust people rave about.
For more easy homemade pie recipes, try this classic Apple Pie, this crunchy Pecan Pie, or this Sweet Potato Pie. I also have a Gluten free pie crust recipe too!
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Will Need
- all purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- salt
- unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- ice water
A full list of ingredients is included in the recipe card below.
Variations
Food processor crust: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt, then pulse in cold butter until it forms a coarse meal. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms moist clumps.
Butter and shortening crust: Replace ¼ cup of the butter with shortening for a slightly softer, more forgiving pie dough.
Extra flaky crust: Freeze the butter, grate it into the flour, and keep everything cold before rolling.
How to Make All Butter Homemade Pie Crust
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl to combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter or forks to cut it into the flour until you see pea-sized pieces with a few slightly larger chunks. This keeps the dough tender and helps create a good flaky crust.
- Slowly drizzle the ice water over the mixture, one tablespoon at a time. Toss gently with a fork until the dough comes together without using too much water. If the dough seems dry, add a little less water than you think and test again.
- Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and bring it together with your hands. Divide into two disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Chilling the dough helps the gluten relax and improves the texture.
- Using a rolling pin, roll one of the disks into a circle about one eighth inch thick. Gently transfer it to your pie dish or pie plate, then crimp or flute the rim as desired. Leave a slight overhang if you plan to add a top crust.
- Fill with pie filling for pumpkin pie, coconut cream pie, peach pie, or any of your favorite recipes. You can vent with fork holes if you need to blind bake the bottom of the crust, depending on what your full recipe calls for.
How to Blind Bake
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
- Line the crust with parchment that reaches the rim and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the weights and parchment.
- Bake for an additional 8 to 12 more minutes until lightly golden and set.
Blind baking helps prevent a soggy bottom of the crust and gives you a sturdy base for cream pies.
Expert Tips
Keep ingredients cold: Cold butter and cold water create a flaky crust with clean layers.
Chill before rolling: Let the dough rest in the refrigerator to relax the gluten.
Handle lightly: Overworking the dough makes it tough.
Use a light dusting of flour: Keep the dough from sticking without drying it out.
Freeze for later: This dough freezes well and can be thawed in the refrigerator when you need it.
FAQs
It can rest in the refrigerator for up to three days when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. You can also store the pie dough in the freezer for up to three months.
The dough might need one more tablespoon of cold water. If the dough seems crumbly, add a tiny splash and gently fold it in.
Yes. Use a gluten free one to one purpose flour blend and add one extra tablespoon of cold water to help the mixture come together.
You only need to blind bake when making a single-crust pie with a custard or cream filling.
Use your fingers or a spatula to pinch and shape the rim. This helps seal the top crust if you are adding one.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
Desserts
Homemade Thin Mint Cookies
Appetizers
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Desserts
Peanut Butter Balls
Appetizers
Bacon Wrapped Smokies
If you have tried this recipe or any others from Celebrating Simply, I’d love it if you would leave a ⭐ star rating and share your thoughts in the ✍️ comments below. Your feedback means a lot!
Homemade Pie Crust
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Mixing Bowl
- Pie Plate
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 6 tablespoons ice water, can use up to 10 or more if crust is too dry
Instructions
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl to combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter or forks to cut it into the flour until you see pea-sized pieces with a few slightly larger chunks. This keeps the dough tender and helps create a good flaky crust.
- Slowly drizzle the ice water over the mixture, one tablespoon at a time. Toss gently with a fork until the dough comes together without using too much water. If the dough seems dry, add a little less water than you think and test again.
- Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and bring it together with your hands. Divide into two disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Chilling the dough helps the gluten relax and improves the texture.
- Using a rolling pin, roll one of the disks into a circle about one eighth inch thick. Gently transfer it to your pie dish or pie plate and crimp or flute the rim as desired. Leave a slight overhang if you plan to add a top crust.
- Fill with pie filling for pumpkin pie, coconut cream pie, peach pie, or any of your favorite recipes. You can blind bake or par-bake the bottom of the crust depending on what your full recipe calls for.
Notes
Chill before rolling: Let the dough rest in the refrigerator to relax the gluten.
Handle lightly: Overworking the dough makes it tough.
Use a light dusting of flour: Keep the dough from sticking without drying it out.
Freeze for later: This dough freezes well and can be thawed in the refrigerator when you need it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The perfect flaky and buttery pie crust that goes with sweet or savory pies!