This homemade pie crust recipe yields a flaky tender crust with rich buttery flavor. It has simple, natural ingredients and uses only butter (NO SHORTENING). Also, learn how to form a fluted pie rim and “blind bake” or pre-bake pie crust.
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This pie dough recipe yields 2 single crusts or 1 double crust. Homemade pies are irresistibly delicious. I’ve never been satisfied with a store-bought pie the same way. The taste and texture of an all-butter pie crust can’t be beat and knowing what went into it will make you feel like ‘Martha Stewart’ (or should I say ‘Natasha’s Kitchen’… I couldn’t resist) ;). Watch the VIDEO tutorial below and you will be a pro in no time!
We included Amazon affiliate links below to our favorite tools for making pie dough!
Ingredients for Butter Pie Crust Dough:
It doesn’t get any easier than this and you probably already have everything you need to make homemade pie dough: Flour, sugar, salt, butter and water. The butter should be chilled straight out of the fridge so you don’t have to plan ahead to make pie dough.
How to Make Homemade Pie Crust in 4 Easy Steps:
- Measure flour correctly then in a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar and salt.
- Add COLD diced butter and pulse until coarse crumbs and some pea-sized pieces form.
- Add 7 Tbsp ice water and pulse just until moist clumps/ small balls of dough form. Pinch a piece of dough between your fingers and if it sticks together, it’s done. If not add more ice water 1 tsp at a time.
- Transfer dough to a clean work surface, and gather together into a ball. Resist the urge to knead the dough – it should not be smooth. Divide dough in half and flatten into 2 disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour before using.
Cook’s Tip: Do not add too much water or it will be sticky and difficult to roll.
How to Roll and Transfer Pie Dough:
Dust work surface with flour and roll a single crust into a 12″ circle. Wrap your pie dough around your rolling pin. If it sticks to the work surface use a food scraper or spatula to loosen it as you go.
Carefully transfer crust to 9″ pie dish and unroll it into the pan. Gently press dough down to line the pie dish. Tuck excess dough underneath itself to make a thick double layered edge (no waste!).
Do I need a Food Processor to Make Pie Dough?
You can use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour/sugar/salt mixture by hand. Follow the same cues for when to add the water. After water is added, use a spatula to cut the water into the dough until evenly moistened.
Can I make Pie Dough in Advance?
You can prepare the crust and refrigerate up to 3 days ahead. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it out.
To freeze pie dough: wrap and seal airtight then freeze up to 3 months. Thaw completely prior to rolling.
What if my Pie Dough is Too Hard?
Refrigerating the pie dough for longer than an hour will cause it to firm up since it is butter based. Let it rest at room temperature for 10-20 minutes or until it is easy to roll out with a rolling pin.
How to Pre-bake Pie Crust (Blindbake):
Some recipes call for a pre-baked pie crust and this is how you blind bake:
1. Form your edge. The easiest methods are crimping the rim by pushing all around the edge with a fork, or forming a fluted rim (see tutorial below). Place pie crust in the freezer 30 minutes which will help the crust bake more evenly without sliding down.
2. Line the center with a 9-10″ ring of parchment paper and fill about 2/3 full with pie weights (*see below). Preheat oven to 425˚F and bake for 17 minutes until golden at the edges. Remove pie weights, prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork and place back in the oven without weights for 5 minutes or until golden and the bottom is dried out.
3. Remove beans and let crust cool to room temperature.
How to Flute a Pie Crust:
To form a fluted pie rim, hold your thumb and index finger an inch apart on the outside edge of the crust and press between them with the index finger of the other hand. Move around the edges of the pan repeating the motion to create a fluted rim.
*What Can I use Instead of Pie Weights?
When you pre-bake an empty crust a.k.a. “blind-bake,” the dough tends to puff up and rise. Using pie weights solves this problem. Here are some alternative to store-bought pie weights.
- Dry Raw Beans – beans should not be used for cooking following a blind bake but can be re-used to blind bake pie crust.
- Dry Raw Rice – If using rice, it becomes toasted and can be used for cooking in pilaf recipes after it is use to prebake a pie crust
Pie Recipes to Explore:
- Perfect Peach Pie – So juicy good and strikingly beautiful
- Plum Pie – with an unexpected crust that couldn’t be easier!
- Apple Pie Recipe – with the best filling
- How to Make a Lattice Pie– it’s surprisingly easy
Watch How to Make Butter Pie Crust:
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Easy Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Butter Pie Crust Dough Recipe:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more to dust, *measured correctly
- 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 lb COLD unsalted butter, (2 sticks) diced into 1/4" pieces
- 7 Tbsp ice water, (7 to 8 Tbsp)
Instructions
- Place flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
- Add cold diced butter and pulse the mixture until coarse crumbs form with some pea-sized pieces then stop mixing. Mixture should remain dry and powdery.
- Add 7 Tbsp ice water and pulse just until moist clumps or small balls form. Press a piece of dough between your finger tips and if the dough sticks together, you have added enough water. If not, add more water a teaspoon full at a time. Be careful not to add too much water or the dough will be sticky and difficult to roll out.
- Transfer dough to a clean work surface, and gather dough together into a ball (it should not be smooth and DO NOT knead the dough). Divide dough in half and flatten to form 2 disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour before using in recipes that call for pie crust.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
This recipe was adapted from the Joy of Cooking and The Bon Appetit Cookbook. They are both amazing general reference books that I have had in my kitchen for years. Highly recommend!
Now go forth and make homemade pie. You can DO THIS!!
Best pie crust I’ve ever made! Easy to follow directions! Thank you
Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Jenny!
Hello, I am making the crust recipe and I pulsed too long after adding the water. It. The dough came together into a ball and is smooth. Will it still work?
Hi Liz! I would still bake it so you don’t waste it. It might affect the texture and flakiness but it should still bake well and taste good.
If i were to make small pies (like 4 inches in diameter each), how many will this recipe be enough for? i need to bake like 12 pies
Hi Tomas, I haven’t tested that to advise.
Hi Natasha, your recipe written 1/2 lb butter. Do you meant 1/4 lb ? Thank you
1/2 lb COLD unsalted butter, (2 sticks) diced into 1/4″ pieces
I’ve used this recipe several times and it comes out perfect! Thank you! I was curious if it will freeze well??
Great to hear that it’s always a sucess! To freeze pie dough: wrap and seal airtight then freeze up to 3 months. Thaw completely prior to rolling.
I have never had any success making pie dough. since I was making Quiche Lorraine, I decided to give this piecrust a try. It was so easy and delicious. It wasn’t nearly as pretty as yours, but I know I will try again. Thank you for helping improve my confidence!
I don’t have a food processor at home and I used a whisk instead and it turned out great. The crust is very buttery and flaky perfect for pies. It is a little bland I felt and you can just add more sugar to the dough if you prefer it sweeter I guess but that’s a personal choice. It’s the perfect recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I would love to see a gluten-free version because when I use all purpose gluten free flour it doesn’t act the same as yours
Hi Stacy, I haven’t tried making this gluten free but thanks for the suggestion. Hopefully others here can share their experience if they’ve tried it.
Thank you for this amazing recipe !! I have made it many times now and it turns out perfect every single time !!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Briana!
Hi Natasha, is it necessary to prebake the crust or can I skip that step? I’m making chicken pot pie.
HI Deanna, I would always pre-bake when a recipe calls for it. Some recipes will make the crust very soggy if it’s not pre-baked.
I made this today, amazing and delicious! Easy too! I used my hands instead of the processor. Chefs kiss, thank you!
I’m so glad it worked out without a processor, Taryn! Thank you so much for sharing that great review with me.
hello, i dont have a food processor, so can this be made by hand kneading?
Hi Liz, you can use a pastry cutter, I address this under the “Do I need a Food Processor to Make Pie Dough?” Section of the recipe. I hope this helps.
Easy to make; loved the crust, but for some reason the apple filling never solidified.(?)
After backing I let the pie rest for 2 1/2 hours. Maybe that time was not sufficient?
HI Jutta, did you make any changes in the quantity of apples or the quantity of flour in the filling? Too much apples will add too much juice once the apples bake and too little flour will keep it from thickening properly. I hope that helps for next time.
I made these pie crusts today. They are delicious!!! This recipe was super easy to make and it is so good. I was always afraid I couldn’t make pie crusts but these instructions made it easy and not intimidating. They smell so good when baking…that butter!!! Yum!!!
I’m so glad you love the recipe, Mary! Thank you.
Does this recipe work with GF 1:1 flour? Or do you have a recipe using GF flour?
Thank you 😊
Hi Lisa! I have not personally tested it but I’ve had good feedback from some of my readers who have used GF flour with this recipe.