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Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust Recipe

This flaky cream cheese Pie Crust is my go-to recipe for pie crust. It bakes beautifully and doesn't become soggy. It can be used for any kind of pie.

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The cream cheese pie crust recipe calls for cream cheese and butter which creates a tender and flaky crust. This is my go-to recipe for pie crust. It bakes beautifully and doesn’t become soggy. It can be used for any kind of pie and also works well for a woven lattice top.

For the Cream Cheese Pie Crust: 

makes 2 (9-inch) pie crusts (top & bottom for 1 pie)
2 cups plus 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour *measured correctly
2 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp) COLD, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4″ cubes
6 oz (3/4 package) COLD cream cheese, cut into 1/4″ cubes
3 to 5 Tbsp cold heavy whipping cream

*Watch our easy video tutorial on how to measure correctly

Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust

How to Make the Perfect Flaky Pie Crust:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt.

Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust-1

2. Cut the COLD butter and COLD cream cheese into 1/4-inch pieces. Using a Pastry Blender or a food processor with blade attachment, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces. Note: you could use a knife, but that would take forever.

Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust-2

3. Drizzle 3 Tbsp cold heavy cream over the dough and cut into the dough with a spatula, adding more cream as needed until the dough forms moist clumps. I didn’t get much of a drizzle trying to take of picture of this step at the same time. Your drizzle will be better 😉

Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust-3

4. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, press into flat disks, cover each piece tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. It stores well in the fridge up to 2 days.

This flaky cream cheese Pie Crust is my go-to recipe for pie crust. It bakes beautifully and doesn't become soggy. It can be used for any kind of pie.

Credits: This recipe was modified from the Flaky Cream Cheese Pastry Dough in The All New All Purpose: Joy of Cooking (1997 version) (pg. 864). I think it’s a cookbook that every household should have. It’s an incredible resource on all things food.

Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust Recipe

4.91 from 75 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
This flaky cream cheese Pie Crust is my go-to recipe for pie crust. It bakes beautifully and doesn't become soggy. It can be used for any kind of pie.
The recipe calls for cream cheese and butter which creates a tender and flaky pie crust. This is my go-to recipe for pie crust. It bakes beautifully and doesn't become soggy. It can be used for any kind of pie and also works well for a woven lattice top. Credits: This recipe was modified from the Flaky Cream Cheese Pastry Dough in The All New All Purpose: Joy of Cooking (1997 version) (pg. 864).
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups plus 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks, 12 tbsp COLD, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4" cubes
  • 6 oz 3/4 package COLD cream cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes
  • 3 Tbsp to 5 Tbsp cold heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt.
  • Cut the COLD butter and COLD cream cheese into 1/4-inch pieces. Using a Pastry Blender or a food processor with blade attachment, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces. Note: you could use a knife, but that would take forever.
  • Drizzle 3 tbsp cold heavy cream over the dough and cut into the dough with a spatula, adding more cream as needed until the dough forms moist clumps.
  • Divide the dough into 2 pieces, press into flat disks, cover each piece tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. It stores well in the fridge up to 2 days.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cream Cheese Pie Crust
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
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Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the creator behind Natasha's Kitchen (established in 2009), and I share family-friendly, authentic recipes. I am a New York Times Best-Selling cookbook author and a trusted video personality in the culinary world. My husband, Vadim, and I run this blog together, ensuring every recipe we share is thoroughly tested and approved. Our mission is to provide you with delicious, reliable recipes you can count on. Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy you are here.

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4.91 from 75 votes (48 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  • Tricia
    September 19, 2024

    Omygoodness this was an exceptional pie crust. It was so easy to work with and came out really delicious and flaky! Only recipe I plan on using ever again!

    Reply

  • Greta
    September 7, 2024

    Cream cheese pie crust calls for heavy whipping cream. Is there a substitute?
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      September 7, 2024

      Hi Greta! We prefer it with heavy cream but one of my readers did mention it works well with Half & Half. I hope you love it.

      Reply

  • Janie Bell
    September 7, 2024

    Can I make this ahead and freeze the discs ok? I’ve never tried freezing a dough made with cream cheese. Thanks!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      September 7, 2024

      Hi Janie! I think it would work fine to freeze it.

      Reply

  • Brenda Cromwell
    August 16, 2024

    I’m trying to cut calories. Would this recipe work using fat free or lowfat cream cheese and the same in milk, instead of heavy whipping cream? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 17, 2024

      Hi Brenda, we prefer it with heavy cream but one of my readers did mention it works well with Half & Half. I hope you love it.

      Reply

  • Jane
    August 1, 2024

    How many grams of flour would 2 cups and 4 tablespoons weigh?
    This recipe looks so good!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 1, 2024

      Hi Jane! It would be about 281g (125g per cup).

      Reply

  • Chris Millard
    July 28, 2024

    I have my disks in fridge and peaches prepped! Looking forward to closing the deal in time for a late night dessert. Thanks for all you do, Natasha!!

    Reply

  • Meghan L
    June 23, 2024

    A standard in our home along with the butter and cream cheese crust! So good!

    Reply

  • Maria B Rugolo
    June 2, 2024

    Do I need to increase this recipe for a deep dish double pie crust? I’m making your deep dish peach pie. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      June 3, 2024

      Hi Maria, I use this pie crust for a deep dish pie crust. Another option that I think is a little easier to make which I use for my cookbook deep dish peach pie with our Butter Pie Crust.

      Reply

  • Laurel (Chef Potpie)
    October 11, 2023

    I’ve heard about cream cheese pie crust, but in all the years I’ve been making pie crust I’ve never tried this until now. It is not only tasty but deliciously flaky! It can be used for sweet and savory. It held up to beef pasties, and I have some blackberries that will be meeting it very soon! Thank you for sharing, Natasha, your recipes are always keepers!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 12, 2023

      Thank you so much for your excellent comments and feedback, Lauren. I appreciate it!

      Reply

  • Marcia K Atwell
    October 9, 2023

    I am GF and have tried making pie crusts with King Arthur Measure for Measure. I can never get the crust to roll out. I will try this one. I wish you would make a GF pie crust recipe for all of us who love pie but are GF.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 9, 2023

      Hi Marcia! I don’t have much experience baking with GF flour. I did read through the comments and see that one person left this reply, “I’ve used this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1:1 baking flour (one that contains xanthan gum) and it came out just as good as when I’ve tried it with regular flour! Thanks for this recipe, goes great with cherry as well as peach pie.” I hope that helps.

      Reply

  • SJ
    September 27, 2023

    Hi Natasha
    Just trying to convert the recipe to UK measurements.
    How many grams of butter in total would it be?
    Is it the equivalent of 1 1/2 sticks plus 12 tbsps (350g) or 180g total?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      September 27, 2023

      170g would be correct.

      Reply

  • OzMarco
    June 17, 2023

    This has become my ‘go-to’ pie crust recipe…or anything pastry, really!
    It has never failed to produce the must delicious flaky, buttery results and is so simple to make. It is easy to handle and is perfect for doing latticework or similar.
    Just brilliant!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 17, 2023

      I’m so glad you love this recipe! Thank you for the feedback.

      Reply

  • Kenneth P Morreale
    January 31, 2023

    Hi Natasha!

    You provide recipes for several, or more, different pie crusts!

    Which fillings do you recommend with the different pie crust recipes?

    I know they are pretty similar but they must have different ingredients for some reason!

    Any opinions?

    ken

    Reply

    • Natasha
      February 1, 2023

      Hi Ken, to be honest, I have adopted the butter pie crust for all of my recipes. I used to make the cream cheese crust more but the butter one is easier to work with and turns out flakier so we’ve been using that for all of our sweet and savory pie recipes.

      Reply

  • Roxanne
    November 22, 2022

    Hi! I am wanting to use this crust for a pecan pie for thanksgiving. Do I need to blind-bake the crust? If so, for how long and what temp would you recommend? Thanks!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 22, 2022

      Hi Roxanne! I have not tested that to provide specific instructions. It should work fine to pre-bake it. Typically for pies with a wet/custard center, it’s recommended to pre-bake but for our fruit pies, we do not. Lately, we have been using the all butter version because it is easier to make and easier to roll out, plus more tender and flaky and we do not pre-bake it unless we’re making pumpkin pie.

      Reply

  • Jean
    November 22, 2022

    After pie crusts are in the fridge for a day, do I take them out and let sit for 15-30 min before rolling it out? First time using this recipe!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      November 22, 2022

      Hi Jean, yes you will want to let them sit out for at least 30 minutes or until it’s easy to roll out.

      Reply

  • Teresa Stevens
    September 15, 2022

    I tried this pie crust recipe last week with your peach pie recipe. It was delicious.
    How is this recipe with cream pies, like banana cream or Lemon.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      September 15, 2022

      Hi Teresa! I have not tested it but some of my readers have reported using it for tarts with lemon filling.

      Reply

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