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baked pie with a lattice top crust

Perfect Buttery Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

Jana Rae
Master the art of making a buttery, flaky pie crust from scratch with this foolproof recipe. Includes step-by-step photos, success tips, and variations for the best homemade crust.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Chill time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Pie
Cuisine American
Servings 2 single crusts
Calories 180 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar (optional, for sweet pies)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 6-8 tbsp ice water

Instructions
 

  • Mix the Dry Ingredients
    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar (if using). This evenly distributes the ingredients for a well-balanced crust.
    Whisking dry ingredients for pie crust
  • Cut in the Butter
    Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, food processor, or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. These butter bits create pockets of flakiness when baked.
    dry ingedients resembles course meal
  • Add Ice Water
    Gradually drizzle in 6 tablespoons of ice water, mixing with a fork or your hands until the dough begins to clump together. If it feels too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough holds when pressed but isn't sticky.
    ice water drizzled into pie dough
  • Form the Dough
    Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide it in half. Shape each half into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days). Chilling allows the butter to firm up, ensuring a flaky crust.
    pie dough rolled into circular disc
  • Roll Out the Dough
    On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disc into a 12-inch circle for a 9-inch pie pan. Transfer the dough to the pie dish by gently rolling it onto your rolling pin and unrolling it over the pan. Trim any excess dough, leaving about a 1-inch overhang for crimping.
    pie dough rolled out
  • Fill and Bake
    If pre-baking, line the crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes. Remove the weights and bake for an additional 5 minutes. If making a double crust pie, add your filling and top with the second crust, crimping the edges to seal.
    pie crust filled and ready to bake

Notes

Notes and Tips

  1. Keep Everything Cold:
    • Ensure the butter, water, and even the flour are cold to achieve maximum flakiness.
  2. Don’t Overwork the Dough:
    • Handle the dough gently to avoid activating gluten, which can make the crust tough.
  3. Chill the Dough:
    • Chilling helps the dough rest, firms up the butter, and prevents shrinking during baking.
  4. Use a Light Hand with Flour:
    • Dust your surface lightly with flour when rolling out to prevent sticking, but avoid adding too much, which can toughen the crust.
  5. Pre-Baking (Blind Baking):
    • For custard or cream pies, pre-bake the crust using parchment paper and pie weights to maintain its shape.
  6. Fluting the Edges:
    • Use your fingers or the tines of a fork to crimp the edges for a decorative and functional seal.
  7. Experiment with Variations:
    • For a savory crust, omit sugar and add herbs like rosemary or thyme.