Butter Pie Crust
This butter pie crust recipe is the one I reach for every single time I bake a pie, and it takes just five ingredients to pull together. It bakes up flaky, golden, and buttery in every bite, with none of the greasy or tough texture that shortcut crusts sometimes have. Once you make this one from scratch, you will understand why so many bakers refuse to buy the store bought kind again.
Equipment
- Food processor optional, speeds up cutting in the butter
- Pastry cutter or pastry blender
- Large mixing bowl
- Rolling Pin
- 9-inch pie dish
- Bench scraper
- Plastic wrap
- Pie crust shield optional, prevents over browning at the edges
- Digital kitchen scale recommended for weighing flour
- Adjustable Rolling Pin optional, for even thickness
- Glass Pie Dish with Lid optional, for seeing bottom crust browning
- Silicone Pastry Mat optional, with measurement rings
- Stainless Steel Pie Weights optional, for blind baking
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour 313g, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar optional, for browning and flavor balance
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter 2 sticks, 226g, cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 6 tablespoons ice water to 8 tablespoons, as needed
- 1 large egg optional, beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl until evenly combined.
- Add the cold cubed butter and cut into the flour using a pastry cutter or forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces visible. Do not overmix.
- Stir the vinegar into the ice water, then drizzle over the flour mixture one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork after each addition. Stop when the dough begins to clump when squeezed in your hand.
- Turn the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a ball without kneading. Divide the dough in half.
- Flatten each half into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- On a floured surface, roll one disk into a 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick, rotating frequently to keep it even. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing gently without stretching, and trim the excess to a 1-inch overhang.
- Add your filling and top with the second crust or a lattice, then crimp and seal the edges. Brush with beaten egg and water mixture for a golden finish. For a pre-baked shell, prick the bottom, line with parchment and pie weights, and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, then remove weights and bake 8-10 more minutes.
Notes
- Chill your bowl and butter cubes in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting to keep everything cold.
- Handle the dough as little as possible to avoid melting the butter with your hands.
- Use a bench scraper to help fold and gather the dough instead of your warm hands.
- If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough again for 10 minutes before rolling.
- Roll from the center outward to keep an even thickness.
- Patch any tears with a scrap of dough and a dab of water rather than rerolling the whole disk.
- Store wrapped dough disks in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- For a sweeter crust, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. For a savory version, omit the sugar and add fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.
- Freeze a shaped, unbaked crust right in the pie dish for up to 2 months, then bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
- Warm individual slices in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes to re-crisp the crust.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1.5gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.5gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 110mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.6gVitamin A: 6IUCalcium: 0.4mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!