Description

This flaky pie crust recipe is the best easy way to make a buttery, tender, and golden crust perfect for sweet or savory pies. With just a few simple ingredients and straightforward steps, you’ll have pie dough that bakes up crisp and flaky every time. The key is cold butter and minimal handling to create tender layers.

Ingredients

Pie Crust Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar (optional for sweet pies)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
6–8 tablespoons ice water

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Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar if using. Stir to evenly distribute all dry ingredients.
Cut in Butter: Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the cold, cubed butter into the dry mixture. Work quickly to incorporate the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.
Add Water: Gradually add ice water one tablespoon at a time. Gently mix with your hands or a fork until the dough just begins to hold together but is not wet or sticky.
Form Dough: Gather the dough together and divide it into two equal discs. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up.
Roll Out: On a lightly floured surface, roll each chilled dough disc into a circle that fits your pie pan size, usually about 12 inches in diameter. Rotate and flour to prevent sticking.
Use or Store: Use the rolled-out crust immediately for your pie or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator before filling and baking.

Notes

Keep the butter and water as cold as possible to achieve a flaky texture.
Do not overwork the dough to avoid developing gluten, which makes the crust tough.
The sugar is optional and mainly for sweet pies; omit for savory crusts.
Chilling the dough helps relax gluten and makes rolling easier.
For easier rolling, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper.
Freeze any unused dough wrapped tightly to preserve freshness.