This Pie Crust Recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make and beats the bought stuff in every way. Flaky and buttery, it makes the best pies!
Video Recipe
Watch the video below for How to Make Pie Crust
Perfect Pie Crust
Whether you’re making apple pie, pumpkin pie, chicken pot pie or pecan pie this recipe will work perfectly. It’s flaky and crumbly like a good pie crust should be while also being buttery and incredibly flavorful.
There’s nothing quite like a made from scratch homemade pie, the love and time adds to the flavor!
How to Make the Perfect Pie Crust
Pie Crust is actually pretty simple in its ingredients, it’s the technique that’s truely important. So let me share with you how to get the most perfect pie crust!
Pie Crust Recipe Ingredients
1 2/3 Cup / 200g Flour –Use all purpose standard flour for this recipe.
1/2 tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Sugar (optional) –2-3 Tbsp of sugar can be added to this pie crust if you are using it to make a sweet pie. If you are making a savoury pie leave it out.
1 Stick / 113g Butter –Make sure your butter is cold from the fridge for this recipe.
2-3 Tbsp Ice Water –Fill a small bowl with a few ice cubes and half a cup of water before you start this recipe.
How to Make Perfect Pie Crust
Remove your butter from the fridge and make your ice water.
Measure out the flour, salt and sugar if using into a medium sized mixing bowl. Give the ingredients a quick mix to combine.
Take your butter and cut it into small cubes. This makes it easier to incorporate into the flour.
Add the butter to the dry ingredients.
Use your finger tips or a pastry cutter to press the cold butter into the flour. This is why it’s so important you have cold butter so it doesn’t melt.
Stop when the butter is about the size of a pea, you don’t it to be completely incorporated. This will help with your pastry being flaky.
Pour a couple tablespoon of ice water into the bowl and use a knife to cut through the dough and mix.
Check the consistency and if the pie dough will clump and hold together you don’t need any more water.
If it doesn’t hold together add another 1/2 Tbsp of ice water and mix and check again.
Tip the pie dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 20 seconds, just to incorporate any loss bits.
Wrap in plastic wrap and place into the fridge for at least 30 minutes to rest before using.
Common Questions about this Pie Crust Recipe
How much will this recipe make?
This recipe will make enough for a 9″ pie. If you are making a pie with a top piece of pastry make sure to double the recipe.
Can I use shortening in this recipe?
Yes you can but I think butter gives a better flavor. If you would like to use shortening I would recommend to use half of each.
For Pie Recipes to use this Pie Crust Check Out:
Apple Pie Recipe
Pecan Pie Recipe
Spinach and Bacon Quiche
Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Flaky Buttery Pie Crust Recipe
This Pie Crust Recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make and beats the bought stuff in every way. Flaky and buttery, it makes the best pies!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Rest Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 Cup Flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3 Tbsp Sugar optional
- 1 Stick Butter
- 2-3 Tbsp Ice Water
Instructions
Add the flour, salt and sugar if using to a large mixing bowl.
Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the mixing bowl.
Use clean dry hands to rub the butter into the flour until it is about the size of a pea.
Spoon in a few tablespoons of ice water and mix the pastry with a knife.
Form the dough into a ball and knead for 30 seconds on a floured surface until smooth.
Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to rest.
When you are ready to roll out the pastry, remove it from the fridge and leave for 5-10 minutes to warm up before rolling out.
Place the pastry back in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before baking at 200 C | 400 F
Notes
Butter can be replaced with shortening or lard.
After kneading the pastry can be placed in the fridge for a week or freezer for 3 months.
FAQs
Tips for working with shortcrust pastry
- Don't overwork the dough. Roll and handle shortcrust pastry as little as possible as overworking it can produce tough and unpleasant results.
- Use a metal tart tin. ...
- Don't stretch. ...
- Repair tears. ...
- Allow a little overhang. ...
- Rest. ...
- Bake it blind. ...
- Watch the colour.
Much sturdier than puff, shortcrust pastry is a combined dough of flour and fat, resulting in a crumbly texture, rather than flaky. As it has a much closer crumb structure, it can be used to construct robust cases and exteriors for pies and tarts, and can stand up to both wet and dry fillings.
What's the difference between shortcrust and pie crust? ›
Shortcrust pastry dough is a type of pie crust. Known as pâte brisée in French, it doesn't include leavening agents and (usually) no sugar. It's flaky and crispy rather than puffy once baked. The most often used type of pastry, it's good for both sweet and savory recipes.
Is pie crust better with butter or shortening? ›
Shortening is better at crumbly crust, butter is better at flaky. But you can get either from both. There are obvious differences in flavor, and butter can give you a very nice chewiness in a crust while still being tender. Butter also tends to shrink and lose shape/detail more when it bakes.
Is milk or water better in shortcrust pastry? ›
Milk brings a softness to the crust, but if you prefer a dough that is harder and crispier then replace the milk with water. If the dough is slightly wet at the end when gathering it into a ball, just sprinkle a little bit of flour on your bench and roll the dough in the flour before kneading the dough.
What does butter do in shortcrust pastry? ›
In pastry making, butter plays a fundamental role because it makes the pastry ""waterproof"". At the same time, it adds crustiness and crumble to shortcrust and all dry pastries (small cakes for eating on the move, for example) and brings softness and creaminess to risen doughs.
What is the difference between shortcrust pastry and flaky pastry? ›
Puff pastry can generally be described as flaky, light and buttery, good for pies and pastries, while shortcrust pastry has a more crumbly, biscuit-like texture which is good for tart or quiche cases.
What is shortcrust pastry called in the US? ›
In the United States, what is commonly known as shortcrust pastry in other parts of the world is referred to as pie crust. This simple yet delicious dough is made from just a few basic ingredients, including flour, butter, salt, and water.
What is the texture of a good shortcrust pastry? ›
Shortcrust pastry is a French-style dough with a crumbly, biscuit-like texture. This style of dough is "short" because the amount of flour is usually double the amount of fat, allowing it to break apart more easily than American-style pie dough (a closer ratio of flour to fat).
What is the best fat for shortcrust pastry? ›
The best fat for pastry-making
Unless you don't eat dairy, we recommend butter for flavour and texture. You can also try a 50/50 split between butter and lard, which works well for savoury recipes like quiches. Make sure your butter is really cold when you rub it in to the flour.
If you are making a pie with a crust you'll need to decide which type of pastry to go for. Shortcrust pastry is the best for pies that fully encase a filling as they tend to be firmer and less likely to leak. Puff pastry is great if you prefer just a pastry lid on top of the filling.
What is the French equivalent of shortcrust pastry? ›
Pâte brisée is the French version of classic pie or tart pastry. In English, it's also known as short or shortcrust pastry and is a versatile all-butter dough we use for both sweet and savory recipes—everything from apple pie to quiche.
Which fat makes the flakiest pie crust? ›
This time, though, there was one very clear victor. Butter made a tastier, flakier, sturdier crust by far.
Why do you put vinegar in pastry? ›
Vinegar helps with creating a tender and moist crumb
But it's not just about the rise! Vinegar also helps in creating a tender and moist crumb in our baked goods. This is because the acidity of vinegar interferes with gluten development.
Which is the best fat to use when making a flaky pie crust? ›
Vegetable Shortening
As shortening is able to withstand higher temperatures and does not melt easily, it creates flaky and crisp yet tender pie crusts when used alone or in combination with butter.
What are four rules to observe when making shortcrust pastry? ›
General rules
Keep everything as cool as possible otherwise the fat may melt which would spoil the finished dish. Introduce as much air as possible during making. Allow to relax after making to allow the fat to harden. Handle the pastry as little as possible.
Why add vinegar to shortcrust pastry? ›
But there are two much more important perks to using vinegar: it provides a little insurance against overworking the dough. And, that splash of vinegar will keep your dough from oxidizing and turning gray.
What is the golden rule of pastry? ›
The first golden rule of making pastry; keep the ingredients, the bowl and the hands as cool as possible. Sieve the flour to add extra air and lightness to the pastry.
Why add egg to shortcrust pastry? ›
Egg yolks added to shortcrust pastry make it richer and slows down the development of the gluten in the flour, which is exactly what you want. Gluten has an elastic quality which can make pastry rubbery if overdeveloped. But the resulting crumbly dough can be difficult to work with.
