Learn how to make a perfectly buttery, flaky pie crust from scratch using this in-depth tutorial and video. This page includes all of my best success tips, lots of step-by-step photos, and a thoroughly detailed recipe. Millions of readers have been using this helpful guide since it was first published. Become a pro with this crust recipe and the rest will be as easy as… eating salted caramel apple pie!
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips.
For a baker, there’s nothing more satisfying than making a pie completely from scratch. Pies are often made for special occasions, and there’s a good reason for that: they’re time consuming. This shouldn’t scare you! It should intrigue you. If you’ve ever felt intimidated about making homemade pie crust, I’m here to walk you through it and cheer you on. If I can do this, you can do this.
Pie crust is the foundation for so many delicious desserts (plus savory pies and quiche), so once you build up your confidence in making a crust, you’re opening a door to an entire baking category. And that’s exciting! Whether your favorite pie filling is apple pie or creamy banana cream pie, or even eggs & cheese, the success of the overall pie can really hinge on the quality of the crust.
You wouldn’t hang a beautiful piece of art or favorite photo in a terrible frame, right?
Today I’m teaching you everything about making a buttery, flaky pie crust. This is my absolute favorite pie crust recipe and one of the most popular recipes on this website.
With all the recipe testing that goes into publishing the many pie recipes on this website and in my cookbooks, plus my annual Pie Week, it’s not an understatement to say that I have made a LOT of pies. Along the way, I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t, and I’m happy to share it all with you.
One reader, Laurie, commented: “Wow! I made a batch of my old favorite all-butter dough and a batch of this dough so I could have a ‘bake off’ to see which was better. This crust was fantastic: tender and very flaky. It will be my new standard crust! ★★★★★“
Another reader, Leo, commented: “This recipe was great! The dough was easy to make with the simple and detailed instructions from this recipe. I used it for my peach pie and it’s delicious! I also followed the braid and lattice tutorial and my pie looks great! ★★★★★“
Start With These 5 Ingredients
The ingredient list for pie crust is short & simple:
- Flour: Start with quality flour. Did you know that not all all-purpose flours are equal? King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour is my go-to for not only pie crust, but for everything. (Not working with the brand, just a true fan!) Why? Its high protein level: “At 11.7% protein, it tops ordinary American all-purpose flours by nearly 2 percentage points.” What does this mean? Baked goods rise higher and stay fresh longer.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor.
- Butter: For that unparalleled buttery flavor and flaky layers.
- Vegetable Shortening: For structure and stability. More on this below.
- Ice water: Liquid brings the dough together. Some recipes call for half water and half vodka, because alcohol doesn’t promote gluten formation, which helps the crust stay flaky and tender. Basically, it’s a gift to anyone who accidentally overworks dough. If you want to try using vodka, use 1/4 cup (60ml) each cold vodka and cold water in this recipe.
You can use this pie dough for so many recipes beyond a traditional pie, too, such as mini pecan pies, mini fruit galettes, apple hand pies, and homemade brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts.
Is Pie Crust Better With Butter or Shortening?
I use BOTH shortening and butter in this pie crust because they work together to make the BEST crust. Buttery, flaky, and tender: the pie-fect trifecta.
- What does butter do? Butter adds flavor and flakiness.
- What does shortening do? Shortening helps the dough stay pliable, which is helpful when you’re rolling and shaping it. Plus, shortening’s high melting point helps the crust stay tender and maintain its shape as it bakes. Have you ever had a butter pie crust lose its shape completely? Shortening is “shape insurance.” 😉
If you don’t want to use shortening, try this all-butter pie crust instead. Let’s compare:
- Using all butter creates a lighter-textured crust and this is due to the butter’s water content. As the crust bakes, the butter’s water converts to steam, lifting up the dough and creating flaky layers. But because of all this butter, the crust doesn’t usually have a perfectly neat-edge/shape compared to the shortening and butter combination.
Both crusts taste buttery and flaky. But overall, this butter-and-shortening crust wins in terms of texture and flavor; AND, if you follow the pie crust recipe carefully, it holds shape too.
The Secret to Perfect Pie Crust: COLD
The refrigerator is as important as the oven when you’re making a homemade pie.
Why the emphasis on temperature? Keeping your pie dough as cold as possible helps prevent the fats from melting before the crust hits the hot oven. If the butter melts inside the dough before baking, you lose the flakiness. When the lumps of fat melt in the oven as the pie bakes, their steam helps to separate the crust into multiple flaky layers, as explained above. Warm fats will yield a hard, crunchy, greasy crust instead of a tender, flaky crust.
The colder the ingredients, the easier your pie crust is to work with, and the better it will turn out.
Two Tricks to Start as Cold as Possible:
- I keep some of my butter in the freezer and transfer it to the refrigerator a few hours before beginning the crust. This way it is still a little bit frozen and very, very cold. Simply keep the shortening in the refrigerator.
- Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl (the flour and salt). Place the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.
These Step-By-Step Photos Will Help
Take the butter and shortening out of the refrigerator. Cube the cold butter and measure out the cold shortening. Give the shortening a little chop—this is actually optional because, truly, the shortening is quite soft even when cold so it’s easy to mix in.
Now it’s time to combine everything. Add the butter and shortening to the dry ingredients, and use a pastry cutter (or 2 forks) to cut in the fats. Some pie crust recipes use a food processor for this, but I don’t recommend it, because it can lead to overworking the fats into the dough, cutting them up too small—which means you’ll need less water and your dough will fall apart. In this step, you’re only breaking up the cold fat into tiny little flour-coated pieces; you’re not completely incorporating it:
Cut in the fats until the mixture resembles coarse meal—crumbly with lots of lumps, as you see above. You should still have some larger pieces of butter and shortening when you’re done.
From a cup of ice water, measure out 1/2 cup (120ml), since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water into the dough 1 Tablespoon (15ml) at a time, stirring after every Tablespoon has been added.
You’ll add just a little water at a time so that you don’t accidentally add too much. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I usually use 1/2 cup (120ml) of water, but if the weather is humid, you may not need as much, and if the weather is really dry, you may need a little more.
If too much water is added, the pie dough will require more flour and become tough.
If too little water is added, you’ll notice the dough is dry and crumbly when you try to roll it out and handle it.
You want the dough to clump together, but not feel overly sticky. Once the dough is clumping together, transfer the dough to a floured work surface.
Using floured hands, fold and smush (yes, that’s the technical term) the dough into itself, forming the dough into a ball. Your hands are your best tool, just like when making homemade puff pastry.
The ball of dough should come together easily. If it feels a bit too dry or crumbly, dip your fingers in the ice water and then continue forming the dough with your hands. If it feels too sticky, sprinkle on more flour and then continue forming the dough with your hands.
Once your ball of pie dough has come together, use a sharp knife to cut it in half:
This is enough dough for 2 pie crusts. You can use both crusts for a double-crust pie, like chicken pot pie and strawberry rhubarb pie; or, if your pie doesn’t require a top crust, like coconut cream pie, brownie pie, and lemon meringue pie, save the second pie crust for another pie. You can also roll out the second dough and use cookie cutters to make an easy pie design, like on this pumpkin pie.
Success Tip: Visible Specks and Swirls of Fat in Pie Dough
Take a look at the inside of the dough where you just sliced it. You want to see pieces of butter and flaky layers throughout the pie dough. These specks and swirls of butter and shortening will help ensure a flaky pie dough. They are a GOOD thing!
Now your pie dough is ready for a rest in the refrigerator. Flatten each half into 1-inch-thick discs using your hands. The disc shape makes it easier to roll out. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.
Can I Freeze Pie Dough?
Yes, absolutely, and I encourage it! Pie crust freezes beautifully, so it’s a great thing to make ahead of time. Store the tightly wrapped discs of pie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you know you’re going to want several pies around the holidays, or when your favorite fruit will be in season (cherry pie, anyone?), you can cut down on the amount of time it takes to make pies from scratch the day you want them by making several pie crusts in advance and freezing them.
Thaw the pie crust dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out. It will be extra cold, which is a great starting point.
How to Roll Out Pie Crust
After the dough has chilled for at least 2 hours, you can roll it out. Work with one crust at a time, keeping the other in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roll it out. You’ll need a clean work surface, a rolling pin, and some flour. Lightly flour the work surface, rolling pin, and your hands, and sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Use gentle-medium force with your rolling pin on the dough—don’t press down too hard on the dough; you’re not mad at it!
When rolling dough out, start from the center and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go:
Between passes of the rolling pin, rotate the pie crust and even flip it, to make sure it’s not sticking to your work surface. Sprinkle on a little more flour if it’s sticking. Roll, turn. Roll, turn.
Do you see that beautiful marbling of the butter and shortening throughout the dough? Flaky layers, here you come!
Success Tip: If you notice the dough becoming a lopsided circle as you’re rolling it out, put down the rolling pin and use your hands to help mold the dough back into an even circle:
Roll the dough into a thin 12-inch circle, which is the perfect size to fit a 9-inch pie dish. You want enough crust to have some overhang so you can make a decorative edge for your pie.
Your pie dough will be about 1/8-inch thick, which is quite thin.
Success Tip: Since your dough is so thin, use your rolling pin to help transfer the pie crust to the pie dish. Carefully roll one end of the circle of dough gently onto the rolling pin, rolling it back towards you, slowly peeling it off the work surface as you go. Pick it up, and carefully roll it back out over the top of the pie dish. It’s helpful to watch how I do it in the video below.
Make sure the pie crust is pretty well centered in the dish, with some overhang all around the sides. Tuck the crust into the pie dish, gently pressing it to the interior all the way around—no air bubbles.
Trim dough around the edges if there’s excess dough in some spots—you want about 1-inch overhang. After you add your pie filling and top crust (such as a lattice pie crust), fold overhang back over and pinch the top and bottom crusts together. Now you can create a pretty edge, such as fluting or crimping. I have a full tutorial on how to crimp and flute pie crust, but here’s a quick overview:
Fluting with fingers: To flute the edges, use a knuckle and 2 fingers to press around the edges of the pie crust, to give it a beautiful and classic scalloped look, like this apple pie.
Crimping with fork: You can also use a fork to crimp the edges, like I do with this peach pie.
Again, review my how to crimp and flute pie crust page and video if you need a little extra help with this step.
Your pie crust is ready to bake! Follow your pie recipe’s instructions from here; some recipes may call for a fully baked crust, and some may call for a partially baked (par-baked or blind baked) crust. You can read a tutorial on that here in this How to Par-Bake Pie Crust post. And some recipes, like this blueberry pie or triple berry pie, don’t require baking the crust at all before adding the filling, because the pie bakes for so long; just spoon/pour the filling right in.
Your pie recipe might call for an egg wash on the dough and for that, use a pastry brush. And if you bake a lot of pies, this list of 10 best pie baking tools will be helpful for you.
Troubleshooting Pie Crust
- Pie crust is tough: Tough crusts are the result of not enough fat in the crust, as well as overworking the dough. Use the recipe below (plenty of fat) and avoid handling the dough more than you need.
- Don’t have enough pie dough: This recipe yields 2 pie crusts. To ensure you have enough pie dough for overhang and a pretty topping, roll your dough out to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick.
- Pie crust shrinks down the sides of the dish when baking: This can happen when par-baking a pie crust. See section below.
- Pie dough is dry & cracking around edges when rolling: Use enough ice water when preparing the pie dough. If you work the fats into the dry ingredients too much, the dough will feel too wet before you can add enough water. (And the dough will be dry and thirsty.) Do not overwork the fats in the dry ingredients—you still want those nice crumbles. If it’s too late and you notice the edges of your pie crust are cracking as you roll it out, dip your fingers in ice-cold water and meld the edges back together. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
- Pie dough is falling apart & crumbling when rolling: The dough is likely crumbling because there’s too much fat, and not enough flour and water. Again, this is usually a result of fat being worked in too much, which can easily happen if the ingredients weren’t cold enough. (Refrigerate those dry ingredients before you start!) If it’s too late and the pie dough is crumbling as you roll it out, try adding more water AND more flour. Sprinkle a tiny bit of ice water and flour onto the cracks and crumbled pieces, and gently work it all in with your fingers. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
Gently work ice water drops and flour into your crumbly pie dough to bring it back together:
Blind Baking Pie Crust
If your pie recipe requires a fully baked or par-baked pie crust before adding the filling, follow the directions and success tips in this How to Par-Bake Pie Crust guide. You need 2 packs of pie weights, which are metal or ceramic beads that serve to weigh down the crust to prevent the puffing/shrinking. You could use dried beans instead. Whichever you choose, be sure to line the crust with parchment paper, then fill the empty pie crust shell with the weights prior to baking. Without pie weights, the dough will puff up, and then shrink down the sides.
Pie Crust Success Tips
- Use a glass pie dish. I prefer using a glass pie dish when I make pie. Why? Glass dishes conduct heat evenly, which allows the bottom of the crust to bake thoroughly. Also, you’ll be able to see when the sides and bottom of the crust have browned.
- The refrigerator is pie dough’s best friend. Keep everything cold every step of the way: ingredients, the bowl, and the dough before rolling. When taking the pie crust out of the refrigerator to roll out and fill, make sure your pie filling is ready to go. If not, keep the pie crust in the refrigerator until it is.
- Keep dough cold when rolling out: Warm pie dough is unworkable. If the dough becomes too warm when you’re rolling it out, stop what you’re doing, pick it up as gently as you can, put it on a plate or small baking sheet, and then cover and refrigerate it for 10–20 minutes.
- Protect the crust edges from burning: Use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from burning. A shield keeps the crust edge covered, but the center of the pie exposed, protecting the edges. I usually just make a pie shield out of a piece of aluminum foil. Take a piece of aluminum foil and fold it in half. Cut out a half circle. When you open it back up, you’ll have a square of foil with a circle cut out of the center. If you notice the edges of your pie crust are browning before the pie has fully baked, carefully and gently place the foil over the top of the pie, centering the cut-out hole over the pie. Carefully (obviously it’s very hot!) and lightly tuck the sides of the foil around the pie crust edges, then let the pie finish baking.
- Create a beautiful topping: For designing the top crust, see How to Lattice Pie Crust, How to Braid Pie Crust, or these Pie Crust Designs. And here is my tutorial on How to Crimp and Flute Pie Crust, too.
For more pie crust inspiration, see my graham cracker crust and homemade chocolate pop tarts (with a chocolate crust!).
Print
Homemade Buttery Flaky Pie Crust Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 pie crusts (1 lb, 8 ounces dough total)
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This recipe is enough for a double crust pie. If you only need 1 crust for your pie, freeze the other half per the Freezing Instructions below. Is your pie dough tearing, cracking, or crumbling as you try to roll it out? See recipe Notes.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for shaping and rolling
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 2/3 cup (130g) vegetable shortening, chilled
- 1/2 cup (120ml) ice cold water
Instructions
- Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
- Add the butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). In this step, you’re only breaking up the cold fat into tiny little flour-coated pieces; you’re not completely incorporating it. Do not overwork the ingredients.
- Measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water, since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon (15ml) at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon has been added. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use about 1/2 cup of water, and need a little more in dry winter months. Do not add any more water than you need.
- Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Avoid overworking the dough. If it feels a bit too dry or crumbly, dip your fingers in the ice water and then continue bringing dough together with your hands. If it feels too sticky, sprinkle on more flour and then continue bringing dough together with your hands. Form it into a ball. Use a sharp knife to cut it in half. If it’s helpful, you should have about 1 lb, 8 ounces dough total (about 680g). Gently flatten each half into 1-inch-thick discs using your hands.
- Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.
- After the dough has chilled for at least 2 hours, you can roll it out. Work with one crust at a time, keeping the other in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roll it out. Lightly flour the work surface, rolling pin, and your hands, and sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Use gentle-medium force with your rolling pin on the dough—don’t press down too hard on the dough; you’re not mad at it! When rolling dough out, start from the center and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go. Between passes of the rolling pin, rotate the pie crust and even flip it, to make sure it’s not sticking to your work surface. Sprinkle on a little more flour if it’s sticking; don’t be afraid to use a little more flour. If you notice the dough becoming a lopsided circle as you’re rolling it out, put down the rolling pin and use your hands to help mold the dough back into an even circle. Roll the dough into a very thin 12-inch circle, which is the perfect size to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Your pie dough will be about 1/8 inch thick, which is quite thin. Visible specks of butter and fat in the dough are perfectly normal and expected.
- Because your dough is so thin, use your rolling pin to help transfer the pie crust to the pie dish. Carefully roll one end of the circle of dough gently onto the rolling pin, rolling it back towards you, slowly peeling it off the work surface as you go. Pick it up, and carefully roll it back out over the top of the pie dish. It’s helpful to watch how I do it in the video below.
- Proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions. If your dough requires par-baking, see helpful How to Par-Bake Pie Crust tutorial.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare the pie dough through step 5 and freeze the discs for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using in your pie recipe.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Large Glass Mixing Bowl | Pastry Cutter | Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | For more tools you may need to completely assemble and bake your pie, see my 10 Best Pie Baking Tools list.
- Salt: Use regular table salt. If using kosher salt, use 1 and 1/4 teaspoons.
- Shortening: This recipe uses a butter and shortening combination. Butter for flakiness and flavor, and shortening for its high melting point and ability to help the crust hold shape. You can use butter-flavor shortening if desired. If you want to skip the shortening, feel free to try this all-butter pie crust instead. Some readers have substituted lard for shortening in this recipe with success.
- Can I use a food processor? You can use a food processor to bring the dough ingredients together in step 1, but I find it quickly overworks the dough. For best results and a light, flaky crust, I recommend a pastry cutter.
- Pie dough is dry & cracking around edges when rolling: Use enough ice water when preparing the pie dough. If you work the fats into the dry ingredients too much, the dough will feel too wet before you can add enough water. (And the dough will be dry and thirsty.) Do not overwork the fats in the dry ingredients—you still want those nice crumbles. If it’s too late and you notice the edges of your pie crust are cracking as you roll it out, dip your fingers in ice-cold water and meld the edges back together. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
- Pie dough is falling apart & crumbling when rolling: The dough is likely crumbling because there’s too much fat, and not enough flour and water. Again, this is usually a result of fat being worked in too much, which can easily happen if the ingredients weren’t cold enough. (Refrigerate those dry ingredients before you start!) If it’s too late and the pie dough is crumbling as you roll it out, try adding more water AND more flour. Sprinkle a tiny bit of ice water and flour onto the cracks and crumbled pieces, and gently work it all in with your fingers. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
- More Crusts: If you need more than 2 pie crusts, make another separate batch of dough. Doubling or tripling the recipe leads to over- or under-working the dough, which ruins all of your efforts.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I’m trying to decide which pie crust recipe to try first. I’m curious why the all butter recipe calls for 2 tsp sugar and this one has no sugar?
Hi Judy, While it’s not needed in this recipe, for the all butter crust we find the small addition improves the crust’s flavor and enhances browning. The sugar crystals also help break down the hard pieces of butter. It’s not enough sugar to make it taste sweet!
What is your opinion of grating frozen butter into the flour ? I have never been very successful at using a pastry blender to assimilate larger cubes.
Would this recipe work well for steak and potato hand pies?
Hi Bonnie, we can’t see why not! We love using it for savory pies like chicken pot pie. Let us know how you like it!
I first was introduced to pastry at age 3 when my mother sat me on the counter to help her make pie, and I was hooked! I became a pastry chef and now at age (almost) 62, I am enjoying your blog with great enthusiasm! Keep writing, posting and emailing. I enjoy your words so very much! Love, Ann
Love the taste of this crust BUT I always come up short for enough dough. If I roll it out large enough it is too thin to transfer to the pan without tearing. I’m using 9″ deep dish pans. Is the recipe for deep dish pans? Can I increase ingredients proportionately? Help
Hi Jim, We often use this same crust in deep dish pans. However, you could always make 1.5x the recipe to ensure you have enough. Hope this helps!
Can this be made in a KitchenAid stand mixer ? Would there be any adjustments?
Hi Roy, we don’t usually recommend a mixer for pie dough because it can’t cut cold fats into the dry ingredients quite like a pastry cutter or food processor. If you aren’t using a pastry cutter/doing it by hand, we really do recommend a food processor.
Hey!! I am new to baking pies! Today I tried a chicken pot pie. I made sure to stop adding water when the clumps formed. I put it in the fridge for two days. Today I took it out it wanted to crumble when I tried to roll it out. It just fell apart. Once it got slightly warmer it was just tearing. What am I doing wrong
Hi Morgan! Sounds like your dough may just be dry. Try adding more water next time. You can use some water to bring the dough together while rolling out or incorporate with your hands for this batch.
I struggled with pie dough for years until I came across this recipe. Works great – nice and flaky and the shortening seems to prevent it from getting too hard, which was a problem for me with an all butter crust.
I used this recipe for the quiche. My dough fell apart (especially at the edges) when I rolled it out.. I uploaded pictures on to the Facebook page, and most said the dough is was too dry and my butter pieces were too large / not worked in enough. If there may be reasons beyond those two things, I would welcome y’alls input. Many suggested using a food processor next time, but I know it’s easy to overwork the dough when going that route.
Hi Amanda! The dough being a dit dry is the most likely culprit – you can always dip your fingers in a bit of water to help bring the edges together as you roll it out. But don’t be afraid to add a little more water next time to bring the dough together!
This dough came out much softer and more pliable than I expected. When I lifted it into the pie plate, it broke apart. My butter was cold. Don’t know if I used too much water or if my vegetable oil wasn’t cold enough. Any thoughts?
Hi Naomi, We’re happy to help troubleshoot. When the dough is overly soft, flour will help. Whenever we accidentally over-work the fats into the dough (creating a softer, wetter dough) and/or add too much water, using enough flour during the rolling process is always a nice saving grace. It can be easy to overwork the fats into the dough especially in the summer months, so feel free to put your dough mixture into the refrigerator at any time if you find it becoming too soft to handle. Hope this helps for next time!
For the shortening is it okay to use something out of a jar, such as crisco, or will sticks of shortening work better?
Hi Amanda, both work!
Hello! I keep running into an issue with adding water. After I mix in the butter and shortening? My dough already forms into a large clump. Adding more than a couple tablespoons makes my dough lose its form. What am I doing wrong?
The entire mixture is likely too warm, so the butter/fat is almost melting into the flour instead of staying as separate flour-coated crumbles. I recommend chilling the flour + salt mixture in the freezer for 20 minutes, then cutting in the fats, refrigerating or freezing that for 20 minutes and then adding the ice cold water. You’ll notice a BIG difference. This usually happens to me when making pie dough in the warm summer months, so I know chilling everything works!
Hi Sally
Is there any thing I can use insted of shortnig
Hi Ruby, for a pie crust without shortening, you can use our all butter pie crust instead.
The only pie crust recipe I ever use. This recipe works great for regular pies and pie pockets, everyone who’s ever had this loves it. There are so few ingredients that it’s easy to make substitutions for dietary restrictions when I’m baking for someone else, and I’ve made this gluten free and vegan and it was wonderful both times.
I adore this recipe! I have used it every week since I discovered it!! One variation I have made is that I add certain alcohols in place of some of the water depending on the filling… I used bourbon with my pecan pie, Jameson’s Orange whiskey with a rhubarb/orange pie and I plan to use peach schnapps when I try your peach pie this weekend. I used half alcohol and half water.
Great idea! Thank you. I am about to make a Peach Pie. I think I will put a bit of peach Crown Royal in the crust.
My local grocery does stock lard. Would I replace the shortening with lard in this recipe, or should I use a different recipe with all lard?
Hi Tina, Lard should work in place of the shortening without any other changes. Keep the butter. Enjoy!
Do you recommend measuring out the shortening and then chilling it? I usually don’t keep my shortening in the fridge. Thanks for the tip!
Hi Lila, yes, you can measure it and then place it in the refrigerator if you’d like. Just make sure it has plenty of time to chill before using it in the recipe!
Can this pie crust recipe be made in a food processor?
Hi Cheryl, While you could use a food processor to make this pie crust, it’s strongly recommend to use a pastry cutter, or even two forks, to avoid over-mixing. Food processors are quick to over-work pie dough.
Yes. I use my food processor when making pie dough. It quick & easy
I use this pie crust recipe and it is wonderful, though I find that when I am making a cream pie that requires refrigeration, the cold crust loses some of the flakiness that it would have had originally at room temperature. Would using all butter eliminate this or is that just how it goes with cold pie crust?
Hi Brenda, when the pie crust is too warm, the butter begins melting even before the pie goes in the oven. This means you lose all the flakiness and structure. I recommend keeping the pie dough on the thicker side. If a thicker crust means using 1.5 crusts for the bottom of 1 pie, do it! (This pie crust recipe yields 2 crusts, so it’s enough for using 1.5 crusts. Save extras in the freezer.) You can actually use all butter if you wish. Here is our post on an all butter pie crust.
it is after the pie is baked and refrigerated that I find that I am losing the flakiness. Would that be any different with the all butter crust?
Hi Sally, your recipe sounds very similar to my moms who was an excellent pie baker. She adds vinegar and the pies are always flakey. I always add foil around the edge of pie first 1/2 so it doesn’t overbake
Sally, I’ve been loving all things on your site – and especially the baking by weight versus measuring cup method. This is new to me! And transformative! Just a quick question on this double pie crust recipe; is it intentional that there is no sugar at all in the dough? Seems most other recipes I’ve ever known have at least a small amount included. Thanks for clarifying!
Hi Michelle! We use a touch of sugar in our all butter pie crust to help break down the large quantity of butter. Since we’re not using as much here, there’s no need for sugar. The shortening doesn’t need help breaking down at all. However, 1 Tablespoon of sugar would not mess up anything in the dough here. Use regular white granulated sugar, not brown. Mix it in with the salt + flour. Hope this helps!
I followed the recommendation to cover with foil after the first 20 minutes. I think that is where my problem started. I took the foil off , and let the pie cook another 30 minutes . My pie browned beautifully (and no, my pie did not burn).
I will try this again, but leave the foil off.
First time making this pie crust. AWFUL. I followed directions exactly and wondered aloud about all the shortening AND butter. My timer just went off on my pie, and the top crust is raw, doughy and not cooked. I will leave the pie in the over a bit longer hoping the top cooks.
Hi, Sally! My pie dish is slightly larger, 9.5 inches. Would this recipe still produce enough dough as written, or do you think I would need to add more to it?
Hi Megan! For your slightly larger pie dish, you should be able to simply roll the crust a bit thinner. You could always make 1.5x the recipe to ensure you have enough and trim excess dough from the edges of the pan. Hope this helps!
Have you ever tried using butter flavored shortening? Or would that make the butter flavor too overpowering?
Hi Traci, butter-flavored shortening will work just fine in this recipe.
Yes, i love the ‘traditional’ butter/shortening recipe, but since trans fat concerns, i have been looking for a crust recipe without Crisco, which i think still has some trans fat. my attempts at all butter have not worked, comes out crispy not flaky. i have begun to use Spectrum, trans fat shortening and butter. Appreciate any comments, as i love pies?
Hi Ken, I’ve made this dough with Spectrum brand shortening before and have loved the result. If you’re looking for an all butter alternative, this all butter pie crust is tender and flaky.
Can I fully bake the pie crust and freeze it for later use also could I add some sugar
Hi Andy, You could pre-bake, cool completely, then wrap and freeze. Thaw slightly before continuing to blind bake or before filling. No need to thaw completely. 1 Tablespoon of sugar would not mess up anything in the dough. Use regular white granulated sugar, not brown. Mix it in with the salt + flour.
This is the best butte pie crust I’ve ever made. Came out perfect (made a cherry pie one) Thank you. I was giving up already and then I found you. Love from Slovakia.
Hi Sally. Every year I make at least 12 pies for thabks giving. Half sweet potato and half apple. For years I made my crust by hand, and it would take forever. One year I actually worked my hand so much I got a tendinitis. So I decided to purchase a kitchen aid to decrease the hand labor when making so many pies. This had helped do much. I have been using my grandmother’s old school pie recipe for years, but your kooks amazing an I want to try it. What is your stance on using a kitchen aid with the flat spatula like mixing pice for pastries and also with so many pies, I give them away. I usually use the 10 inch deep foil pie pans. I have been taught to always bake my crust a little first, and to put fork holes all on the bottom, that usually seems to work but I do notice the crust does shrink from the top a little but prevents puffing up..then I put the pie filling in and continue to bake. I have never tried to pie weights before but I heard of them. Sorry so long.
Hi Bridgeete, I don’t usually recommend a mixer for pie dough because it can’t cut cold fats into the dry ingredients quite like a pastry cutter or food processor. If you aren’t using a pastry cutter/doing it by hand, I really do recommend a food processor. Pie weights are extremely helpful when par baking pie dough.
I use milk (and lard ) instead of water, and oh! What a difference!
This is my go-to pie crust now! Always turns out amazing!
Hi! What would I swap out if I want to try this pie crust with lard? Thank you! 🙂
Hi Angela, Lard should work in place of the shortening without any other changes. Keep the butter. Enjoy!
I have spent years searching for a pie crust recipe that I can use that’s not crumbly and/or difficult to roll and doesn’t taste like bread!!! THIS NAILED IT!!! I’ve used it practically everyday since I’ve found it about three weeks ago I’ve just been on a baking spree as this pie crust is just unbelievably good…..
Thank you soo much from my family and I for blessing us with this wonderful recipe❤