Description
This Flaky Pie Crust recipe is the ultimate easy and buttery base for your favorite pies. Crafted with cold unsalted butter and just the right amount of ice water, it produces a tender, flaky crust perfect for sweet or savory desserts. With straightforward steps and simple ingredients, it’s a must-have technique for any home baker looking to impress with a homemade pie crust.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional for sweet pies)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and optional sugar if making a sweet pie crust.
- Cut in Butter: Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, blend the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits.
- Add Water: Gradually mix in ice water one tablespoon at a time, gently stirring just until the dough starts to hold together without being wet or sticky.
- Form Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently shape it into two equal discs. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill: Refrigerate the wrapped dough discs for at least 1 hour to allow the gluten to rest and the butter to firm up, which helps create a flaky texture.
- Roll Out: Once chilled, roll each disc on a lightly floured surface to fit your pie pan, ensuring even thickness for uniform baking.
- Use or Store: Use the rolled-out crust immediately or freeze the wrapped dough discs in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw before rolling out.
Notes
- Keep the butter and water as cold as possible to maintain flakiness.
- Do not overwork the dough to avoid a tough crust.
- Adding sugar is optional and recommended only for sweet pie crusts.
- Chilling the dough is essential for better texture and ease of handling.
- Freeze any leftover dough for convenient future use.
