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The Best EASY Butter Pie Crust Recipe

4.7 from 81 reviews

This easy butter pie crust recipe yields a tender, flaky crust perfect for any pie. Made with chilled unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, salt, and ice water, it comes together quickly using a food processor. The dough is chilled before rolling out for best results and can be used for sweet or savory pies.

Ingredients

Scale

Pie Crust Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and chilled
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

  1. Pulse the butter mixture: Place the chilled butter, all-purpose flour, and salt into a food processor. Pulse in 1-second bursts about 15 to 20 times until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized lumps of butter remaining.
  2. Add ice water gradually: Through the food processor’s feed tube, add 1 tablespoon of ice water at a time. After each addition, pulse 4 to 5 times. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
  3. Form dough disks: Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface and use your hands to push it into a single large lump. Divide the dough evenly into two halves and form each half into a ball. Flatten each ball into a disk about 4 inches in diameter. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap or place in plastic baggies, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 days.
  4. Prepare to roll out: Remove the dough from the refrigerator 3 to 4 minutes before rolling to slightly soften. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking.
  5. Roll out the dough: Roll the dough disk from the center outward, turning it a quarter turn periodically. Continue rolling until the dough is about 4 inches larger in diameter than your pie pan. If the edges crack or split, gently pinch them back together. Let the rolled crust rest for 5 minutes before transferring.
  6. Transfer and shape crust: Carefully lift and transfer the rolled crust into the pie pan. Flute the edges to create a decorative border. Now your crust is ready to fill and bake according to your pie recipe. To prebake, follow special directions noted below.

Notes

  • To prebake (blind bake) the crust: prick the bottom with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes, then remove weights and parchment and bake another 5 to 7 minutes until golden.
  • Keep all ingredients well chilled for the flakiest crust.
  • Don’t overwork the dough to avoid toughness.
  • Chilled dough can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Keywords: easy butter pie crust, homemade pie crust, flaky pie crust, pie dough, baking, dessert crust