Find out how the tips you need to know to make the perfect crust for your next pie, plus get the fail-proof recipe using just a few simple ingredients.
COOK + BAKE | Published June 16, 2014
Affiliate links are provided in this post for your convenience. For more information, you canview my disclosure policy.
Most people either consider themselves to be great at making pie crust or think they can't do it well at all. While making crust can be tricky, your ability lies more in the recipe itself and what is done with the dough rather than any skills that you might or might not possess.
There are some recipes that turn out drier than others. Some don't seem to make quite enough dough to fill the pie tin or allow enough extra to make a beautiful edge on your crust. And if the dough isn't chilled properly, it could shrink when the crust is put in the oven to bake, ruining anything decorative that was done with the pastry.
After many experiments with different recipes, I believe that I may have finally found the best recipe yet for pie crust. It is fairly simple to make, rolls out nicely, and makes more than enough dough for two 9-inch pie crusts.
PIE RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOYRustic Apple Cranberry Pie - perfect for fall and Christmas dessertsBlueberry Pie with a Twisted Lattice CrustTHERE ARE TWO IMPORTANT TIPS TO REMEMBER WHEN MAKING ANY PIE CRUST
The most important rule is to make the pie crust cold.
ALL of your ingredients, not just the butter, should be cold. Before preparing this recipe you'll need to stick everything including the flour and water into the refrigerator for at least half an hour. Having everything cold keeps the butter from melting while processing. When your dough is done, you should still be able to see chunks of butter remaining.
The other tip when making pie crust is to not over-mix the pastry.
Process the ingredients just enough to incorporate everything, but no more. If the dough is overworked, it will get overly firm and could shrink when baked.
So let's get busy making some crust....
MUST HAVE PIE CRUST RECIPE
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, cold and cut into little pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
How to Make Pie Crust
- Add the flour (learn more about how to properly measure dry ingredients), chunks of butter, salt, and sugar in to afood processor. Process the ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. This can also be done by hand with a pastry blender.
- Add 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of water very slowly and pulse the food processor a few times. The dough is ready if it holds together when squeezed but is still able to be crumbled apart.Divide the dough into two and form each half into a flat round wrapped in plastic wrap.
- Chill the dough for at least an hour in the refrigerator before attempting to roll it out.
- When you are ready to make your crust, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Be sure to also lightly flour therolling pinand dough so that nothing sticks. You must keep moving the pastry around so that it doesn't stick. Also, as you roll you should apply pressure to the rolling pin in only one direction. Do not press as you roll the pin backwards. Your dough should roll out easily and maintain a round shape.
- If it starts to crack or break when you begin rolling, wait a minute for the dough to warm up just slightly. If it starts to stick, then the dough is too warm and needs to go back into the refrigerator.
- When the dough forms a circle that is a little more than an inch wider than yourpie dishall around, fold it in half, and then in half again to transfer it to your baking dish without ripping. Gently press the crust down into the dish, but do not stretch it to fit.
- Trim the pastry around the edges withkitchen scissorsto be just a little larger than the rim of your dish.
- Fold the excess dough under the crust to make it thicker around the edges. Use the pointer and middle finger of one hand and the thumb of your other hand to press and form a ruffled edge.
- Put the crust back into the refrigerator for an hour before filling with your pie ingredients and baking. It should also be placed into the refrigerator at any point that you think the dough is getting too soft while forming the crust.
And that is it! I have no doubt that you'll end up with a beautiful and tasty crust perfect for any pie!
Now that you have the recipe and technique for making the perfect crust, put your skills to the test by makingblueberry pie with a twisted lattice crust. It is an easy dessert you'll make again and again!
FAQs
Use Very Cold Butter or Fat
Butter, shortening, lard, or suet—whatever fat the recipe calls for should be well-chilled and cut into small pieces to start with for the flakiest crust in the end. The fat in a pie crust must maintain some of its integrity in the dough to make the crust truly flaky.
Which is better, pie crust with butter or shortening? ›
Butter made a tastier, flakier, sturdier crust by far. This isn't to say that shortening and lard aren't useful ingredients. Shortening is a great way to get incredibly tender desserts. It's part of what makes these pumpkin whoopie pies so delectable.
What is the number 2 most important thing when making pie crust? ›
I like to use pastry flour because it contains less gluten than all-purpose flour and therefore creates a more tender crust, but all-purpose flour will work just fine if that's what you have on hand. The “2” is fat. Butter is the most common type of fat used, but other solid fats will work as well.
What does too much butter do to pie crust? ›
To maintain its shape during baking, pastry needs liquid to activate the flour's gluten. For flaky, tender texture, it also requires fat. The balance of those two ingredients is critical. Too much fat and the crust loses its structure and shrinks; too much liquid, it's hard and leathery.
What not to do when making pie crust? ›
Whether you use a food processor, a stand mixer, or your hands to incorporate the ingredients together, overmixing is a common mistake that leads to a chewy crust. It's tempting when baking to combine the ingredients completely, but the texture should resemble a coarse meal before adding your liquid.
What is the most important rule in making a pie crust? ›
The most important step is cutting the cold fat into the flour. If you don't do this, you'll lose the flakiness, which, for me, makes pie worth every single calorie. The easiest way to do this is with a food processor. Add your flour and then your cold fat (cut up into smaller tablespoon-size chunks).
What are 2 disadvantages of using all butter in pie crust? ›
The cons: Butter can be harder to work with than lard or shortening because of its lower melting point, so the dough temperature has to be just right. If it gets too warm, it will be too soft to handle and will tear easily. Butter is a firmer fat, so if it's too cold, your dough will be more difficult to roll out.
What is the basic formula for making pie crust? ›
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling.
- ½ teaspoon salt.
- ½ teaspoon sugar.
- ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces.
- 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water.
Traditionally, what you're looking for in a pie crust are three basic things: you want it to be fully cooked through, without any doughiness between the filling and the bottom crust, you want the crust to be light and flaky with discernible layers, and, of course, you want there to be a rich, buttery flavor.
Should butter be cold when making pie crust? ›
In order to ensure that the finished crust is super flaky, pie crust always starts with cold butter. That way, the butter will remain in solid chunks in the dough that evaporate into layers during baking. Good!
Keep everything cold.
This helps to stop the butter from melting and means your dough is nice and easy to work with.
Why is my butter pie crust tough? ›
Tough pie crusts are typically the result of working the dough too much (again, gluten). You don't need to make sure it's a perfectly uniform ball. “As long as the dough is mostly holding together, you don't need to spend a lot of time kneading it,” Susan Reid wrote for King Arthur Baking.
How long should you chill pie dough before rolling out? ›
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or up to overnight. Tip: Chilling hardens the fat in the dough, which will help the crust maintain its structure as it bakes. And the short rest before rolling relaxes the dough's gluten, helping prevent a tough crust.
What does adding vinegar to pie crust do? ›
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. Fresh All-Butter Pie Dough with vinegar (right) and without (left).
What does adding an egg to pie crust do? ›
Sugar: Not all pie crusts have sugar, but those that do will be more tender since sugar interferes with gluten development. In our experience, sugar can also make the pie dough so tender that it's hard to roll out and transfer to your pan without breaking. Egg: This makes the dough more pliable and easy to roll out.
