Perfect Pie Crust (2024)

1. Cube butter:

   Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces, and refrigerate until needed.

   

2. Mix dry ingredients:

   Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and mix to combine.

   

3. Incorporate butter into dry ingredients:

   Add the chilled butter. Using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture; the mixture should resemble coarse meal with small pieces of butter, the size of small peas, remaining visible.

   

   See Also

   Vinegar in pie dough: What does it do?See How Easy It Is to Make Perfect Pie CrustSurprising Foods You Won't Believe Are Dairy-FreeHow to Substitute Butter for Oil (and Vice Versa)

4. Finish mixing dough:

   Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the flour-butter mixture, and blend. Repeat with an additional 2 tablespoons water. At this point, you may have to add more water: When a handful of dough squeezed together just holds its shape, you've added enough; if the dough crumbles, continue incorporating water, 1 tablespoon at a time, checking the consistency after each additional tablespoon.

   

5. Divide dough:

   Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide into two equal pieces, and place on two separate sheets of plastic wrap.

   

6. Form into disks and chill

   Flatten, and form two disks of dough. Wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

   

7. Prepare to roll out pie crust:

   Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Place the chilled dough in the center of the work surface, and dust the dough as well as the rolling pin with flour.

   

   See Also

   Pie Fats: Butter vs. Oil vs. Shortening vs. Lard

8. Roll to 1/8-inch thick:

   Position the rolling pin on the center of the disk, and begin rolling the dough away from you. Give the disk a quarter turn, and roll again. Continue turning and rolling until you have an even 1/8-inch thickness. Turning the dough as you roll will prevent it from sticking to the work surface. A dry pastry brush is handy to remove any excess flour during and after the rolling process.

   

9. Arrange crust in pie tin:

   Lightly butter the pie plate. To minimize stretching when moving the dough, roll it around the pin, lift up, and unroll over the buttered pie plate.

   

10. Trim and fold overhang:

    Using your fingers, gently pat the dough into place. Trim any excess dough with a paring knife or kitchen shears, leaving a 1-inch overhang; then fold dough under to reinforce the edge.

    

Cook's Notes

This recipe is mixed by hand, but you can use a food processor if you prefer: Pulse in the butter 8 to 10 seconds. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water through feed tube with machine running.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is butter or shortening best for pie crust?

Butter undoubtedly has the best flavor and creates the flakiest layers in the crust. Shortening, while it doesn't have much flavor, is a little easier to work with. Crusts made with shortening will hold their shape better when baked, especially if you're creating a decorative edge.

Why do you grease the pie plate?

Greasing the pie plate is essentially a preventative measure. While a buttery pie crust is not likely to stick to the tin, sometimes gooey fillings can seep into the crevices and cause the crust to stick. Brushing the pie plate with butter creates an added barrier so you can lift out slices of pie with ease.

What is pâte brisée?

Pâte brisée is a French term that translates to "broken pastry." It is the most traditional form of pie dough, where butter is incorporated into flour, sugar, and salt, then moistened with cold water. This recipe is a classic pâte brisée.

Pie Recipes to Use This Crust For

• Martha's Lemon Meringue Pie
• Chocolate Chess Pie
• Rhubarb Pie
• Peach Pie
• Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
• Virginia Peanut Pie
• Chess Pie