All-Butter Pie Crust Recipe

Introduction

This all butter pie crust is the perfect base for both sweet and savory pies. Made with simple ingredients and a straightforward technique, it produces a tender, flaky crust that elevates any pie recipe.

Ingredients

• 2¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt*
• 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• ½ cup ice water

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until evenly combined.
2. Step 2: Add the chilled, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are pea-sized or smaller. Alternatively, you can pulse the mixture in a food processor.
3. Step 3: Drizzle ice water into the mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring gently after each addition. Continue until the dough begins to come together.
4. Step 4: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Form it into a ball and divide it in half. Flatten each half into a disc.
5. Step 5: Wrap each dough disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before rolling out.
6. Step 6: For hot pies, roll one disc on a floured surface to about ¼-inch thick and transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish for the bottom crust. Roll the second disc for the top crust if needed. Bake according to your recipe’s instructions. Store any leftover dough wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator.
7. Step 7: For cold pies, preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness and transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Use a fork to dock the bottom and sides of the crust. Blind bake for 12 minutes, then add a pie crust guard and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Continue with your pie recipe. Wrap and refrigerate any remaining dough.

Tips & Variations

• Keep all ingredients cold to ensure a flaky crust. Chill utensils and use ice water for best results.
• For a slightly richer crust, add 1–2 tablespoons of sour cream or cream cheese to the dough.
• Use a food processor for quick mixing, but avoid over-processing to prevent a tough crust.
• If you don’t have kosher salt, use regular table salt but reduce the amount slightly.

Storage

Wrap unused dough tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the dough for up to 3 months, thawing overnight in the refrigerator before use. Baked pie crusts can be stored at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat baked crusts briefly in a warm oven to restore crispness.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Just be sure to wrap it tightly to prevent drying out.

How do I prevent a soggy pie crust?

Blind baking the crust before adding a wet filling helps prevent sogginess. You can also brush the crust with a beaten egg white before baking to create a moisture barrier.

All-Butter Pie Crust Recipe

Pin Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 82 reviews

This All Butter Pie Crust recipe produces a tender, flaky, and buttery pie crust made from simple ingredients and a straightforward process. Perfect for both hot and cold pies, this crust can be rolled out, blind baked, or used to top your favorite fillings. The recipe uses chilled unsalted butter and ice water to achieve the ideal texture and flavor.

• Author: mia
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 22 minutes (for blind baking)
• Total Time: 2 hours 37 minutes (including chilling)
• Yield: One double 9-inch pie crust (top and bottom) 1x
• Category: Baking
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry Ingredients

• 2¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• ½ cup ice water

Instructions

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
2. Cut in Butter: Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the chilled cubed butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are the size of peas or smaller. Alternatively, a food processor can be used to incorporate the butter into the flour evenly.
3. Add Ice Water: Drizzle in the ice water, two tablespoons at a time, stirring gently after each addition. Continue adding water until the dough just starts to come together and holds when pressed.
4. Form Dough and Divide: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Form it into a ball and then divide it evenly into two halves. Flatten each half into a disc shape for easier rolling later.
5. Chill Dough: Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the dough to rest and the butter to firm up, which promotes flakiness.
6. Roll Out for Hot Pie: For hot pies, roll out half of the dough on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish and shape it to fit. Roll out the second half if a top crust is required. Use as directed in your recipe and bake accordingly.
7. Roll Out for Cold Pie: For cold pies, preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out half the dough to ¼ inch thick and transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish. Dock the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork to prevent bubbling.
8. Blind Bake Crust: Bake the crust for 12 minutes. Then place a pie crust guard or use foil to protect the edges, and bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden and fully cooked.
9. Store Leftover Dough: Wrap any remaining dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for future use within a few days or freeze for longer storage.

Notes

• Keep all ingredients, especially butter and water, as cold as possible to ensure a flaky crust.
• Use a pastry cutter for best texture; a food processor is a faster alternative but be careful not to over-process.
• Chilling the dough is essential to prevent shrinkage and to develop flavor.
• Docking the crust helps prevent air bubbles during blind baking.
• Pie crust guards or aluminum foil strips protect the edges from burning during baking.
• This crust is versatile and works well with both sweet and savory pie fillings.
• Wrap and refrigerate leftover dough tightly to prevent drying out.

Keywords: all butter pie crust, homemade pie crust, flaky pie crust, baking, pie dough, butter crust, blind baked pie crust