This buttery, flaky pie crust is made with simple ingredients and is easy to work with. Perfect for any pie—apple, pumpkin, pecan, or even a savory quiche!
Author:Beth
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour
Total Time:1 hour 15 minutes
Yield:1 double-crust or 2 single-crust pies 1x
Category:Pastry Making
Method:Baking
Cuisine:American
Ingredients
Scale
2 ½ cupsall-purpose flour
1 teaspoonsalt
1 tablespoongranulated sugar (omit for savory pies)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
6–8 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar.
Step 2: Cut in the Butter
Add cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture.
Using a pastry cutter (or your fingers), cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces.
Step 3: Add Ice Water
Drizzle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently after each addition.
Stop when the dough holds together when pinched but isn’t sticky.
Step 4: Form & Chill
Gather the dough into a ball, divide it in half, and flatten each half into a disc.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
Step 5: Roll Out the Dough
On a floured surface, roll out one dough disc into a 12-inch circle for a 9-inch pie pan.
Transfer to the pan, trim excess dough, and crimp the edges.
Step 6: Bake (If Needed)
For a pre-baked crust (blind baking):
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights.
Bake for 15 minutes, remove weights, and bake 5-7 more minutes until golden.
Notes
Use frozen butter for extra flakiness.
Keep all ingredients cold for best results.
Can be frozen for up to 3 months—just thaw overnight before rolling.