Easy to follow and prepare, this homemade pie crust is buttery and perfectly flaky. Use it to bake sweet or savory pie. Shape into regular size or make mini pies. You can even cut it using a cookie cutter for perfect little savory snacks. This 4 ingredients pie crust recipe has no shortening. It’s all butter and comes out flaky!
I didn’t grow up eating or baking pie. But staying in US, got me into the practice of baking pie during holiday season. And since my husband is a big fan of pie, especially pumpkin pie. I had to perfect it.
Making pie is extremely satisfying and if you get daunted with the whole idea, then watching the video will definitely help.
A lot of recipe calls for a mix of both butter and shortening. Some even uses just shortening. I use just butter.
Ingredients you need:
COLD BUTTER is what we need – As the crust bakes, the butter melts away creating layers in the flour and there by a crumbly crust. If the butter softens before you bake, then the crust will turn hard and not flaky.
Flour - I don't bake pie that often and so when I do, I make it the old fashion way with all-purpose flour. You can definitely try with your choice of flour. The taste and texture of the crust will definitely depend on the flour you are using and fat that helps to make it flaky.
Apple cider Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar helps to soften the gluten in the flour and helps to make it flaky instead of chewy.
Ice Cold Water - You need to keep the dough cold, which helps to butter to melt as the crust bakes and there by, resulting in a flaky texture.
Salt and Sugar - I like to add both as it helps to balance the flavor.
Steps to prepare the Pie Crust
1- In a food processor add the flour, salt, sugar and cold butter that should be cut into small pieces.
2-Mix the cold butter with flour until it looks crumbly. You can do this in a mixing bowl, by cutting the cold butter using a pastry cutter, fork or hand. I would avoid hand because that can soften the butter.
At times, I use a box grater to grate the cold butter to the flour. This step really helps to evenly distribute the butter to the flour.
3- Next add the liquid. I use cold apple cider vinegar and ice-cold water. You can use just ice-cold water too.
4- Once you add the liquid, just mix it around using a rubber spatula to bring the dough together. DO NOT KNEAD. If you are using a food processor, then just pulse it a few times.
5-Then divide the dough into two roughly equal portions and wrap it in a clear wrap. As you wrap, press it down a little and flatten it out. This will help to roll the dough later.
6- Gently roll the dough by dusting a little flour. Roll it to ⅛th cm and 1 inch wider than your pie plate.
7-Once you roll the dough, and shape it in the pie pan, refrigerate the pan for 15 minutes if you are planning to blind bake.
8- Place parchment paper on the pie crust and then scatter enough pie weights, dried beans or dried lentils to weigh down the parchment paper evenly.
You can use this buttery crust recipe for any variety of tart or pies. Here is my recipe of pumpkin pie . I also use the same recipe to prepare Tomato Thyme Ricotta Galette
KEY NOTES:
- Keep the butter cold and use ice-cold water.
- Do know knead the dough, just mix it around with a wooden spoon.
- Wrap the dough in clear wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for a while before you roll it out.
- Do not press the rolled dough to the pie pan, push the sides down. Place the pie pan in the freezer for a while before you blind bake or bake it with the filling.
- The butter in the dough should not melt before you place it in the oven. This will result in hard pie crust texture.
- As the cold butter melts in the hot oven, it creates layers, making a flaky pie crust.
Baking pie is very therapeutic and once you get the hang of it, you will bake on repeat. Hope this recipe and the video I shared will be helpful.
More Fall Recipes to try
Button, Star & Leaf Cut Out Sugar Cookies
How to make Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 and ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter cold, cut in cubes
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoon ice cold water
Instructions
- Using a food processor or a mixing bowl, mix the flour with salt and sugar.
- Add the cold butter and if you are using a food processor then pulse it a few times to incorporate the butter to the flour. If you are using a mixing bowl, then cut the butter using a pastry cutter or fork, or you could even grate the cold butter to the flour.
- Pour the vinegar and ice-cold water, then pulse it once again to bring the mixture together. If you are using a mixing bowl, then use a wooden spoon to bring the dough together.
- Then transfer the dough to a bigger space, chopping board or kitchen counter. DO NOT KNEAD. Just bring the dough together and divide into two portions.
- Wrap each of the portions using a clear wrap and then flatten it out a little so it becomes easy to roll later.
- Keep the wrap dough in the fridge to make it cold again, before you roll.
- You can store the pie crust in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
- When you are ready to roll the pie crust, dust enough flour on the board and on the rolling pin. Then roll it gently from center to outward and rotate the dough occasionally.
- You have to roll it to ⅛th inch thick and 1 inch wider than the pie plate.
- Wrap the rolled dough to your rolling pin and transfer it to the pie plate.
- Do not press the dough down to the pie plate. Push the edges down to fill the bottom with the pie plate.
- Trim off the excess dough, and if you like a thicker crust, then tug the edges to make it thicker. (WATCH THE VIDEO)
- Finally, shape the edge as per your liking.
- Place the prepared pie pan in the fridge for 15 minutes, before you fill and bake.
- If you are blind baking the pie crust, then place a crumbled parchment paper to the crust and pour enough dried beans or lentils and press it down gently to spread it evenly.
- Bake the pie crust for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lentil and the parchment paper, and bake for another 5 minutes.
- The pie crust is partially baked and ready for the filling.
- For the excess trimmed off pie dough, you can roll it out and use fall leaves cookie cutter to make decoration for your pie.
