Pie Crust Recipe | Diethood

This straightforward pie crust recipe comes collectively in minutes within the blender or meals processor! It’s a shortcut that produces a buttery, flaky pie crust with fantastic taste each time. Discover ways to make pie dough from scratch, after which bake it together with your favourite fillings.

A pie is just nearly as good as its crust, and an excellent crust comes all the way down to good dough. My pie crust recipe is THAT dough. Even higher, I make it with a shortcut utilizing my meals processor. That is the quickest pie crust recipe I’ve ever made, and I exploit it for every part from pies to quiche. When you’ve got a vacation or event for pie developing, I simply know you’re going to like how straightforward it’s!

Why This Simple Recipe Nails the Excellent Pie Crust

Flaky, however not fragile. This crust is sturdy sufficient to help all of your favourite pie fillings, however nonetheless melt-in-your-mouth flaky due to an ideal fat-to-flour ratio.
Buttery and flavorful. They name it an all-butter crust for a cause! Butter makes a constantly flaky, scrumptious pie dough that gained’t crumble, with out the necessity for lard or shortening.
A fast newbie’s shortcut. I’m right here to set the document straight: You don’t have to be a grasp baker to make a pie crust from scratch. Really, all you want is a blender! This recipe makes it straightforward, and nonetheless produces a golden, flaky crust, the way in which it must be.
Make it forward. You possibly can double the recipe to organize batches of dough and freeze them for later. Thaw them while you want them for a selfmade flaky pie crust that’s chilly and able to roll.

Pie crust ingredients with text labels overlaying each ingredient.

Collect Your Components

The right flaky pie crust recipe comes all the way down to one of many shortest ingredient lists: flour, fats, and water (plus a little bit salt to boost the flavour). That’s precisely what you’ll discover right here! I’ve included notes beneath, and you’ll discover the total, printable recipe card on the backside of the submit together with step-by-step images.

Flour – All-purpose is probably the most constant. I haven’t examined this recipe but with various flours.
Ice Water – Emphasis on “ice” chilly!
Butter – This must also be chilly from the fridge. I want to make use of unsalted butter, however salted butter additionally works. On this case, you may skip any added salt within the recipe.

Ought to I Put Sugar in My Pie Crust?

I don’t, however I additionally love to make use of this crust for savory recipes, like quiche Lorraine. If you happen to’d want a little bit sweetness in your pie crust, be happy so as to add as much as 1 tablespoon of sugar to the dough (add it in with the flour and salt).

Is It Higher to Use Butter or Shortening?

In my home, butter is all the time higher! That being stated, each butter and shortening yield a flaky crust. Pie crusts made with shortening will be barely flakier with neater edges, whereas butter crusts are lighter and extra flavorful.

Close-up of a lattice pie crust by diethood.

Suggestions for Success

Chill every part earlier than you begin. The key to good pie crust is preserving issues COLD. On hotter days, I’ll even pop the bowl of my meals processor into the freezer for 5-10 minutes beforehand. Preserve your butter within the fridge till you’re prepared to make use of it. It additionally helps to drop an ice dice within the ice water, so it stays chilly whilst you work.
Add water a little bit at a time. Do that so that you don’t by accident add an excessive amount of water unexpectedly. In case your dough is just too moist, you’ll want so as to add extra flour, which might make the completed crust robust. However, in case your dough is just too dry, you’ll find yourself with a crumbly crust while you go to roll it out.
Don’t overmix. Identical to mixing the batter or dough for any baked items, make sure that to not overblend the dough elements. The dough must be clumped collectively and never overly sticky while you take away it from the meals processor.
Preserve the dealing with to a minimal. The much less you deal with the pie dough after mixing, the flakier your crust will likely be!
Chunks of butter are an excellent factor. While you divide the dough into two balls, search for flecks and layers of butter within the dough. That’s an indication of a flaky pie dough.

Methods to Use Your Selfmade Pie Crust

This meals processor pie crust recipe makes a double crust (as in, two pie crusts). You need to use it to make two separate pies or one pie with a high and backside crust. After that, the chances are countless! Slice the highest crust into strips to weave a lattice crust, or strive one in all these recipes:

Traditional pies. Nicely, duh! Use your pie crust in your favourite selfmade pies, whether or not that’s pumpkin pie, apple pie, berry pie, or in any other case.
Savory recipes. This recipe is the proper flaky crust for hen or turkey pot pie, spinach quiche, or straightforward selfmade tomato tart.
Different makes use of. I like turning leftover pie crust trimmings into pinwheel cookies!

A slice of pie topped with vanilla ice cream and a fork tucked into the end of the slice.

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Meals Processor – This makes fast work of mixing the flour, salt, and butter. It’s also possible to use a pastry cutter if you happen to’re working by hand.
Bench Scraper – Helpful for dividing the dough and cleansing up your work floor.
Rolling Pin – A sturdy rolling pin helps roll the dough easily.
Pie Pan – Use your favourite 9-inch pie dish; metallic, glass, or ceramic all work!

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Mix the elements. Within the bowl of a meals processor, pulse collectively flour and salt. Add butter and blend till it resembles a rough meal.
Add water. With the machine operating, slowly add ice water and course of till a dough comes collectively. Add extra water if the dough appears too dry.
Form and chill the pie dough. Divide the dough into two equal-sized balls and flatten into disks. Wrap every disk in plastic wrap and chill a minimum of 1 hour earlier than rolling out.
Roll out the crust. Roll the dough out on a floured floor after which place it in a pie pan.
Fill the crust. Fill together with your alternative of pie filling. Roll out the second dough disk and place it over the pie filling.
Bake. Bake in accordance with your recipe instructions.

Dietary data is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values could differ in accordance with the elements and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.

Find out how to Make a Flaky Pie Crust

Get your chilly butter out of the fridge and chop it into cubes, and let’s make this straightforward selfmade pie crust following the detailed directions beneath. The step-by-step images are right here to assist!

Flour and salt combined in a food processor. — Mix the flour and salt.

Butter added to the flour mixture inside the food processor. — Mix the flour and salt.

Combine the dry elements. Mix the flour and salt in your meals processor, and pulse just a few occasions.
Add butter. Subsequent, add the butter and pulse once more to kind a rough meal (it ought to look crumbly, with a lot of lumps). It’s effective if some lumps of butter are bigger than others.
Add water. Measure out ¼ cup of ice water. With the meals processor nonetheless operating, drizzle the water into the dough 1 tablespoon at a time till the dough comes collectively in giant clumps. Chances are you’ll want so as to add a little bit extra water if the dough continues to be dry.

Two hands shaping pie dough on a marble surface. — Form the pie dough right into a ball.

Two pie dough discs on a marble countertop. — Form the pie dough right into a ball.

Divide and chill the dough. Now, empty the dough from the processor. Use your arms to divide and form the dough into two equal-sized balls. Then, flatten every one right into a disc.
Chill the dough. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap and place them within the fridge for an hour. You’re able to assemble and bake your pie!

Can I Make This With no Meals Processor?

Positive! If you happen to don’t have a meals processor or blender, you may nonetheless make a easy pie dough with a little bit elbow grease. On this case, lower the butter into the flour combination by hand utilizing a fork or pastry cutter. Slowly stir the ice water into the dough, a little bit at a time, simply till giant clumps kind. Then proceed with the recipe as directed.

Find out how to Roll Out a Pie Crust

When your dough has chilled for a minimum of an hour, it’s able to be rolled out. You’ll want a clear countertop, some flour, and a rolling pin. Take out your dough, and observe these steps:

Rolled out pie crust on a marble surface with a rolling pin. — Roll out the crust.

Pie crust pressed into a pie plate. — Roll out the crust.

Begin with the underside crust. I like to recommend working with one crust at a time. Use a rolling pin to softly roll out the primary dough disc to an excellent thickness. Intention for an 11 to 12-inch circle that’s about ⅛-inch thick, giant sufficient to slot in a 9-inch pie plate. Press the dough into your pie pan. At this stage, you may blind-bake the crust (see beneath) or skip this step and go for a completely baked crust.

Berries added to a flaky pie crust. — Add the filling.

An assembled pie with a top crust. — Add the filling.

Fill the crust. Subsequent, unfold your alternative of pie filling into the ready crust, whether or not that’s apple, pecan, pumpkin, cherry, peach, and many others.
Add the second crust. Roll out the second dough disc. Place it over the pie filling, then seal and flute or crimp the sides. If wanted, use a knife to chop small vent holes within the high crust to permit the steam to flee.
Bake. Observe the baking instructions to your chosen pie recipe.

Some recipes name for {a partially} baked pie crust (additionally known as a blind-baked or par-baked crust) to make sure a crispy, sturdy backside crust that holds up towards the filling. On this case, after you’ve added your backside crust to the pie pan, you’ll must bake the unfilled crust within the oven earlier than you fill it. I embrace blind baking in recipes like my ham and cheese quiche, however right here’s a brief overview:

Add weights to the dough. When you’ve rolled out and tucked the underside crust into your pie plate, line the crust with parchment paper and add pie weights (rice or dried beans will even work right here).
Par-bake. Bake the crust at 350ºF for quarter-hour till it’s evenly golden. Afterward, permit it to chill barely earlier than you fill it.

A lattice pie crust for a berry pie by diethood.

Storage and Freezing

Refrigerate. When you’ve ready your dough, maintain it refrigerated till you’re able to roll it out and bake it. It’s also possible to put together the crust in a pie plate and maintain it tightly wrapped till it’s time to fill and bake the pie.
Freeze the pie dough. This selfmade pie crust freezes like a dream. It’s nice to make forward of time for that reason. After you’ve ready the dough, divide and form it into two discs, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Freeze the pie dough for as much as 3 months, and thaw it in a single day within the fridge earlier than you roll it out.