I’ve finally cracked the code for pie crust from scratch using only a few pantry staples and a straightforward method that works for pumpkin, apple, pecan or cherry pies.

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I used to think pastry was a mystery, and I would buy premade crusts because making one felt impossible. Then I learned a few easy tricks and now my Pie Crust From Scratch turns out flaky and forgiving, even when I’m rushed.

Using cold unsalted butter and all purpose flour makes a huge difference, I can’t stress that enough. This is not some fussy chef thing, it’s a real life fix that makes pumpkin or fruit fillings taste like holiday magic.

Try it once and you’ll see why some call it the Best Pie Crust For Apple Pie, even when I mess up.

Ingredients

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Ingredient Quantities

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour

1 tsp (6 g) fine salt

1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar optional

1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter cold

6 to 8 tbsp (90 to 120 ml) ice water

1 tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar optional

1 egg beaten optional for egg wash

How to Make this

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1. In a large bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp fine salt and 1 tbsp granulated sugar if you want it a little sweet.

2. Cut 1 cup cold unsalted butter into cubes and add to the flour. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, a bench scraper or pulse in a food processor until the mix looks like coarse cornmeal with some pea size butter pieces left, dont worry about small lumps.

3. Stir 6 tbsp ice water plus 1 tbsp vinegar if using, taste not needed, just keep it cold. Add the water a tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until the dough just holds when you squeeze a handful. Use up to 8 tbsp only if needed, dont overwork it.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gather it gently into a rough ball, then divide into two equal pieces. Flatten each into a disc about 1 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic and chill at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours.

5. When ready, unwrap and let sit 5 minutes so it rolls easier. Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll from the center out, rotate the dough often to keep it even and stop when its about 12 inch round for a 9 inch pie. Dont stretch the dough while fitting it into the pan.

6. Transfer the dough to your pie plate by draping it over the rolling pin and unrolling it over the dish or fold into quarters then open in the plate. Ease it into place without pulling. Trim excess leaving about 1/2 inch overhang, fold the overhang under and crimp with fingers or a fork.

7. If your recipe needs a prebaked shell chill the shaped crust 30 minutes, line it with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in a 375 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges set, remove weights and bake another 5 to 8 minutes to dry the bottom.

8. For a glossy top beat 1 egg with 1 tbsp water and brush the crust before baking, sprinkle a little sugar if you like. For double crusts cut a few vents so steam can escape.

9. Fill with your prepared filling and bake according to that recipe. Let the pie cool enough to set before slicing. Any extra dough can be patched into holes, cut for decorations, or wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl
2. Measuring cups and spoons
3. Pastry cutter or food processor
4. Bench scraper or two forks
5. Rolling pin
6. 9-inch pie plate
7. Plastic wrap
8. Parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans
9. Oven

FAQ

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour

1 tsp (6 g) fine salt

1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar optional

1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter cold

6 to 8 tbsp (90 to 120 ml) ice water

1 tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar optional

1 egg beaten optional for egg wash

Q: Can I make this without butter? A: Yes, you can use shortening or lard but the flavor and flakiness will be different. Butter gives best taste.

Q: Why add vinegar to the water? A: A little vinegar weakens gluten and helps keep the crust tender, you can skip it but I like the texture it gives.

Q: Dough is crumbly and won’t stick together, what do I do? A: Add 1 tbsp cold water at a time, up to the 8 tbsp, and gently press until it holds when squeezed. Then chill it before rolling.

Q: How do I stop the crust from shrinking while baking? A: Don’t stretch the dough into the pan, chill it well before baking, and use pie weights when blind baking.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead? A: Yes, you can refrigerate for 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before rolling.

Q: What size should the butter pieces be? A: About the size of peas to chickpeas. Too small and you lose flake, too big and you get greasy pockets.

Easy Homemade Pie Crust From Scratch Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Easy Homemade Pie Crust From Scratch

Ingredients
– 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour
– 1 tsp (6 g) fine salt
– 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar optional
– 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter cold
– 6 to 8 tbsp (90 to 120 ml) ice water
– 1 tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar optional
– 1 egg beaten optional for egg wash

Method
1. Chill everything. Really. Put the butter and a metal bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes if they’re not already cold.
2. In the chilled bowl stir together flour, salt, and sugar if using. Keep it simple.
3. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add to the flour. Use a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers to work butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized pieces of butter left. Little lumps are good they make flakiness.
4. Mix the vinegar into the ice water. Add 6 tbsp of the water a tablespoon at a time, gently tossing with a fork until dough just starts to come together. If it’s dry add another tbsp. You want it shaggy but holding when you squeeze a handful.
5. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press together into 2 discs, about 1 inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. Overnight is even better.
6. When ready, roll out one disc on a lightly floured surface to about 12 inches for a 9 inch pie pan. Fold and transfer to the pan, ease into corners, don’t stretch. Trim and crimp the edges.
7. For a filled pie bake per your filling directions. For blind baking: chill the crust 20 minutes, line with parchment and pie weights or dried beans, bake at 375 F (190 C) for 15-20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, bake 8-12 more minutes until golden.
8. If using egg wash brush beaten egg over crust before baking for shine, or brush milk for a softer look.

Quick tips and tricks
– Keep everything cold. Warm butter equals tough crust.
– Use a mix of small crumbs and pea sized butter chunks for flakiness.
– Vinegar or a splash of vodka helps gluten stay relaxed so the crust is tender.
– Don’t overwork the dough, you want it shaggy not smooth.
– Chill the formed crust before baking to prevent shrinking.
– If the edges brown too fast tent with foil.
– Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling off, don’t scoop with the cup or you’ll get too much flour.

Substitutions

All purpose flour: Use pastry flour 1 for 1 for a more tender, delicate crust; or use half AP and half whole wheat for a nuttier flavor but expect a slightly denser crust.
Unsalted butter: Substitute half butter and half vegetable shortening 1 for 1 for extra flakiness, or use all shortening for max flake but you’ll lose some buttery flavor.
Vinegar: Replace with equal amount lemon juice or skip and use ice water only; acid helps tenderize but it’s not must.
Beaten egg (egg wash): Brush with milk or heavy cream for a light golden finish, or omit entirely if you don’t want shine.

Enjoy baking, and don’t worry if your first one looks a bit rustic. It’s all part of the charm and it still tastes great.

Pro Tips

* Keep everything ice cold. If the butter gets warm the dough goes greasy and flat, so cube the butter then toss it in the freezer for 10 minutes before you cut it in, and always use ice water. Work fast, chill the finished discs well, and if the kitchen is warm put the bowls on an ice bath for a minute.

* Aim for pea size butter bits and stop as soon as the dough holds together when squeezed. Overworking or adding too much water makes a tough crust, and its the little butter chunks that melt into flaky layers in the oven.

* Roll between two sheets of parchment or plastic wrap instead of piling on flour. You’ll use less flour, the dough won’t stick or dry out, and it’s way easier to lift into the pie plate without stretching or tearing.

* For a really crisp bottom, blind bake on a preheated baking sheet and use pie weights or dried beans; chill the shaped crust first so it keeps its shape. Brush with an egg wash for a shiny golden top and sprinkle a little sugar if you want sparkle, but dont skip vents on double crusts so the filling can breathe.

Easy Homemade Pie Crust From Scratch Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I’ve finally cracked the code for pie crust from scratch using only a few pantry staples and a straightforward method that works for pumpkin, apple, pecan or cherry pies.

Servings

servings

Calories

360

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl
2. Measuring cups and spoons
3. Pastry cutter or food processor
4. Bench scraper or two forks
5. Rolling pin
6. 9-inch pie plate
7. Plastic wrap
8. Parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans
9. Oven

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour
1 tsp (6 g) fine salt
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar optional
1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter cold
6 to 8 tbsp (90 to 120 ml) ice water
1 tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar optional
1 egg beaten optional for egg wash

Directions

In a large bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp fine salt and 1 tbsp granulated sugar if you want it a little sweet.
Cut 1 cup cold unsalted butter into cubes and add to the flour. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, a bench scraper or pulse in a food processor until the mix looks like coarse cornmeal with some pea size butter pieces left, dont worry about small lumps.
Stir 6 tbsp ice water plus 1 tbsp vinegar if using, taste not needed, just keep it cold. Add the water a tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until the dough just holds when you squeeze a handful. Use up to 8 tbsp only if needed, dont overwork it.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gather it gently into a rough ball, then divide into two equal pieces. Flatten each into a disc about 1 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic and chill at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours.
When ready, unwrap and let sit 5 minutes so it rolls easier. Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll from the center out, rotate the dough often to keep it even and stop when its about 12 inch round for a 9 inch pie. Dont stretch the dough while fitting it into the pan.
Transfer the dough to your pie plate by draping it over the rolling pin and unrolling it over the dish or fold into quarters then open in the plate. Ease it into place without pulling. Trim excess leaving about 1/2 inch overhang, fold the overhang under and crimp with fingers or a fork.
If your recipe needs a prebaked shell chill the shaped crust 30 minutes, line it with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in a 375 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges set, remove weights and bake another 5 to 8 minutes to dry the bottom.
For a glossy top beat 1 egg with 1 tbsp water and brush the crust before baking, sprinkle a little sugar if you like. For double crusts cut a few vents so steam can escape.
Fill with your prepared filling and bake according to that recipe. Let the pie cool enough to set before slicing. Any extra dough can be patched into holes, cut for decorations, or wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.