My Favorite Pie Crust Recipe
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With this simple recipe, making a tender and flaky homemade pie crust is totally doable, even for beginners!
This is my go-to pie crust recipe. It has a buttery flavor and tender, flaky texture. The dough is relatively easy to work with and roll out, and it holds its shape in the oven. The secret lies in using a combination of butter and shortening; butter not only imparts a rich flavor but also contributes to the crust’s flakiness, while shortening ensures it maintains its shape and enhances the texture. Another key ingredient is a dash of baking powder, a genius tip from pastry chef Nick Malgieri, which helps the crust expand into the pan, preventing shrinking and slippage during baking. With just a few simple ingredients and these expert tips, even beginners can master a delicious pie crust at home.
“I’ve tried for many years to make a good pie crust. And here it is… the best ever. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, and for explaining the baking process in such details. This will be my go-to for years to come!”
What You’ll Need To Make Pie Crust
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, combine the flour, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
Add the cold butter and shortening in pieces.
Pulse until you have coarse crumbs with lots of pea and chickpea-sized clumps of butter and shortening within. Don’t overprocess the dough: all of those clumps of fat steam in the oven, creating layers in the pastry that make a flaky crust.
Add ice cold water and pulse a few times until the mixture is just evenly moistened and very crumbly. It will not come together into a mass — that’s good!
Dump the crumbly dough out onto a work surface. (I know this looks all wrong, but have faith!)
Gather it into a ball.
Then pat the dough into a 5-inch disc. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 3 days to rest. Allowing the dough to rest helps the gluten relax and also ensures that dough stays chilled — both important in making a tender, flaky crust.
Take the dough out of the refrigerator and dust your work surface lightly with flour. Place the dough on top and sprinkle a little flour over the dough.
Use your hands to quickly knead the dough into a soft and malleable disc (don’t overwork it; you want it just supple enough to roll).
Roll the dough, turning it frequently and adding more flour as necessary so it doesn’t stick, into a 13-inch circle.
Fold the dough into quarters without creasing it and transfer it to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan (the pan should be at least 1-1/2 inches deep).
Gently fit the dough into the pan, easing it inwards rather than stretching it outwards. Don’t worry if it tears, just patch it right back up.
Trim the edges to 1/2-inch beyond the lip of the pie pan, if necessary. Turn the edges under to create a rim on the crust (you can use the scraps to patch in any thin areas); then press the rim against the lip of the pan, forming it into an even edge as you go. Using your fingers, crimp the rim.
Place the crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before proceeding with your recipe.
If your crust requires blind baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and cover with a piece of parchment paper. Fill the crust at least halfway full with dried beans or pie weights.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is pale and partially cooked. Remove the parchment and dried beans/pie weights and then proceed with your pie recipe.
That’s all there is to it. Happy pie baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Yes, you can use all butter or all shortening, but the texture and flavor will differ. All butter will give a richer flavor and potentially more flakiness due to its water content, but it can be harder to work with as it melts faster. All shortening, on the other hand, is easier to handle and helps the crust hold its shape better but will lack the delicious flavor that butter provides.
A: Absolutely! You can make pie crust ahead of time and refrigerate it for a few days or freeze it for longer storage. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap before refrigerating or freezing. If frozen, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight before using. Making pie crust ahead can actually improve its texture and flavor as it allows the gluten in the flour to relax.
A: Keeping the butter and shortening cold is crucial for achieving a flaky pie crust. When cold, these fats don’t mix completely with the flour, creating small pockets in the dough. As the crust bakes, the fat pockets steam, resulting in the desired flakiness. Additionally, cold fats are less likely to be overworked into the dough, which can prevent the crust from becoming tough. Working with cold ingredients also makes the dough easier to handle and roll out.
Video Tutorial
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My Favorite Pie Crust Recipe
With this simple recipe, making a tender and flaky homemade pie crust is totally doable, even for beginners!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled with a knife
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- 6 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons very cold vegetable shortening, in 3 pieces
- 4 tablespoons very cold water
Instructions
- Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process for 5 seconds to blend.
- Add the butter and shortening. Pulse until you have coarse crumbs with lots of pea-sized clumps of butter and shortening within, 15 to 20 one-second pulses.
- Add the water and pulse until the mixture is just evenly moistened and very crumbly, 7 to 10 one-second pulses.
- Dump the crumbly dough out onto a work surface and gather it into a ball.
- Pat the dough into a 5-inch disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 3 days to rest.
- Take the dough out of the refrigerator and dust your work surface lightly with flour. Place the dough on top and sprinkle a little flour over the dough. Use your hands to quickly knead the dough into a soft and malleable disc (don’t overwork it; you want it just supple enough to roll).
- Roll the dough, turning it frequently and adding more flour as necessary so it doesn’t stick, into a 13-inch circle.
- Fold the dough into quarters without creasing it and transfer it to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan.
- Gently fit the dough into the pan, easing it inwards rather than stretching it outwards. Don’t worry if it tears, just patch it right back up.
- Trim the edges to ½-inch beyond the lip of the pie pan, if necessary. Turn the edges under to create a rim on the crust (you can use the scraps to patch in any thin areas); then press the rim against the lip of the pan, forming it into an even edge as you go. Using your fingers, crimp the rim. Place the crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and then proceed with your pie recipe.
- If your crust requires blind baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and cover with a piece of parchment paper. Fill the crust at least halfway full with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is pale and partially cooked. Remove the parchment and dried beans/pie weights and proceed with your pie recipe.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The pie crust dough can be frozen for up to 3 months after you’ve formed it into a disc. Wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Before using, thaw the dough in the fridge overnight and then proceed with the recipe.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 163
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 72 mg
- Cholesterol: 18 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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When doubling this recipe, do you double all ingredients?
Yep!
Hi Jenn,
I’m wanting to use your pie crust recipe. I read many good reviews on it. Do you know or could you recommend something a little healthier to use other than the vegetable shortening?
Thank you for your help and sure appreciate all the time you put into your website and helping many.
Regina
Hi Regina, So glad you like the site! You can replace the shortening with more butter, but the crust won’t hold its shape as well.
Thank you Jenn. I’ve made an all butter pie crust and it’s delicious. But I keep hearing that using shortening along with the butter makes it also flaky.
Have you ever tried beef tallow before in baking a crust?
I would like to try it. Any suggestions as to the amounts I would use with the butter.
Hi Regina, I wish I could help, but I’ve never worked with beef tallow before – sorry!
Jenn,
I haven’t tried this crust recipe yet but I’m giving 5 stars for now because 0 would unfairly bring the score down! Two questions:
1) Will it work to use lard in place of the shortening?
2) I’ve heard vinegar is a secret ingredient to great pie crust but I’ve never heard the reason why. Do you know?
Thank you for your fantastic site, I visit weekly (or more!) for recipe ideas and wonder how I ever managed to think of what to cook for dinner “BJ” (before Jenn). Your detailed instructions, cautions, pro tips and reasons-why are so helpful, and are well beyond any such content on other sites. You don’t just provide great recipes, you teach skills that make us all better, smarter cooks!
Hi Teresa, Thank you for your incredibly kind words about the recipes – so glad you enjoy them and find them easy to follow! Regarding the crust, it’s fine to use lard in place of the shortening. And while I’ve never used vinegar in a pie crust, it’s supposed to slow down gluten development and can make the crust a bit more tender, but I think the impact is minimal. Also, I believe it can help with browning.
Im not a very good cook. I used this recipe to make my first ever pie crust. ( I always just bought them now I’m in Spain and they don’t have them premade). It turned out great.
I would not recommend this recipe. I destroyed 3 pies. Dough is far too flaky and falls apart when trying to roll it.
Try adding a bit more water,dough that comes apart indicates a dry dough.This works for me when this happens.Good luck.
Hi Jen,
I love your recipes and decided to make this pie crust for Thanksgiving pies. It was fine for your pumpkin pie recipe, but a disaster when I tried to make a lattice top for my cranberry-apple pie. The lattice strips lacked elasticity and broke as I was weaving them. What did I do wrong?
Hi Robin, Sorry you had trouble with the lattice strips. For more elasticity, you’ll need to work the dough a bit more. I would knead it a bit before rolling.