Perfect Pie Crust
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Learn how to make the perfect pie crust with this easy recipe. Buttery, tender and flaky—it’s ideal for beginners and seasoned bakers alike!
Are you hesitant to make homemade pies because the idea of making your own crust feels daunting? Don’t be! With just a handful of ingredients, you can make a pie dough that’s reliable, easy to handle, and yields a buttery, flaky crust every time. My pie crust recipe combines butter and shortening for the perfect balance: butter adds rich flavor and flakiness, while shortening ensures a tender texture and helps the crust hold its shape. A bit of baking powder—a genius tip from pastry chef Nick Malgieri—prevents shrinking and slipping by encouraging the dough to expand into the pan as it bakes.
Whether you’re making pumpkin pie, pecan pie, or any other favorite, this recipe is straightforward enough for beginners and far better than store-bought. Once you try it, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to make your own crust!
“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
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure and foundation for the crust, forming the base that holds the filling. To ensure accuracy, measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor of the crust.
- Baking Powder: Helps the crust to expand into the pan, preventing shrinking and slippage during baking.
- Butter: Contributes flavor and creates flaky layers as it melts during baking. The butter should remain in the fridge until immediately before you need it; keeping it very cold ensures distinct pockets of fat that result in maximum flakiness.
- Vegetable Shortening: Adds tenderness to the crust, making it easier to work with. The shortening should also be very cold as it prevents it from blending too much with the flour, preserving the crust’s delicate texture.
- Cold Water: Binds the ingredients together to form a cohesive dough; using very cold water helps keep the butter and shortening from melting prematurely and makes the dough easier to handle and roll out.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
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. (If you don’t have a food processor, I’ve given instructions for making the dough by hand in the printable recipe.)
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 over-process 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 lightly floured 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.
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 before proceeding with your recipe.
Blind Baking
Some pie crusts require partial or full blind baking to ensure they are fully cooked and crisp. Partial blind baking is typically used for pies with fillings that will be baked further, such as custard pies or quiches, where the crust gets a head start to prevent it from becoming soggy. Full blind baking is necessary for pies with fillings that don’t require any baking, like cream pies or chilled no-bake pies. In both cases, blind baking ensures the crust holds its structure, remains crisp, and avoids a soggy bottom before the filling is added.
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 edges are lightly golden and the crust is set. Carefully remove the parchment and weights. If the recipe requires a fully baked crust, return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the bottom is golden and cooked through. For recipes requiring further baking, proceed as directed.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions
You can make pie crust ahead of time and refrigerate, sealed tightly in plastic wrap, for a few days. Making pie crust ahead can actually improve its texture and flavor as it allows the gluten in the flour to relax. The pie crust can be frozen for longer storage. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap before freezing. Before using, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight.
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: 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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Perfect Pie Crust
Learn how to make the perfect pie crust with this easy recipe. Buttery, tender and flaky—it’s ideal for beginners and seasoned bakers alike!
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. (If you don't have a food processor, see note below.) 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 edges are lightly golden and the crust is set. Carefully remove the parchment and weights. If the recipe requires a fully baked crust (such as for a custard pie), return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the bottom is golden and cooked through. For recipes requiring further baking, proceed as directed.
- 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.
- Note: If you don’t have a food processor, you can mix the dough by hand. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder until well combined. Add the cold butter and shortening, and use a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers to cut the fats into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized clumps. Drizzle the cold water over the mixture, one tablespoon at a time, and toss with a fork until the dough just comes together. Avoid overmixing; the dough should still be crumbly but hold together when pinched.
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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Comments
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Most people don’t own food processors (especially beginners) so a whole lot of people are going to be stuck at step 1 with no alternative. Probably should state a food processor is required in ‘what you’ll need’. Thanks anyway.
Hi Meg, You can use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture. Hope that hopes!
I use 2 butter knives when I don’t feel like pulling out the food processor.
This crust recipe is so good my husband asks for 2 crust pies.
Hi Jenn,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share and reply to comments.
I want to make a chicken mushroom pie. Can I use your favourite pie crust recipe for the top and bottom of savoury pie?
Cheers
Sure, Happy to help! And I think that should work – Please LMK how it turns out!
This is a great recipe and instructions. Mine turned out great! Thank you!
Hi I made this receipe, i thought the dough turned it great, but didn’t realize i didn’t include sugar (I was making pumpkin pie) and my husband said the crust was too hard and sadly the crust also didn’t have any flavor. I reviewed the recipe and read all comments that’s when i realized i missed the sugar. There was no mention in the original recipe to add sugar for a sweet type pie. How much sugar will i need to add, as i’m going to try this receipe again. I had found one years ago but can’t recall who from and that was s as perfect receipe for my apple pies. Not giving up in Chicago!
Hi Luz, I’m sorry for any confusion and that you found the crust lacking in flavor. The original recipe did mention including sugar for a sweet pie but I’ve since tweaked the recipe and removed it. This shouldn’t require sugar, however, if you’d prefer to add a tablespoon to sweeten it up a little, that would be fine.
vegetable shortening can be replaced with an equal amount of butter or margarine
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!
I just made two of these crusts for pumpkin pie and now I am finding out in the comments that I should have added a tablespoon of sugar to the recipe. Nowhere does it state this in the recipe itself nor in your pumpkin pie recipe. Do you think you could add this instruction somewhere where people will see it besides the comments?
Hi Jenn, I’m sorry for any confusion. It’s not necessary to add sugar to the dough for a sweet pie. (I’ve removed those comments to avoid confusion for others.)
Can you refrigerate the already blind baked pie crust in the fridge overnight before assembly? Or should you blind bake right before making the full pie?
Sure, Yvonne – that’s fine.
I followed this recipe exactly…I chilled the dough for 2 days, let it sit on counter for half hour before rolling and it kept breaking while rolling it out. I had to piece the pastry into the pie plate. What did I do wrong?
So sorry you had trouble! It sounds like it was just too cold. The longer you chill the dough, the more you need to knead it before rolling to make sure it is malleable.
Firstly, I love all of your recipes and some of the ones I’ve gotten from you are staples in my house.
I probably did something wrong, but I made 3 crusts using this recipe and every one of them completely fell to pieces, unrepairable crumbs. :'(
Wow, I’m so sorry! I’m wondering if you used too much flour. Did you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour? Even a few extra ounces can make a big difference. This article/video explains it nicely.
Two issues can greatly affect your results: 1) flour can sometimes settle in shipping. Weighing the ingredients is always best if you have a scale and weights are provided. 2) Moisture content in flour can also vary. Even if you have the perfect amount of flour, you nat have to sightly adjust the amount of water added. For pie crust, though, too much water and overworking the dough can activate the gluten too much and make for a tough dough. But I have added almost 2 x the water at times and had excellent results. Make sure you accurately weigh/measure the fats and flour, then adjust to water to make sure the dough is hiding together. Be careful not to overwork the dough as you slowly mix in the water.
I got a nice digital scale and am having fun weighing most of my ingredients in grams. It improving my recipes!
Hi! First, I HAVE to say that every…single…recipe I have ever made of yours is AMAZING!!! You are always the first place I check when I’m searching for a recipe.
Now my question is this, I saw a comment on the NY Times pie dough recipe and they said instead of adding ice water to the dough to add orange juice because it just does something special to the dough. Have you heard this or tried it before??? I’m going to use your pie dough recipe for pumpkin pie and since orange pairs well with pumpkin I was thinking it could work. But I don’t care that orange and pumpkin pair well. I just want to make a great pie dough!! Help!
Hi Katt, So glad you like the recipes! I have actually never heard of adding OJ to pie dough. I don’t think it would hurt, but I’d probably stick with the classic recipe for best results. 😊