My Favourite Flaky Pie Crust
This is such a simple recipe, but it’s truly my favourite. It’s buttery, flaky and pairs well with sweet and savoury pies.
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As for longevity, the crust can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
As the recipe below makes a large, double crust - you can make a lovely, large, deep dish pie for a group!
Click here to see my favourite dishes for a large, deep pie. I also like to use a crust shield to protect the outer edges of the crust from getting too crispy.
The crust freezes very well, and can be used for virtually any filling.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (if using a sweet filling)
1 cup butter (frozen)
8 tablespoons of ice water
Equipment
Instructions
Prepare the Butter:
Start by placing 1 cup of butter in the freezer for about 30 minutes. This ensures that the butter is very cold, which is essential for a flaky crust. After 30 minutes, grate the frozen butter using a cheese grater. Place the grated butter back in the freezer while you prepare the dry ingredients.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp of salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar (optional). Use a fork or a whisk to thoroughly mix these dry ingredients.
Add Grated Butter:
Take the grated, frozen butter from the freezer and add it to the dry ingredients. Use a fork or a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture. You want the mixture to havepea-sized butter pieces throughout.
Add Ice Water:
Gradually add 6-8 tablespoons of ice water to the mixture. Start with 6 tablespoons, and add more if needed. Use a fork or your hands to mix the water into the dough. Be careful not to overwork the dough; you want it to just come together. It should still be a bit crumbly.
Form the Dough:
Divide the dough into two equal portions. Gather each portion into a ball, and then flatten them into discs. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Chilling the dough allows the butter to firm up again, which is crucial for a flaky crust and easier working and rolling.
Roll Out the Crust:
After chilling, remove one of the dough discs from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle large enough to fit your pie dish. Roll from the center outward, turning the dough occasionally to maintain an even thickness.
Transfer to Pie Dish:
Gently fold the rolled dough in half, then in half again to create a quarter-circle shape. Carefully lift it and unfold it into your pie dish. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the dish.
Add Filling and Top Crust:
Add your desired pie filling into the prepared crust. If making a double-crust pie, repeat the rolling process with the second dough disc. Place it over the filling, trim any excess, and crimp the edges to seal the pie.
Bake:
Follow your pie recipe for baking instructions based on the filling. Typically, you'll bake the pie according to your recipe's recommended temperature and time.
Enjoy!
Once the pie is baked and cooled, slice and enjoy your homemade pie with a flaky, delicious crust.
These instructions should help you make a tasty and flaky pie crust for your pie.
My Favourite Flaky Butter Pie Crust
Equipment
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar if using a sweet filling
- 1 cup butter frozen
- 8 tablespoons of ice water
Instructions
Prepare the Butter:
- Start by placing 1 cup of butter in the freezer for about 30 minutes. This ensures that the butter is very cold, which is essential for a flaky crust. After 30 minutes, grate the frozen butter using a cheese grater. Place the grated butter back in the freezer while you prepare the dry ingredients.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp of salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar (optional). Use a fork or a whisk to thoroughly mix these dry ingredients.
Add Grated Butter:
- Take the grated, frozen butter from the freezer and add it to the dry ingredients. Use a fork or a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture. You want the mixture to havepea-sized butter pieces throughout.
Add Ice Water:
- Gradually add 6-8 tablespoons of ice water to the mixture. Start with 6 tablespoons, and add more if needed. Use a fork or your hands to mix the water into the dough. Be careful not to overwork the dough; you want it to just come together. It should still be a bit crumbly.
Form the Dough:
- Divide the dough into two equal portions. Gather each portion into a ball, and then flatten them into discs. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Chilling the dough allows the butter to firm up again, which is crucial for a flaky crust and easier working and rolling.
Roll Out the Crust:
- After chilling, remove one of the dough discs from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle large enough to fit your pie dish. Roll from the center outward, turning the dough occasionally to maintain an even thickness.
Transfer to Pie Dish:
- Gently fold the rolled dough in half, then in half again to create a quarter-circle shape. Carefully lift it and unfold it into your pie dish. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the dish.
Add Filling and Top Crust:
- Add your desired pie filling into the prepared crust. If making a double-crust pie, repeat the rolling process with the second dough disc. Place it over the filling, trim any excess, and crimp the edges to seal the pie.
Bake:
- Follow your pie recipe for baking instructions based on the filling. Typically, you'll bake the pie according to your recipe's recommended temperature and time.
