Best Pie Crust Recipe (Easy, Buttery & Flaky!)

5 from 12 votes

Nothing beats the taste of a homemade, flaky pie crust! This simple recipe uses just a few basic ingredients to create a golden, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust that's perfect for both sweet and savory pies. Best of all, it's so easy to make!

Prep: 10

Cooling Time: 1

Total: 1 10

Servings: pie crusts

Author: Cakes by MK

IMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.

Ingredients

▢ 2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
▢ 1 tsp salt
▢ 2 tsps white granulated sugar
▢ 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter - cold and cut into small cubes
▢ 5 tbsp ice cold water

Instructions

To a food processor, add in flour, salt and sugar. Pulse a few times until well combined.
Add in cold butter (see note 1) and pulse until you have coarse crumbs, with little bits of butter throughout the mixture.
Next, add 5 tablespoons of ice-cold water and pulse until the mixture begins to form large crumbs or small clumps of dough. Be careful not to overmix. To test, squeeze a small amount between your fingers—if it holds together and forms a dough, it’s ready. If the mixture is still slightly dry and won't hold together when squeezed between your fingers, add a little more water, pulsing briefly until just combined. Test again, and only add more water if necessary. You don't want any more water than you need (see video for what the consistency of the dough should look like if unsure).
Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and gently gather it together with your hands. Do not knead it; simply bring the dough together, pressing gently until it forms a ball, taking care not to overwork it. It’s perfectly fine if the dough looks a bit rough rather than smooth.
Once the dough comes together in a ball, divide it in half and gently shape each half into a disk. Take care not to overwork the dough.
Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour before using (see note 2). If you only need one crust, store the second disk in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

Note 1. Keeping the butter cold is essential for achieving a flaky pie crust. When the butter stays firm, it creates pockets within the dough that lead to flakiness as it bakes. If the butter is too soft, it will blend too thoroughly with the flour, resulting in a dense, less flaky crust.

Note 2. Refrigerating pie dough is important for getting the right texture once it's baked and making the pie dough easier to work with. If the dough is left in the fridge for longer than an hour it may be quite hard to roll out. Let it soften slightly before trying to roll it out (it should still be cold and firm though so just make sure it doesn't get too soft).

Nutrition

Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.

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