Easy Homemade Pie Crust
With just a few simple ingredients and a little know-how, you can create a flaky, tender crust that tastes far better than store-bought versions.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Pastry cutter or fork
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rolling Pin
- Plastic wrap
- Pie pan
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 6 –8 tbsp ice water
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients
- Measure out all your ingredients so everything is ready to go.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes if you haven’t already.
- Keep your ice water nearby; you’ll need it right away.
- Pro Tip: Using very cold butter and water is key to a flaky crust. Warm butter will make the dough tough.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
- Give it a quick whisk to evenly distribute the salt.
- Make a small well in the center for the butter.
Step 3: Cut in the Butter
- Add the cold butter cubes into the flour.
- Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter.
- Pro Tip: Don’t overmix! You want some chunks of butter to create that flaky texture.
Step 4: Add the Ice Water
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of ice water over the flour-butter mixture at a time.
- Gently mix with a fork or your hands after each addition until the dough just comes together.
- Stop adding water once the dough holds together without being sticky.
- Pro Tip: If it feels too dry, add a tiny bit more water, one teaspoon at a time.
Step 5: Form the Dough
- Gather the dough into a ball, then gently flatten it into a disk.
- Wrap the disk in plastic wrap.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before rolling.
- Pro Tip: Chilling prevents shrinkage during baking and makes the dough easier to handle.
Step 6: Roll Out the Dough
- Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin.
- Roll the dough from the center outward, turning occasionally, until it’s about 12 inches in diameter for a 9-inch pie pan.
- Carefully transfer the dough to your pie pan and gently press it into place.
- Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges as desired.
Step 7: Blind Bake or Fill
- If your recipe calls for blind baking, poke the bottom with a fork and line with parchment paper and pie weights. Bake as directed.
- Otherwise, fill with your favorite pie filling and bake according to your recipe instructions.
Notes
Nutritional Value (Per Serving — based on 8 servings)
- Calories: ~245
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Protein: 2g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 145mg