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Foolproof Flaky All Butter Pie Crust Recipe

Close-up of an unbaked, fluted butter pie crust dough in a white pie dish, showing crumbly texture.
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Make this simple butter pie crust for tender layers that stay crisp. This recipe uses only four ingredients and guarantees a flaky, rich pastry perfect for any sweet or savory pie.

Ingredients

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  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup ice water, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more if needed

Instructions

  1. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This step is key for a flaky pie crust.
  3. Gradually drizzle the ice water over the mixture, one tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly with a fork after each addition. Stop adding water when the dough just begins to come together when squeezed. You may not need all the water.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Quickly gather the dough and form it into two flat discs, about 1 inch thick. Do not overwork the dough.
  5. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. This chilling time allows the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up, which is essential for a tender pie shell.
  6. When ready to roll, let one disc sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to soften slightly. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough from the center outward into a 12-inch circle.
  7. Carefully transfer the dough to your pie plate. Trim and crimp the edges as desired. If making a double crust pie, repeat the rolling process for the top crust.
  8. Chill the assembled pie shell for at least 30 minutes before baking for the best results.

Notes

  • Keep your butter and water as cold as possible; this prevents the butter from melting before it hits the oven, which creates steam pockets for flakiness.
  • If the dough cracks while rolling, let it rest for five minutes, then patch it with a small piece of scrap dough.
  • This recipe makes enough for one double-crust pie or two single-crust pie shells.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/butter-pie-crust-recipe-flaky-easy/