All-purpose pie crust Recipe

American · Baking · 15 min total

A flaky, buttery pie crust that works for both sweet and savory pies. This recipe yields a tender, easy-to-roll dough that bakes up perfectly golden.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, for sweet pies)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar (if using).
2. Add cold butter cubes. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces.
3. Drizzle 1/4 cup ice water over the mixture and stir with a fork until the dough begins to come together. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when squeezed.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half, shape each into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling.
5. When ready to use, let dough sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness.
6. Use as directed in your pie recipe.

Tips

• For a flakier crust, use frozen butter and keep all ingredients cold.
• The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
• If making a sweet pie, you can increase sugar to 2 tablespoons.

More about All-purpose pie crust →