Description
This Flaky Pie Crust Recipe yields a tender, buttery, and flaky crust perfect for sweet or savory pies. Made with simple ingredients like all-purpose flour, cold unsalted butter, and ice water, this classic pie crust is easy to prepare and forms the ideal base for any pie filling. The chilling step ensures maximum flakiness and easy handling during rolling and baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional for sweet pies)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar (if using) thoroughly to ensure even seasoning and sweetness throughout the crust.
- Cut in Butter: Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, blend the cold cubed butter into the dry mixture until the texture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This helps to create the flaky layers in the crust.
- Add Water: Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork or your hands just until the dough starts to hold together. Avoid overworking to keep the crust tender.
- Form Dough: Gather the dough and divide it into two equal discs. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling firms the butter and allows the gluten to relax, which prevents shrinking during baking.
- Roll Out: On a lightly floured surface, roll each chilled dough disc to fit your pie pan, ensuring an even thickness to promote uniform baking.
- Use or Store: Use the crust immediately to line your pie pan, or freeze the dough discs wrapped in plastic for up to 3 months for future use.
Notes
- Keep the butter cold to ensure maximum flakiness.
- Do not overwork the dough to avoid tough crust.
- Adding sugar is optional and recommended for sweet pies.
- Resting the dough in the refrigerator is essential for texture and ease of handling.
- The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before rolling out.
