Description
Discover the rich, flaky magic of All Butter Pie Crust—a buttery, tender crust that elevates every pie with unmatched flavor and flaky texture. Made from simple, quality ingredients, this crust is perfect for sweet or savory pies, adaptable to dietary preferences, and sure to impress with its golden, flaky edges.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 cup (225g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 1/2 cups (312g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
- 6 to 8 tablespoons ice cold water
Optional Variations
- Chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme) for herb-infused crust
- Substitute half the flour with whole wheat flour for a whole wheat blend
- Gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum for gluten-free crust
- Extra sugar (1-2 tablespoons) for sweetened crust
- Cinnamon or nutmeg for spiced crust
Instructions
- Chill Your Ingredients: Place the cold unsalted butter and ice cold water in the refrigerator for at least one hour to ensure they remain chilled for the best flaky texture.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar if using. This combines them evenly and prevents clumps when you add the butter.
- Cut in the Butter: Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the chilled butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized crumbs form. Leaving some larger butter pieces enhances flakiness.
- Add Ice Cold Water: Slowly add the ice cold water one tablespoon at a time, gently mixing with a fork just until the dough starts to come together. Avoid overworking to keep the butter cold and dough tender.
- Form and Chill the Dough: Gather the dough into two discs, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to hydrate the flour and relax gluten.
- Roll Out and Use: Lightly flour your surface and roll each dough disc to about 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer to your pie dish, trim edges neatly, and proceed with your pie filling and baking.
Notes
- Keep all ingredients and tools cold to ensure a flaky crust.
- Handle the dough gently to prevent gluten development and avoid toughness.
- Using a pastry cutter or food processor speeds up butter incorporation while keeping it cold.
- Chill the dough twice: once before rolling and again after assembling the crust.
- Dock the dough before blind baking to prevent bubbling.
- Store unused dough wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat baked pies at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes to restore crispiness.
- To prevent shrinking, avoid stretching dough in the pan and use pie weights if blind baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Cook Time: Varies depending on pie filling
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of crust
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg