Every great pie starts with a great crust. This super easy homemade pie crust recipe, with a secret ingredient, makes the perfect foundation that will hold up to any pie filling.
I love this recipe because it is so simple. This all-butter pie crust recipe uses only 5 ingredients and turns out perfect every time! You don’t need to be a skilled baker to make a buttery, flaky pie crust for your sweet or savory pie filling.
THE SECRET INGREDIENT
For a tender, stable pie crust that is easy to roll out, vinegar is added to the dough. No vinegar? No problem, vodka works just as well. Not only does the vinegar tenderize and stablilize the pie crust, it guards against overworking the dough and it helps to keep the crust from shrinking in the pie pan.
TIPS FOR THE FLAKIEST CRUST
It is important to use cold ingredients and handle the dough as little as possible. Keeping the dough cold helps prevent the butter from melting. When baked, the buttery chunks will melt and their steam creates pockets of air which helps to separate the crust into multiple flaky layers. In an effort to keep the dough as cold as possible, use frozen butter and ice water.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE PIE CRUST
- Cube one stick of butter and put in the freezer for 10 minutes
- Add 1 1/4 cups flour to a food processor
- Add the frozen butter and 1/2 tsp salt to the food processor
- Pulse until the flour mixture resembles coarse sand
- Mix 1 1/2 tsp vinegar with 4 tbsp ice water
- Add the vinegar and water mixture to the food processor 1 tbsp at a time, pulsing 4-5 times between each addition until the mixture forms clumps and begins to pull away from the sides (the dough should hold together when pinched between your fingers)
- Pour the mixture on a work surface and form a disc
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes and up to 3 days
- Lightly flour a work surface and gently roll the dough from the center out in all directions until you have a 12″ circle
- Carefully place the dough in a 9″ pie dish, trim the dough if needed and fold the edges under
This recipe makes one pie crust for a 9″ pie dish. For a double crust pie or to top the pie with a lattice pattern, you can double the recipe and divide the dough into two separate discs.
All that is left to do is choose your favorite pie recipe and follow those instructions from this point.
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Homemade Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 stick butter cubed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp ice water
- 1 1/2 tsp vinegar
Instructions
- Cube the stick of butter and put it in the freezer for 10 minutes
- To a food processor, add the flour, cold butter and salt and pulse until it resembles coarse sand
- Mix the vinegar with the ice water
- Add the water to the food processor 1 tbsp at a time, pulsing 4-5 times between each addition until the mixture forms clumps and begins to pull away from the sides (the dough should hold together when pinched between your fingers)
- Pour the mixture on to a work surface and form a disc
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days
- Lightly flour a work surface and gently roll the dough from the center out, in all directions until you have a 12" circle
- Carefully place the dough into a 9" pie dish, trim the dough if needed and fold the edges under
Notes
- Vodka is a good substitute for the vinegar.
- It is important to use cold ingredients and handle the dough as little as possible. Keeping the dough cold helps prevent the butter from melting. When baked, the buttery chunks will melt and their steam creates pockets of air which helps to separate the crust into multiple flaky layers. In an effort to keep the dough as cold as possible, use frozen butter and ice water.
- For a double crust pie or to top the pie with a lattice pattern, double the recipe and separate the dough into two discs.
