This Easy All-Butter Pie Crust recipe is the perfect recipe for beginners or anyone who needs a delicious and flaky pie crust pulled together in 10 minutes and then chilled. The steps are easy to follow and the results are a perfect pie crust every time.
This Easy All-Butter Pie Crust was inspired by Martha Stewart's recipe and is perfect for all of your pie-baking needs. Each recipe that calls for a pie crust is different, so make sure you follow all of the steps in the recipe.
I wanted to make a pie crust recipe without a food processor because at the time, I didn't have a large food processor and sometimes you just don't want to drag out and clean a kitchen gadget.
Ingredients Needed to Make a Basic Pie Crust
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- sugar
- unsalted butter, COLD
- ICE COLD water
How to Make this Easy Pie Crust
- Prepare some ice water in a glass so that it gets nice and cold. Grate the butter into a bowl or cut it up into small pieces and place it in the fridge until you are ready to add it to the crust dough.
- Put the flour, sugar, and salt in another mixing bowl and mix together. Add the butter and cut it in using a pastry cutter or a fork. You can then use your hands to fully incorporate everything into a coarse meal with some larger pieces of butter throughout.
- Measure and add the ice-cold water and mix it in using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your hands.
- Create 2 equal-sized discs using your hands. Wrap the discs tightly in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge for at least an hour to chill.
Tips for Making the Best Pie Crust Ever
- First, freeze your butter ahead of time. Then, use your cheese grater to get nice small pieces of butter that are so much easier to cut in! I use this trick all the time and it never fails.
- Make sure you are adding ICE COLD water, not just cold water from the tap. This keeps the butter from melting while mixing so when it comes time to bake, the butter slowly melts creating a flaky and delicious crust.
- If you are using your hands to mix the dough, run them under cold water first. This is for the same reason as using super cold water in the mix, it keeps the butter from melting.
- If at any time you think your butter is getting too soft, place the bowl in the fridge for 5-10 minutes, and then continue mixing.
- Don't over-handle your pie crust. This includes when you are making it and when you are rolling it out for your recipe. The more you handle it, the less flaky and it will be and it will also shrink when baking.
- If you are making a savory meal like a Chicken Pot Pie, you can omit the sugar in the recipe.
Baking the Crust
Bake this crust as indicated in the recipe you are using. Some recipes will have you bake the crust and the filling together like a galette or chicken pot pie.
Other recipes will require blind baking where you cook the crust first before adding the filling. This is common with some fruit pies or pies where the filling doesn't cook at all like a cream pie. When you are blind baking, you want to ensure you have pie weights or an alternative to help keep the crust in place.
How to Blind-Bake a Pie Crust
To blind-bake this pie crust, make sure you have chilled the crust for at least 4 hours or have frozen it for 30-60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork (this is called docking) and place a piece of parchment paper on top. Place the pie weights (or an alternative suggested below) on top of the parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and take off the weights and parchment paper (be careful, it is hot).
For a fully baked crust, place the crust back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the bottom is nice and brown. For a partially baked crust, bake just until the bottom crust is just beginning to brown, about 7-8 minutes.
If you’re making a no-bake pie, allow the crust to cool completely before adding the filling. If your pie is going back into the oven, you can fill the crust while it is still warm.
What are Pie Weights?
Pie weights are usually ceramic or metal balls that you put on top of your crust when you are baking just the crust, or "blind baking". You use pie weights to help keep the crust from shrinking or getting air pockets while it is baking.
Pie Weight Alternatives
No pie weights? No Problem! There are many other pie weight substitutions you can use that you probably already have in your kitchen! These items include uncooked beans (which you can't use for cooking after you use them as weights), rice, sugar or another pie pan are all good options. Place any of these items on parchment paper before putting them on top of your pie crust to bake.
Recipes That Use a Pie Crust
- This Chocolate Walnut Pie from Sulanadapice.com
- Apple Lavender Galette Recipe
- Lemon Cranberry Meringue Pie
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Fresh Mango Galette
Easy Pie Crust Recipe by Hand
Equipment
- cheese grater (optional)
- pasty cutter
- plastic wrap
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, FROZEN (2 sticks)
- 8 tablespoon ICE COLD water
Instructions
- Before you begin, add ice to a cup of water so it gets nice and cold. Grate the butter into a bowl or cut it up into small pieces and place it in the fridge until you are ready to add it to the dough.
- Place the flour, sugar, and salt into a mixing bowl and mix together with a fork or whisk. Add the cold butter and cut in using a pastry cutter or a fork. You can then use your hands to fully incorporate everything ensuring you have a coarse meal with some larger pieces of butter throughout.
- Measure and add the ice-cold water to the dough and mix it in using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your hands. The dough will still be crumbly at this point, that is fine.
- Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface or a silicone mat. Create 2 equal-sized discs using your hands but do not press together too much, just lightly to quickly form 2 circles.
- Wrap the discs tightly in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge for at least an hour to chill. If you only need one crust, you can place the other disc in a freezer bag and freeze for later.
- When ready to roll out, remove the disc(s) from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temp for about 10 minutes. Roll the disc out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin, rotating and flipping as you go. Try not to handle the crust too much and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before shaping. Once you have the shape you need, place the crust in the fridge until ready to bake.
Notes
- First, freeze your butter ahead of time. Then, use your cheese grater to get nice small pieces of butter that are so much easier to cut in! I use this trick all the time and it never fails.
- Make sure you are adding ICE COLD water, not just cold water from the tap. This keeps the butter from melting while mixing so when it comes time to bake, the butter slowly melts creating a flaky and delicious crust.
- If you are using your hands to mix the dough, run them under cold water first. This is for the same reason as using super cold water in the mix, it keeps the butter from melting.
- If at any time you think your butter is getting too soft, place the bowl in the fridge for 5-10 minutes, and then continue mixing.
- Don't over-handle your pie crust. This includes when you are making it and when you are rolling it out for your recipe. The more you handle it, the less flaky and it will be and it will also shrink when baking.
- If you are making a savory meal like a Chicken Pot Pie, you can omit the sugar in the recipe.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Tag me and show me your Basic Pie Crust!
If you get a chance to make this Easy All-Butter Pie Crust, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me your creation! I love to see what people are making in their kitchens and what they do with my recipes.
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john says
This recipe has been a really special recipe for me. Those who haven't tried the recipe should try it now.
Bobbie says
I’m so glad you shared this recipe! I always find pie crusts to be so challenging! These steps help so much. With the holidays coming soon I know my pies will now be the star of the show!
Emily says
Bobbie, I'm glad you found this recipe. It really is pretty easy and you will love having pie crusts on hand for the holidays. Enjoy!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
I am loving the simplicity of this pie dough. I bet it bakes up nice and flaky, with yummy buttery flavour!
Emily says
So glad to hear it, Cindy. Butter makes everything better 😂
Shilpa says
I was looking for an easy pie crust recipe… can’t wait to try this
Emily says
So glad you found this one, I hope you love it!
Jean says
I like that I can make this at home easily instead of buying saves me a lot.
Emily says
Yes! and you can freeze it so make it ahead of time and take it out when you need it!
Luca says
I have always looked for a great pie crust recipe and here I have found it. It turned out really great and how I wished for it to be!
Emily says
So happy to hear it, Luca! There are so many pie crust recipes out there but this one always works for me. Thanks for giving it a try!
Nora says
It's so good to have such a great butter pie crust recipe at hand! Thanks for sharing!
Emily says
I totally agree! I try to have at least one in my freezer at all times...just in case.😉
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
It's great to have a pie crust recipe that really works every time. Bookmarking this page for the future!
Emily says
I totally agree, Amanda. Thanks for checking out the recipe!
Natalie says
GReat recipe. Turned out perfect. Buttery and not crumbly at all. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks!
Emily says
Thanks, Natalie!
Kayla DiMaggio says
You really can't go wrong with an all butter pie crust like this! It gives the pie so much flavor!
Emily says
Butter makes everything better, doesn't it?!? 😂 🧈
Jenn says
Pie crust is my nemesis but your recipe turned out amazing! Who'd think to grate the butter? Genius!
Emily says
Jenn, I'm so glad you found a crust that worked. I bet you use the grated butter trick all the time now. Enjoy!
Jenn says
This is the perfect recipe to have tucked away for all my Fall baking! Thanks for the delish pie crust recipe!
Emily says
I hope you use it all fall long! 😁🍁
Dannii says
You can't beat homemade pastry. I am craving an apple pie now!
Emily says
I totally agree!! Homemade is always better than store-bought...and usually cheaper!
Giangi Townsend says
Thank you for the grated butter trick. I keep forgetting having issues with my pie crust and stop making it due to too much handling. Thank you for all your suggestions. I have some peaches that I will make this pie crust for.
Emily says
You are so welcome, Giangi! I use the grated butter trick all the time. If you feel like you have handled the pie crust too much when making it, throw it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes and then keep going. Enjoy those peaches!
Patricia Quinnelly says
So what temperature do you bake it and for how long? I was finished with the recipe and no instructions for baking.
Emily says
Hi Patricia, it depends on the recipe you are making the pie crust for. For a blind bake (bake without the filling), you can bake it at 375º for 25 minutes with pie weights and parchment paper and then another 10-15 minutes without the weights and paper to get it nice and brown. I hope that helps and sorry for the confusion.