The Perfect Crust Pie

Aug 9, 202405:00 PMSuggest Changes

Servings: 1 pie crust

Rating: 4.9/5

Prep Time: 20 m

This Perfect Pie Crust recipe will give you a flaky, buttery, and delicious foundation for all your pie creations. It’s easier than you think to achieve pie crust perfection!

Why This Crust is the Best

This recipe focuses on key elements for a great crust:

Cold Ingredients: Using cold butter and ice water is crucial. Cold fat creates steam when baking, leading to flaky layers.
Minimal Handling: Overworking the dough develops gluten, which results in a tough crust. We want tender and flaky.
Resting Time: Chilling the dough allows the gluten to relax and the fat to solidify, preventing shrinkage during baking.

Tips for Pie Crust Success

Flaky Layers: Don’t overwork the dough. You should still see small pieces of butter throughout.
Even Baking: Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork to prevent it from puffing up unevenly.
Prevent Soggy Bottoms: For extra insurance against a soggy bottom crust, you can blind bake it (see notes).
Perfect Crimp: Get creative with your crimping! A fork, your fingers, or even a spoon can create beautiful edges.

Versatile and Delicious

This pie crust is perfect for sweet or savory pies. From apple pie to quiche, this crust will be the perfect complement to your filling.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup vegetable shortening chilled
1/2 cup ice water

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
Cut in butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Gradually add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together.
Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle.
Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp the edges.
Chill the pie crust for another 30 minutes before filling and baking.

Notes

For a blind baked crust, prick the bottom of the crust with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove weights and parchment paper and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown.