Best Ever Pie Crust

Homemade pie dough is about a thousand times more flaky, tender, and flavorful than the store-bought kind. It takes a little bit of extra work to get a perfect pie crust, but it absolutely does not need to be as intimidating as it may seem.

Until the dough comes together in a cohesive ball, it seems like something has gone wrong. Not to mention all of the frustrations when pie dough shrinks or loses its shape after baking. I’ve factored in as many potential pie crust woes into this recipe to make it as foolproof as possible.

I actually completely overhauled my pie crust recipe in 2020 to make it even more tender and flaky. I took a bunch of feedback I’d received over the years from readers to improve the recipe and I’m SO happy with the results. Take a look at just how FLAKY:

I spent weeks testing, experimenting, and researching different pie dough methods, tips, and tricks. Some worked, others didn’t.

I’m sharing a ton of tips that truly work in this post, so let’s go ahead and get right into the juicy stuff. (Or should I say flaky stuff?)

P.S. Take a look at these pie crusts made by HTH community members. Many of whom had previously struggled to master pie dough. Follow the tips on this article to bake pies that look like these:

Now let’s move onto the other area of pie crust that I think frustrates a lot of people.

How to Roll Out Pie Dough

I typically roll out my dough on a marble pastry board, but that is totally optional. You can use the trick I mentioned above of icing down your counter before rolling to help keep things nice and cool. Avoid overworking the dough as you roll it out. Keep the dough moving on a lightly floured surface so you don’t roll over the same areas repeatedly, making it tough.

You’ll want about a 12-inch diameter for a 9-inch pie pan. Some pans are deeper than others, so factor that into your rolling. Whatever you do, make sure the thickness is about 1/8-inch for your pie crusts. Thinner will result in rips and tears. Thicker and it won’t cook through and get flaky.

Flour your work surface, the dough itself, and your rolling pin throughout the process as needed. There are two inexpensive tools that I find are both a MUST when it comes to rolling out pie dough: a flour shaker and a bench scraper.

The flour shaker allows you to easily add flour wherever sticking might be happening. The bench scraper allows you to easily keep the dough moving as you roll it out, which is essential. I keep the dough moving in quarter-turns to prevent sticking and to keep it an even thickness.

Alternatively, you can roll the pie dough out between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. I find that most non-commercial paper and plastic wrap isn’t big enough to accommodate a 12- to 14-inch diameter circle, so I don’t often use this method.

If at any point the butter begins to get melty and sticky, return the dough to the fridge immediately.

Use your fingers to flute the edges of the pan if you wish. I find that I need to make a more dramatic flute than I might think since the design will loosen during baking. Whatever you do, don’t make the flute too thick and heavy, otherwise it’ll slump down the sides.

More Dough Than Other Recipes?

You might notice in the recipe below that I call for more ingredients than other recipes. This is because I think it’s easier to work with dough when you have a little more than you may need. It comes together more cohesively and if you get any rips, tears, or make any mistakes with a design you have extra.

This especially comes in handy if you have a deeper pie dish or if you want to get fancy with any designs.

Pie Crust: Butter vs. Shortening?

I’ve done an extensive amount of testing on pie crust. Let’s just say my kitchen has seen a LOT of butter. I made the messes and did the testing so you don’t have to. Here’s what I learned.

When it comes to pie dough, I’ve heard a lot of confusing and conflicting opinions about which is the better fat.

If you’re curious, you can learn more about the general differences between butter and shortening here.

But I actually tested the two fats in pie crust side-by-side to compare. I still need to do testing with lard, so stay tuned for that!

Shortening

All-shortening dough can be easier to work with in one sense because unlike butter, shortening requires less chilling time. Shortening has a higher melting temperature than butter. However, this also means that unlike the very hard chunks of cold butter that remain in the control dough, shortening is soft enough that it is easily overworked, resulting in a crumbly crust instead of a flaky crust. In our blind-baked shortening crust, the parchment paper holding the pie weights actually stuck to the crust, pulling some of it off with it.

As you can see in the photograph, the all-shortening dough ended up being flat, tender, and fairly crumbly. The texture was actually reminiscent of shortbread, and it was completely lacking in flavor. In fact, the flavor reminded me of store-bought dough.

Butter

In this all-butter dough, there were plenty of visible chunks of butter studded throughout. Once it came together and was chilled, it was a bit of a challenge to maintain that perfect temperature where it’s warm enough to shape but cold enough that the butter doesn’t melt. Especially for me living in the desert. The extra effort paid off immensely, though. This pie crust was ridiculously light, flaky, and loaded with rich buttery flavor. You could immediately tell this was homemade, in the best way. This is why I almost always prefer a 100% butter pie crust.

If you like the benefits of shortening, then I’d recommend a 50-50 ratio of butter and shortening to get the best of both worlds.

Other Pie Crust “Tricks” Put to the Test

Vodka?

A few reputable sources have claimed that by substituting a portion of the water with vodka in a pie crust recipe, you prohibit gluten development and therefore ensure a tender, flaky crust. I tested this against my standard pie crust recipe and found the differences to be slight. I don’t think it’s worth the extra effort if you don’t have chilled vodka on hand.

Optional SECRET Ingredient!!

As you can see, I’ve done a lot of side-by-side testing of pie crust variations. Most of the time the classic recipe has won out, with a single exception. SOUR CREAM!

Sour cream acts as a tenderizer in baked goods, and I was curious to see if it would significantly affect the texture of pie crust. I added 2 tablespoons of sour cream to my standard single recipe along with the butter.

This dough was very soft and slightly sticky, but easy enough to work with. This pie crust puffed up to a surprising height. The texture was ultra light, puffy, and flaky, almost like puff pastry. If you have sour cream handy, I definitely suggest giving it a shot. Add in 2 tablespoons to the single recipe below, and reduce the water by about 2 tablespoons, or as needed.

Can you Make Pie Dough Ahead of Time?

Yes! Pastry dough can be shaped into a disc and refrigerated for up to 3 days, as long as it’s well wrapped in plastic.

Unbaked pie shells can also be refrigerated for up to 3 days. This works perfectly for single-crust pies like pumpkin or sweet potato. Simply roll out your dough, lay it into your pie tin, crimp the edges, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. When ready, simply remove from the fridge, fill, and bake.

Pastry dough can also be shaped into a disc and frozen for up to 2 months, well wrapped in plastic and placed in a freezer bag or airtight container. Defrost in the fridge overnight. You can also freeze already rolled out dough if you have room in your freezer. You can use it straight from the freezer; just let it sit at room temperature briefly so it becomes easier to press into the pie pan.

Unbaked pie shells can also be covered and frozen for up to 2 months. No thawing necessary.

How to Bake Pie Dough

I’ve included instructions on how to blind-bake the crust for recipes that require an already baked crust. Otherwise, just follow the directions in the pie recipe you’re following for baking the crust. Or, check out my full article on How to Blind Bake Pie Crust here!

Pie Pans

The material of your pie pan can make a noticeable difference in how your pie bakes. This is actually something I talk about a lot in The Magic of Baking, my online baking class. Here’s what you need to be aware of at minimum:

Aluminum

These pans heat up and bake quickly, so you may need to shave some time off your baking to avoid overdoing it. Avoid dark or coated aluminum pans for baking pie crust, which are likely to result in overly browned crusts.

Glass

Glass bakes more slowly than aluminum, but since it’s slow and you can see how brown your crust is getting, you’re less likely to overbake. Don’t take your pie directly from the freezer to the oven unless the manufacturer says it’s safe to do so. I like this OXO glass pie pan because it’s made from borosilicate glass to withstand extreme temperature changes without shattering.

Ceramic

These are pretty for serving at special occasions, and like glass, they bake more slowly and shouldn’t be subjected to extreme temperature changes.

Check out these Pie Recipes:

• Caramel Apple Pie
• Pecan Pie
• Easy Pumpkin Pie

And now, finally, the BEST homemade pie crust recipe is below!

4.95 from 134 votes

How to make

Best Ever Pie Crust

Yield: 1 to 2 pie crusts

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

How to Make the Best Ever Pie Crust with all the tips and tricks for a flaky beautiful crust that impresses your friends and family. For even more, download my free Pie Crust Troubleshooting Guide HERE.

Ingredients

Single crust:

• 1 1/2 cups (191 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 10 tablespoons (142 grams) cold unsalted butter
• 4 to 6 tablespoons ice cold water

Double crust:

• 3 cups (381 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 2 1/2 sticks (284 grams) cold unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup ice cold water

Directions

Make the dough:

By hand:

1. Freeze your butter for 10 minutes, or until very cold. Grate the butter using the large holes of a box grater (or using the grater attachment of your food processor - see below). Return grated butter to freezer for another 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can also shred frozen butter into shards using a sharp knife.

2. In a deep, medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold grated butter, tossing to combine. Working quickly, use your hands to further cut and break the butter into pieces the size of small peas. You can also use a pastry blender or two knives.

3. Drizzle a few tablespoons of water on the mixture and toss to moisten. Continue adding the remaining water until the dough sticks together and stays stuck when pressed between two fingers. It’s okay if the dough is still crumbly and messy.

4. Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface. Use your hands to press the dough together into a craggily mass. Gently fold one half of the dough over and onto itself, repeating this three times, until it’s come together into a cohesive mass.

5. Use a bench scraper to cut the dough in half (if making double crust). Wrap each half in plastic. Press down each plastic wrapped dough to create a 4-inch wide disk shape. Refrigerate at least six hours, preferably overnight.

By food processor:

1. Freeze your butter until hardened, then use the grater attachment of your food processor to shred it. If you don't have the grater attachment, use a bench scraper to cube cold but not frozen butter into 1/2-inch pieces. Freeze the cubed butter for 10 minutes.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the cold grated or cubed butter and pulse for about 30 seconds, or until the butter pieces are uniform in size.

3. Drizzle a few tablespoons of water on the mixture and pulse briefly a few times to moisten. Continue adding the remaining water until the dough sticks together and stays stuck when pressed between two fingers. It’s okay if the dough is still crumbly and messy.

4. Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface. Use your hands to press the dough together into a craggily mass. Gently fold one half of the dough over and onto itself, repeating this three times, until it’s come together into a cohesive mass.

5. Use a bench scraper to cut the dough in half (if making double crust). Wrap each half in plastic. Press down each plastic wrapped dough to create a 4-inch wide disk shape. Refrigerate at least six hours, preferably overnight.

Roll out the dough:

1. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, or until slightly pliable.
2. Roll the dough out on a floured work surface. Keep turning the dough after every roll to ensure it doesn’t stick to the counter and is of even thickness. Add additional flour to the dough, the counter, and your rolling pin as needed. Roll out into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick.

3. Gently roll the dough up and around the rolling pin, then unroll and drape over a 9-inch pie tin. Gently press into the pie tin, being careful to avoid stretching it to fit. Use scissors or a knife to trim the excess dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang under itself and crimp or flute. Pierce the base of the dough with a fork.

4. Repeat above rolling process if making a double crust pie.

5. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. At this point consult your recipe directions for how to use the dough or follow options below.

Bake dough:

1. If the pie recipe calls for a prebaked shell, preheat the oven to 425°F. For an extra crispy bottom crust, place your oven rack on the bottom shelf and if you have one, bake on a preheated baking stone.

2. Line the chilled crust with foil. Fill the crust completely to the rim with pie weights, rice, or dried beans.

3. Place on a rimmed baking pan.
4. To par-bake if baking again with filling:

5. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until just beginning to brown and no longer raw.

To bake completely:

1. Bake for 20 minutes or until solidified. Remove foil and weights. Continue to bake until totally browned at the edges with light browning in the center, about another 7 to 10 minutes.

Course : Dessert

Cuisine : American

Recipe by Tessa Arias

This recipe was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2020 with recipe improvements, updated tips, and new photos. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.

October 2021 Baking Challenge

This recipe was the October 2021 selection for our monthly baking challenge! Every month you can join the challenge by baking the recipe and snapping a photo for a chance to win prizes! Learn more about my monthly baking challenges here. Take a look at everyone’s pies:

Author: Tessa Arias

I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)