Butter Flaky Pie Crust

This pie crust recipe made with butter produces a consistent dough that bakes into a crisp and flaky pie crust every time. It's perfect for any single-crust pie.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15

Total Time 4 15

Course lunch/dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

Calories 2506.5 kcal

Equipment

1 Large Mixing Bowl
1 Pastry Blender Alternatively, use two knives or a food processor
1 Rolling Pin
1 9-inch Pie Dish

Ingredients

Main

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter diced and then chilled
¼ cup ice cold water or as needed

Instructions

Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Use a pasty blender to cut in chilled, diced butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Add 1 tablespoon cold water at a time, mixing with a spatula or your hands until the dough comes together; you may need less than 1/4 cup water. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Shape dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Place chilled dough on a generously floured surface and roll out to an 11-inch circle, adding more flour to your rolling pin as needed. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Carefully roll dough onto the rolling pin, then unroll over a 9-inch pie dish. Press dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the dish. Trim any excess dough and flute the edges. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Blind-bake or fill and bake as directed in your pie recipe. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Enjoy! Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

Achieving a truly flaky crust hinges on keeping your ingredients, especially the butter and water, as cold as possible. The diced, chilled butter creates pockets of steam during baking, yielding that coveted flaky texture. Avoid overworking the dough; mix just until it barely comes together to prevent gluten development, which leads to a tough crust. The extended chilling time is crucial not only for firming the butter but also for hydrating the flour, resulting in a more pliable dough that's easier to roll out. If preparing a custard or fruit pie, consider blind baking the crust to prevent a soggy bottom.