Learn how to make a perfectly buttery, flaky pie crust from scratch using this in-depth tutorial and video. This page includes all of my best success tips, lots of step-by-step photos, and a thoroughly detailed recipe. Millions of readers have been using this helpful guide since 2015. Become a pro with this crust recipe and the rest will be as easy as… eating salted caramel apple pie!
For a baker, there’s nothing more satisfying than making a pie completely from scratch. Pies are often made for special occasions, and there’s a good reason for that: they’re time consuming. This shouldn’t scare you! It should intrigue you. If you’ve ever felt intimidated about making homemade pie crust, I’m here to walk you through it and cheer you on. If I can do this, you can do this.
Pie crust is the foundation for so many delicious desserts (plus savory pies and quiche), so once you build up your confidence in making a crust, you’re opening a door to an entire baking category. And that’s exciting! Whether your favorite pie filling is apple pie or creamy banana cream pie, or even eggs & cheese, the success of the overall pie can really hinge on the quality of the crust.
You wouldn’t hang a beautiful piece of art or favorite photo in a terrible frame, right?
Today I’m teaching you everything about making a buttery, flaky pie crust. This is my absolute favorite pie crust recipe and one of the most popular recipes on this website.
With all the recipe testing that goes into publishing the many pie recipes on this website and in my cookbooks, plus my annual Pie Week, it’s not an understatement to say that I have made a LOT of pies. Along the way, I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t, and I’m happy to share it all with you.
Start With These 5 Ingredients
The ingredient list for pie crust is short & simple:
- Flour: Start with quality flour. Did you know that not all all-purpose flours are equal? King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour is my go-to for not only pie crust, but for everything. (Not working with the brand, just a true fan!) Why? Its high protein level: “At 11.7% protein, it tops ordinary American all-purpose flours by nearly 2 percentage points.” What does this mean? Baked goods rise higher and stay fresh longer.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor.
- Butter: For that unparalleled buttery flavor and flaky layers.
- Vegetable Shortening: For structure and stability. More on this below.
- Ice water: Liquid brings the dough together. Some recipes call for half water and half vodka, because alcohol doesn’t promote gluten formation, which helps the crust stay flaky and tender. Basically, it’s a gift to anyone who accidentally overworks dough. If you want to try using vodka, use 1/4 cup (60ml) each cold vodka and cold water in this recipe.
You can use this pie dough for so many recipes beyond a traditional pie, too, such as mini pecan pies, mini fruit galettes, apple hand pies, and homemade brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts.
Is Pie Crust Better With Butter or Shortening?
I use BOTH shortening and butter in this pie crust because they work together to make the BEST crust. Buttery, flaky, and tender: the pie-fect trifecta.
- What does butter do? Butter adds flavor and flakiness.
- What does shortening do? Shortening helps the dough stay pliable, which is helpful when you’re rolling and shaping it. Plus, shortening’s high melting point helps the crust stay tender and maintain its shape as it bakes. Have you ever had a butter pie crust lose its shape completely? Shortening is “shape insurance.” 😉
If you don’t want to use shortening, try this all-butter pie crust instead. Let’s compare:
- Using all butter creates a lighter-textured crust and this is due to the butter’s water content. As the crust bakes, the butter’s water converts to steam, lifting up the dough and creating flaky layers. But because of all this butter, the crust doesn’t usually have a perfectly neat-edge/shape compared to the shortening and butter combination.
Both crusts taste buttery and flaky. But overall, this butter-and-shortening crust wins in terms of texture and flavor; AND, if you follow the pie crust recipe carefully, it holds shape too.
The Secret to Perfect Pie Crust: COLD
The refrigerator is as important as the oven when you’re making a homemade pie.
Why the emphasis on temperature? Keeping your pie dough as cold as possible helps prevent the fats from melting before the crust hits the hot oven. If the butter melts inside the dough before baking, you lose the flakiness. When the lumps of fat melt in the oven as the pie bakes, their steam helps to separate the crust into multiple flaky layers, as explained above. Warm fats will yield a hard, crunchy, greasy crust instead of a tender, flaky crust.
The colder the ingredients, the easier your pie crust is to work with, and the better it will turn out.
Two Tricks to Start as Cold as Possible:
- I keep some of my butter in the freezer and transfer it to the refrigerator a few hours before beginning the crust. This way it is still a little bit frozen and very, very cold. Simply keep the shortening in the refrigerator.
- Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl (the flour and salt). Place the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.
These Step-By-Step Photos Will Help
Take the butter and shortening out of the refrigerator. Cube the cold butter and measure out the cold shortening. Give the shortening a little chop—this is actually optional because, truly, the shortening is quite soft even when cold so it’s easy to mix in.
Now it’s time to combine everything. Add the butter and shortening to the dry ingredients, and use a pastry cutter (or 2 forks) to cut in the fats. Some pie crust recipes use a food processor for this, but I don’t recommend it, because it can lead to overworking the fats into the dough, cutting them up too small—which means you’ll need less water and your dough will fall apart. In this step, you’re only breaking up the cold fat into tiny little flour-coated pieces; you’re not completely incorporating it:
Cut in the fats until the mixture resembles coarse meal—crumbly with lots of lumps, as you see above. You should still have some larger pieces of butter and shortening when you’re done.
From a cup of ice water, measure out 1/2 cup (120ml), since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water into the dough 1 Tablespoon (15ml) at a time, stirring after every Tablespoon has been added.
You’ll add just a little water at a time so that you don’t accidentally add too much. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I usually use 1/2 cup (120ml) of water, but if the weather is humid, you may not need as much, and if the weather is really dry, you may need a little more.
If too much water is added, the pie dough will require more flour and become tough.
If too little water is added, you’ll notice the dough is dry and crumbly when you try to roll it out and handle it.
You want the dough to clump together, but not feel overly sticky. Once the dough is clumping together, transfer the dough to a floured work surface.
Using floured hands, fold and smush (yes, that’s the technical term) the dough into itself, forming the dough into a ball. Your hands are your best tool, just like when making homemade puff pastry.
The ball of dough should come together easily. If it feels a bit too dry or crumbly, dip your fingers in the ice water and then continue forming the dough with your hands. If it feels too sticky, sprinkle on more flour and then continue forming the dough with your hands.
Once your ball of pie dough has come together, use a sharp knife to cut it in half:
This is enough dough for 2 pie crusts. You can use both crusts for a double-crust pie, like chicken pot pie and strawberry rhubarb pie; or, if your pie doesn’t require a top crust, like coconut cream pie, brownie pie, and lemon meringue pie, save the second pie crust for another pie. You can also roll out the second dough and use cookie cutters to make an easy pie design, like on this pumpkin pie.
Success Tip: Visible Specks and Swirls of Fat in Pie Dough
Take a look at the inside of the dough where you just sliced it. You want to see pieces of butter and flaky layers throughout the pie dough. These specks and swirls of butter and shortening will help ensure a flaky pie dough. They are a GOOD thing!
Now your pie dough is ready for a rest in the refrigerator. Flatten each half into 1-inch-thick discs using your hands. The disc shape makes it easier to roll out. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.
Can I Freeze Pie Dough?
Yes, absolutely, and I encourage it! Pie crust freezes beautifully, so it’s a great thing to make ahead of time. Store the tightly wrapped discs of pie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you know you’re going to want several pies around the holidays, or when your favorite fruit will be in season (cherry pie, anyone?), you can cut down on the amount of time it takes to make pies from scratch the day you want them by making several pie crusts in advance and freezing them.
Thaw the pie crust dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out. It will be extra cold, which is a great starting point.
How to Roll Out Pie Crust
After the dough has chilled for at least 2 hours, you can roll it out. Work with one crust at a time, keeping the other in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roll it out. You’ll need a clean work surface, a rolling pin, and some flour. Lightly flour the work surface, rolling pin, and your hands, and sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Use gentle-medium force with your rolling pin on the dough—don’t press down too hard on the dough; you’re not mad at it!
When rolling dough out, start from the center and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go:
Between passes of the rolling pin, rotate the pie crust and even flip it, to make sure it’s not sticking to your work surface. Sprinkle on a little more flour if it’s sticking. Roll, turn. Roll, turn.
Do you see that beautiful marbling of the butter and shortening throughout the dough? Flaky layers, here you come!
Success Tip: If you notice the dough becoming a lopsided circle as you’re rolling it out, put down the rolling pin and use your hands to help mold the dough back into an even circle:
Roll the dough into a thin 12-inch circle, which is the perfect size to fit a 9-inch pie dish. You want enough crust to have some overhang so you can make a decorative edge for your pie.
Your pie dough will be about 1/8-inch thick, which is quite thin.
Success Tip: Since your dough is so thin, use your rolling pin to help transfer the pie crust to the pie dish. Carefully roll one end of the circle of dough gently onto the rolling pin, rolling it back towards you, slowly peeling it off the work surface as you go. Pick it up, and carefully roll it back out over the top of the pie dish. It’s helpful to watch how I do it in the video below.
Make sure the pie crust is pretty well centered in the dish, with some overhang all around the sides. Tuck the crust into the pie dish, gently pressing it to the interior all the way around—no air bubbles.
Trim dough around the edges if there’s excess dough in some spots—you want about 1-inch overhang. After you add your pie filling and top crust (such as a lattice pie crust), fold overhang back over and pinch the top and bottom crusts together. Now you can create a pretty edge, such as fluting or crimping. I have a full tutorial on how to crimp and flute pie crust, but here’s a quick overview:
Fluting with fingers: To flute the edges, use a knuckle and 2 fingers to press around the edges of the pie crust, to give it a beautiful and classic scalloped look, like this apple pie.
Crimping with fork: You can also use a fork to crimp the edges, like I do with this peach pie.
Again, review my how to crimp and flute pie crust page and video if you need a little extra help with this step.
Your pie crust is ready to bake! Follow your pie recipe’s instructions from here; some recipes may call for a fully baked crust, and some may call for a partially baked (par-baked or blind baked) crust. You can read a tutorial on that here in this How to Par-Bake Pie Crust post. And some recipes, like this blueberry pie, don’t require baking the crust at all before adding the filling, because the pie bakes for so long; just spoon/pour the filling right in.
Your pie recipe might call for an egg wash on the dough and for that, use a pastry brush. And if you bake a lot of pies, this list of 10 best pie baking tools will be helpful for you.
Troubleshooting Pie Crust
- Pie crust is tough: Tough crusts are the result of not enough fat in the crust, as well as overworking the dough. Use the recipe below (plenty of fat) and avoid handling the dough more than you need.
- Don’t have enough pie dough: This recipe yields 2 pie crusts. To ensure you have enough pie dough for overhang and a pretty topping, roll your dough out to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick.
- Pie crust shrinks down the sides of the dish when baking: This can happen when par-baking a pie crust. See section below.
- Pie dough is dry & cracking around edges when rolling: Use enough ice water when preparing the pie dough. If you work the fats into the dry ingredients too much, the dough will feel too wet before you can add enough water. (And the dough will be dry and thirsty.) Do not overwork the fats in the dry ingredients—you still want those nice crumbles. If it’s too late and you notice the edges of your pie crust are cracking as you roll it out, dip your fingers in ice-cold water and meld the edges back together. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
- Pie dough is falling apart & crumbling when rolling: The dough is likely crumbling because there’s too much fat, and not enough flour and water. Again, this is usually a result of fat being worked in too much, which can easily happen if the ingredients weren’t cold enough. (Refrigerate those dry ingredients before you start!) If it’s too late and the pie dough is crumbling as you roll it out, try adding more water AND more flour. Sprinkle a tiny bit of ice water and flour onto the cracks and crumbled pieces, and gently work it all in with your fingers. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
Gently work ice water drops and flour into your crumbly pie dough to bring it back together:
Blind Baking Pie Crust
If your pie recipe requires a fully baked or par-baked pie crust before adding the filling, follow the directions and success tips in this How to Par-Bake Pie Crust guide. You need 2 packs of pie weights, which are metal or ceramic beads that serve to weigh down the crust to prevent the puffing/shrinking. You could use dried beans instead. Whichever you choose, be sure to line the crust with parchment paper, then fill the empty pie crust shell with the weights prior to baking. Without pie weights, the dough will puff up, and then shrink down the sides.
Pie Crust Success Tips
- Use a glass pie dish. I prefer using a glass pie dish when I make pie. Why? Glass dishes conduct heat evenly, which allows the bottom of the crust to bake thoroughly. Also, you’ll be able to see when the sides and bottom of the crust have browned.
- The refrigerator is pie dough’s best friend. Keep everything cold every step of the way: ingredients, the bowl, and the dough before rolling. When taking the pie crust out of the refrigerator to roll out and fill, make sure your pie filling is ready to go. If not, keep the pie crust in the refrigerator until it is.
- Keep dough cold when rolling out: Warm pie dough is unworkable. If the dough becomes too warm when you’re rolling it out, stop what you’re doing, pick it up as gently as you can, put it on a plate or small baking sheet, and then cover and refrigerate it for 10–20 minutes.
- Protect the crust edges from burning: Use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from burning. A shield keeps the crust edge covered, but the center of the pie exposed, protecting the edges. I usually just make a pie shield out of a piece of aluminum foil. Take a piece of aluminum foil and fold it in half. Cut out a half circle. When you open it back up, you’ll have a square of foil with a circle cut out of the center. If you notice the edges of your pie crust are browning before the pie has fully baked, carefully and gently place the foil over the top of the pie, centering the cut-out hole over the pie. Carefully (obviously it’s very hot!) and lightly tuck the sides of the foil around the pie crust edges, then let the pie finish baking.
- Create a beautiful topping: For designing the top crust, see How to Lattice Pie Crust, How to Braid Pie Crust, or these Pie Crust Designs. And here is my tutorial on How to Crimp and Flute Pie Crust, too.
For more pie crust inspiration, see my graham cracker crust and homemade chocolate pop tarts (with a chocolate crust!).
PrintHomemade Buttery Flaky Pie Crust Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 pie crusts (1 lb, 8 ounces dough total)
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This recipe is enough for a double crust pie. If you only need 1 crust for your pie, freeze the other half per the Freezing Instructions below. Is your pie dough tearing, cracking, or crumbling as you try to roll it out? See recipe Notes.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for shaping and rolling
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 2/3 cup (130g) vegetable shortening, chilled
- 1/2 cup (120ml) ice cold water
Instructions
- Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
- Add the butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). In this step, you’re only breaking up the cold fat into tiny little flour-coated pieces; you’re not completely incorporating it. Do not overwork the ingredients.
- Measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water, since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon (15ml) at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon has been added. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use about 1/2 cup of water, and need a little more in dry winter months. Do not add any more water than you need.
- Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Avoid overworking the dough. If it feels a bit too dry or crumbly, dip your fingers in the ice water and then continue bringing dough together with your hands. If it feels too sticky, sprinkle on more flour and then continue bringing dough together with your hands. Form it into a ball. Use a sharp knife to cut it in half. If it’s helpful, you should have about 1 lb, 8 ounces dough total (about 680g). Gently flatten each half into 1-inch-thick discs using your hands.
- Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.
- After the dough has chilled for at least 2 hours, you can roll it out. Work with one crust at a time, keeping the other in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roll it out. Lightly flour the work surface, rolling pin, and your hands, and sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Use gentle-medium force with your rolling pin on the dough—don’t press down too hard on the dough; you’re not mad at it! When rolling dough out, start from the center and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go. Between passes of the rolling pin, rotate the pie crust and even flip it, to make sure it’s not sticking to your work surface. Sprinkle on a little more flour if it’s sticking; don’t be afraid to use a little more flour. If you notice the dough becoming a lopsided circle as you’re rolling it out, put down the rolling pin and use your hands to help mold the dough back into an even circle. Roll the dough into a very thin 12-inch circle, which is the perfect size to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Your pie dough will be about 1/8 inch thick, which is quite thin. Visible specks of butter and fat in the dough are perfectly normal and expected.
- Because your dough is so thin, use your rolling pin to help transfer the pie crust to the pie dish. Carefully roll one end of the circle of dough gently onto the rolling pin, rolling it back towards you, slowly peeling it off the work surface as you go. Pick it up, and carefully roll it back out over the top of the pie dish. It’s helpful to watch how I do it in the video below.
- Proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions. If your dough requires par-baking, see helpful How to Par-Bake Pie Crust tutorial.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare the pie dough through step 5 and freeze the discs for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using in your pie recipe.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Large Glass Mixing Bowl | Pastry Cutter | Rolling Pin | For more tools you may need to completely assemble and bake your pie, see my 10 Best Pie Baking Tools list.
- Salt: Use regular table salt. If using kosher salt, use 1 and 1/4 teaspoons.
- Shortening: This recipe uses a butter and shortening combination. Butter for flakiness and flavor, and shortening for its high melting point and ability to help the crust hold shape. You can use butter-flavor shortening if desired. If you want to skip the shortening, feel free to try this all-butter pie crust instead. Some readers have substituted lard for shortening in this recipe with success.
- Can I use a food processor? You can use a food processor to bring the dough ingredients together in step 1, but I find it quickly overworks the dough. For best results and a light, flaky crust, I recommend a pastry cutter.
- Pie dough is dry & cracking around edges when rolling: Use enough ice water when preparing the pie dough. If you work the fats into the dry ingredients too much, the dough will feel too wet before you can add enough water. (And the dough will be dry and thirsty.) Do not overwork the fats in the dry ingredients—you still want those nice crumbles. If it’s too late and you notice the edges of your pie crust are cracking as you roll it out, dip your fingers in ice-cold water and meld the edges back together. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
- Pie dough is falling apart & crumbling when rolling: The dough is likely crumbling because there’s too much fat, and not enough flour and water. Again, this is usually a result of fat being worked in too much, which can easily happen if the ingredients weren’t cold enough. (Refrigerate those dry ingredients before you start!) If it’s too late and the pie dough is crumbling as you roll it out, try adding more water AND more flour. Sprinkle a tiny bit of ice water and flour onto the cracks and crumbled pieces, and gently work it all in with your fingers. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
- More Crusts: If you need more than 2 pie crusts, make another separate batch of dough. Doubling or tripling the recipe leads to over- or under-working the dough, which ruins all of your efforts.
I used your recipe and it is fantastic! Your recipes are excellent and you know how to get that perfect flaky crust!
This is my new pie crust recipe! I love the combination of butter and shortening for a buttery yet flaky crust. The tutorial and understanding the science behind a perfect pie crust is great for beginners to!
Can you use margarine instead of butter?
Hi Julie! I don’t suggest it.
This is my go-to recipe for pie crust. It is so delicious! I am a food processor pie dough maker – so I do use it for this recipe and it comes out great. When I have a 1 crust recipe I use the 2nd disc as sweet dippers. Cut into strips, brush on some melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. I can eat them with no dip!
As always, thank you Sally!
You saved me today Sally!!!
So I made six pie crusts yesterday, not your recipe but one I’ve used many many times. I noticed yesterday they were crumbly. I chilled them hoping for the best today. Well, today, four of the six went phooey and I had to toss them. They were the worst I’ve ever made and I’m not sure if it was A. Not enough water, B. Not enough shortening, but I followed the recipe exactly, or C. I used sea salt. I usually use normal table salt. It’s the only thing I did differently.
So anyway, I went straight to your crust recipe here and I made a batch, and it was MARVELOUS!!! It rolled out nicely, the dough was pliable and I was able to make my lattice top. ☺️
I took a little piece to taste it and it’s a winner. My family will not miss my old crust. I love that it has both butter and shortening, best of both flavors. Thank you Sally for a really go to recipe!!!!
I was hoping to post a picture of it but I don’t see where I can put it. Thanks again!!
I love this recipe!
The crust was buttery and flaky. This is now my go to crust recipe.
Thanks Sally!
Hi Sally, I have a question: I have made (or should I say tried to make) pie crust from scratch, I guess I am always nervous about using too much flour when rolling out, so the dough always sticks to my rolling pin, any advice?
Keep dusting with more flour until it no longer sticks. Don’t be afraid to use more flour!
Hi Sally! The last time I made pie crust, the crust was very hard once it came out of the fridge and I wasn’t able to roll it. Do you have any tips to avoid this?
Allow it to sit at room temperature for 10-20 minutes before rolling. Should help.
Hey Sally,
I’m in a pickle. I have been attempting to use your recipe for pie crust for the last three years and I just don’t have success with keeping it together when I am rolling it out and transferring it. I’m not sure if I’m overworking the dough or if I’m not just meant to make pie crust. I thought of trying the vodka route, but you say you don’t. Do you use a silicon mat when rolling out dough?
Regardless of my success with the crust, your pumpkin pie is always a hit in my house–so I’m going the extra mile and making your blueberry and pecan pie too! Only fear is, this means more crust! Ah!
Is it too dry and cracking, Staci? That would mean your crust needs more ice water when preparing it. Try adding an extra Tbsp next time. Should make a big difference.
I just made this and I’m so pleased with the dough! It’s chilling now and I’ll make the pie tomorrow. I haven’t been happy with my go to recipe the last couple of years – not sure if it’s because it’s all butter or the food processor worked the dough too much. Using my cutter and bringing the dough together manually was a game changer! Thanks Sally!
Hello, Sally! I’ve been a long time follower of your blog. Everything I’ve ever made has come out spectacular, and I always get rave reviews from your recipes. Your red velvet cupcakes have been declared the best cupcakes ever made more than once! I’ve never commented before, but I wanted to take the time to thank you so much for this delicious pie crust recipe. I come from a long line of cooks who have never been able to make pie crust (true story!), and I was so nervous. But you broke the steps down so incredibly well, and it was easy for me to follow and understand. I’m happy to report that the pie crust came out beautifully on my first try! Thank you so, so much for all that you do – and helping me earn my reputation as a baker!
Hi Sally! Every year for my birthday I make a blueberry pie. The one time I tried a homemade pie crust, it stuck to everything. It was a mess so I scrapped the top crust and only used the bottom. I’m going to attempt it again tomorrow morning. It is very hot and humid this week in NC. Any tips besides keep everything as cold as possible? Can I use coconut oil instead of Crisco or is that not a good substitution? Thanks and congratulations of your sweet baby! So happy for you!! 🙂
Hi Janine! Great questions. I wouldn’t use coconut oil instead of Crisco, especially in extremely hot and humid weather as you mention. Shortening has a very high melting point and will stay solid longer, which is what you want. I find making the pie crust the night before and refrigerating it all night helps. After assembling the pie, stick the whole thing in the fridge so it’s extra cold going into the oven. I hope these help! Thank you so much for congrats 🙂
Hi Sally!
Ive baked this crust a lot of times already and it was a success with the peach crumble pie. Today, I baked the apple crumble pie again and was careful to follow all the instructions precisely. I did follow the temperatures however it turned out to look pale and raw. I baked it again for another hour to see if it will do any good but it didnt. I wanted to bake it for another hour but the filling was starting to dry up. Thus, coming out pale. Am I doing anything wrong?
Hi Margo! The recipes are so similar, I wonder why you had trouble with the apple version. 2 hours in the oven and not cooking? That’s so bizarre to me! Perhaps cut down slightly on the apples in the apple crumble pie maybe 4 apples instead? Less filling could help the crust brown on the inside.
I cannot for the life of me get this pie crust to work. I am not an inexperienced baker however this pie crust has got me stumped! The first time I tried it it stuck… to everything. I followed the directions exactly, however once I cut in all the fats the dough wad already forming large clumps. When I tried to roll it out after chilling it for about three hours it stuck to the rolling pin no matter how much flour I used. I tried it a second time and made it step by step along with the video you shared in a previous comment and the results were the same. Help!
Is it particularly humid where you live? I would drastically cut back on the ice water. How much are you adding?
Crying as I’m trying to make this dough. I have made pie dough a million times. This either sticks to my rolling pin or breaks the second I manipulate it to create lattice. Chilled dough for three hours, worked as quickly as possible rolling it out to keep it cool. Don’t know if it’s the high fat content but it just kept sticking to the rolling pin. Attempted to flour a little prior to each pass with the pin and still no luck. Really wanted to try this new recipe but not having success. Any ideas???
The sticking would be due to humidity OR too much liquid in the dough. Or both. Did you follow the recipe as written as well? KA flour, cold cold cold butter, chilling, ice cold water, etc?
I will say, I forged ahead and although my lattice was not the prettiest, this was one of the best pie crusts I have ever tasted. Absolutely phenomenal. In regards to humidity, we live in Las Vegas so actually quite dry. I used three tablespoons of ice water, gradually, and followed the recipe to a tee. I am going to give this another try, this time rolling out on wax paper instead of a wooden cutting board, and I bought King Arthur flour. I’m super hopeful because this recipe is delicious!
Hi Sally, I am excited to use your crust for your peacan pie and a French silk pie I’m making for Easter. I have to blind bake the French silk pie. What temp and how long do I bake it for?
Thanks so much!
Kelly
If the crust needs to be fully blind-baked (and not simply pre-baked), I usually blind-bake at 300F for 18 minutes.
Do you egg wash on top? Trying your recipe for pasties!
If making pastries, I would brush with egg wash yes!
Sally, I’m used to using only top crust for Veggie pot pies but my children had individual pot pies with top and bottom crust. I’m concerened about ending up with a soggy bottom. How can I avoid this from happening? Susanna
Hi Susanna! I’ve never had a particularly soggy bottom crust with this recipe.
Sally, tried it last night and was very pleased with results. No soggy bottom on crust. Thanks for the simple recipe for a good crust.
Hi Sally! I’ve made your pie crust a couple times now, and I think I’m doing something wrong. It tastes amazing, but the crust is very crumbly… I’ll leave the dough in the fridge overnight, and then the next day I’ll roll it out and it breaks a part into large chunks, so I add more cold water to help it stick better. I can somewhat manage rolling it out (it doesn’t quite look as pretty as yours!) but then even when it bakes, sometimes the pieces of the crust will break off and crumble everywhere and its a mess… Should I try using more water? But then too much water I think it’ll be too sticky. My problem sounds similar to Sarah’s. Help! 🙂
Hey Caryn! A little sticky is ok, so don’t feel like you’re doing anything wrong when you are mixing up the pie dough and are adding more ice water. It’s cracking and crumbling because it’s too dry. The dry winter weather doesn’t help either! I always add more water in the winter months and less in the summer.
BEST RECIPE EVER. I made this for Thanksgiving and it was PERFECT. I made the recipe 100% butter and loved every bite. This is my go to for life!!!!
Sally I made your amazing pumpkin pie with this crust recipe for Thanksgiving! It was a huge hit even with a non-pumpkin pie lover! This was the first time I’d ever made my own crust – and it was so worth the effort! One thing though… how do you get it off of the counter and in to the pie dish without it falling apart??! That was my only difficulty. It wasn’t the prettiest, but definitely the flakiest and tastiest!
Hi Debbie! If it’s too crumbly and breaking, then try adding a little more ice water next time you make it. If it was sticking way too much to the counter, use a little more flour on the counter and on your hands. I’m so glad that you loved it! And the pumpkin pie too 🙂
This was my first attempt to make my own pie crusts. The directions were easy to follow. I made a pecan pie and pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I must say they were the best pies I had ever made. The crusts really made a big difference. Everyone loved the pie crusts. I will never buy store bought again.
Hi Christina! Typically a crumbly pie dough is a dry pie dough, but you mention yours was very soft. I’m so sorry you’ve had trouble! The gram measurement could have been off for you, but 3/4 cup of Crisco is typically around 145g.
If it’s not dry, then overworking the dough could be the culprit behind the crumbly texture. Always handle it gently– and not as much as you think. 🙂 I hope this helps!
Don’t be worried! Crust will be extra flaky 🙂
Absolutely!