This is your basic unsweetened all-butter pie crust recipe or Pâte Brisée dough that's rich, buttery, flaky, and tender. Today, we make a double pie crust from scratch for an apple pie.
A good pie crust recipe is a must-have for any baker. One that you can use without trial and error. While there are many versions pie dough, each claiming to be the best, the basic ingredients are almost always the same. Some will use a combination of butter and lard for fat and others will use vodka in place of water. And yet, while they are all very promising, I think this is the absolute winner every single time.
About this pie crust
This is my all-butter pie dough recipe that gets used almost all the time. It's the same recipe we use to make a single crust.
The secret to a good pie dough is not just in the ingredients, but mostly in the process. You can make it by hand or in the food processor. In both methods, what you are looking for is to avoid gluten and ensure you cut the butter into the dough. So, no kneading, which will prevent the formation of gluten. That makes the pie flakier.
First, make sure the butter is chilled, so you get a nice flaky crust. If your butter melts, you will lose that flakiness. The pieces of fat in the dough melt in the oven during baking. This fat creates steam. This steam then creates the separation in the dough, which results in that flakiness.
For a single crust, we use only half of this recipe and make just the bottom crust. But, some pies also need a top crust, such as fruit pie - apple pie, cherry pie, and blueberry pie.
Below, you will find my tips and tricks as well as frequently asked questions and troubleshooting that will help you master this pie crust every single time.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Butter - I like using all butter for that superior butter flavor. But, you can also use half vegetable shortening. My mom used half high-fat vegetable shortening. Make sure to chill the shortening for at least an hour before you use it.
- Flour - Use a good unbleached all-purpose flour. Do not use self-rising or bread flour. We want a flaky pie crust that does not rise or become chewy.
- Salt - Don't forget to add salt to your pie crust. It brings out the flavor. My mom would also add a teaspoon of sugar to her pie crust. We loved her pies and quiches.
- Water - You want chilled water from the fridge. You can add ice to your water to chill it. Do not add ice directly to the dough. It will eventually make the dough soggy. Also, do not use milk since the milk solids will burn and give a very dark crust.
Step by step instructions (save/pin)
- Cut butter into cubes and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Measure the chilled water (I like to use ice in my water).
- Add flour and salt in the food processor.
- Followed by the frozen butter cubes.
- Pulse for 30 seconds or more until fine bread crumb consistency.
- Add the chilled water through the feeding tube while the processor is on.
- The mixture will still be crumbly, but when squished with your hands, you should be able to form a ball.
- Remove onto a clean work surface.
- Bring it all together but do not knead. It will be a rough dough and that’s a good thing.
- Divide into two (more for the top and less for the bottom).
- Wrap in cling or plastic wrap.
- Place in the fridge to chill for an hour at least.
Roll top crust
- Dust the work board with flour.
- Open the big disc for the bottom and roll carefully so it does not crack too much.
- Use your pie pan as a guide to know how big you need it.
- To transfer the dough to the pan without breaking, fold the pastry in half, then into quarter. Place it on the pie pan and open the folds (see video).
- Alternatively, place the pastry over the rolling pin to transfer (see video).
- Gently fit it to the pie pan especially in the bottom edges.
- Place the lined pie pan in the fridge if your filling is not ready.
- Fill the pie with filling (such as apple pie filling).
Roll the bottom crust
- Roll the bottom discs – it should be the size of the pie pan plus some overhang.
- Place the second disc on top (same a before fold half then quarter and unfold over the pie).
- Cut off excess at the edges leaving an inch of overhang.
- Fold the top pastry under the bottom pastry (see video).
- Then, crimp the edge by forming a V shape with your thumb and index finger (see video).
- Brush with egg wash.
- Now, cut a few slits on the top crust.
- Bake until done. Cover edges loosely with foil or pie shield to prevent it becoming too dark.
Frequently asked questions
The basic pie crust ingredients are butter, flour, water, and a pinch of salt. Often a tiny amount of vinegar is added in the belief that it tenderizes the pie dough. Vinegar inhibits the development of gluten resulting in a flaky pie crust.
If you added too much water - just add a tablespoon or two of flour and bring it all together. And if the dough is soft and sticky, which usually appears wet, it means the dough is probably too warmed up. Shape it into a ball and wrap it in cling wrap. Chill it until it firm enough to roll.
If the crust is too hard to roll it means the dough is too chilled. Give it a few minutes on the counter to thaw so it's pliable enough to roll. Because if you try to roll when it's hard it will crack too much. You want the dough chilled and yet still easy enough to roll.
It's best to chill the pastry before you bake it. That makes sure the butter stays cold. When baked, the butter melts into the dough and makes a beautiful flaky crust. And if the crust is not cold the dough tends to shrink.
You can use coconut oil for the crust instead of butter or shortening. Coconut oil will need to be solidified in the fridge before you cut it into the flour just like butter. I prefer the combination of half coconut oil or half butter.
A pre-baked crust needs to bake for 20 minutes with pie weight (baking beans), then without any weight for another 10 minutes.
Sometimes, when the pie filling is too liquidy it can soak into the bottom pie crust making it soggy. One way to avoid it is to brush the bottom pre-baked pie crust with egg whites. This essentially creates a seal between the crust and the filling.
If you live in a hot and humid climate - place the flour and salt in a bowl and keep the bowl in the fridge for about an hour. This will keep the ingredients cold. Avoid touching the dough too much with your warm hands. Also, flip the dough over the rolling pin when possible. Work on the back of a chilled baking tray rather than a counter-top. And chill the tray in the fridge when you let it rest. That way the dough and tray will stay cold at all times.
A good guide to use is a 3:2:1 part ratio which means 3 parts of flour to 2 pars of fat to 1 part of water. With that basic formula, you can make a couple of pies at the same time. It has helped me many times because I do sometimes bake 6 pies all at once.
What's the secret to getting a perfect crimp on your pie crust?
- Use the edge of your pan to help support the crimp. Cut the excess pastry such that when you fold it sits on top of that edge.
- So, once you crimp it, stays on that edge all through baking.
- As a result, when baked you get a perfect crimp.
Is butter or shortening better for the crust?
The shortening is 100% fat while butter is 80% fat. So yes, shortening gives you the flakiest crust. On the other hand, butter has so much more flavor. Therefore, butter is usually my choice of fat when it comes to pastry. You can use all butter, shortening, lard, or try 50% butter and 50% shortening. See which you prefer.
It's all about the butter in Pâte Brisée
Classic Pie crust is all about the fat, mostly butter (you can use high ratio shortening too). The butter is literally cut into or broken into the flour with a pastry cutter, fork, finger-tip or food processor. Consequently, leaving pieces of butter in the dough. Often as large as pea-size pieces of butter. This process of cutting in the butter coats every grain of flour which slows the process of gluten and keeps the dough tender and flaky.
So, when rolled out you can have small to large pieces of visible butter in the dough. This is not a sign of imperfection but rather a sign of good pastry dough. Those pieces of butter melt in the hot oven, resulting in a flaky, crispy pie crust.
So you see, butter (or shortening/lard) is an important component in the dough. Hence, you need to use good quality butter. In fact, use a good quality European butter. Because the water content is less in European butter. And as a result, you get a superior quality of the pie crust.
What is blind bake and how to blind bake a crust?
Blind baking a pie crust simply means to prebake the crust without any filling inside it. This is a great technique when the filling usually needs much less time to bake. For example, delicate chocolate or custard-based pies. And baking the pie crust partially ahead of time makes for a tender more flakier pie crust.
Do I have to use pie weights or baking beans?
When blind baking a pie crust we use baking beans or pie weights. The weights work as a mock filling, which can be removed once the pie crust is partially baked. The filling is then added and the pie goes back into the oven for further cooking.
If you do not use any pie weight - the sides of the pie crust can collapse into the center and the bottom of the pie crust may puff up. If the sides fall in you won't be able to keep the filling in the middle. Nor will it look good when you slice the pie. Also, it means you have less space for pie filling.
Do I need a food processor to make a pie dough?
No, you don't. All you need is a bowl and your finger-tips. Having said that, my favorite equipment when making any pastry is the food processor. I like to cut the butter into the flour until it reaches fine bread crumb consistency. And I find the food processor gives an even distribution of butter in the flour making a very stable dough that's easy to roll without very large chunks of butter. Also, it takes less than 30 seconds to pulse the whole thing. This helps in keeping everything cold and working quickly.
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Description
Ingredients
Double Pie Crust (Top & Bottom Crust)
- 3 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour
- 8 oz (226 g) Unsalted butter (2 sticks, 1 cup) chilled, cubed
- ½ tsp Salt
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Chilled water up to 6 to 8 tbsp
Instructions
Dough
- Cut butter into cubes and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Measure the chilled water (I like to use ice in my water).
- Add flour and salt into the food processor bowl.
- Followed by the frozen butter cubes.
- Pulse for 30 seconds or more until fine bread crumb consistency.
- Add the chilled water through the feeding tube while the processor is on.
- The mixture will still be crumbly, but when squished with your hands, you should be able to form a ball.
- Remove onto a clean work surface.
- Bring it all together but do not knead. It will be a rough dough and that’s a good thing.
- Divide into two (more for the top and less for the bottom).
- Wrap in cling or plastic wrap.
- Place in the fridge to chill for an hour at least.
Roll the bottom crust
- Dust the work board with flour.
- Open the big disc for the bottom and roll carefully so it does not crack too much.
- Use your pie pan as a guide to know how big you need it.
- To transfer the dough to the pan without breaking, fold the pastry in half, then in to quarter. Place it on the pie pan and open the folds (see video).
- Alternatively, place the pastry over the rolling pin to transfer (see video).
- Gently fit it to the pie pan especially in the bottom edges.
- Place the lined pie pan in the fridge if your filling is not ready.
- Fill the pie with filling (such as apple pie filling).
Roll the top crust
- Roll the bottom discs – it should be the size of the pie pan plus some overhang.
- Place the second disc on top (same a before fold half then quarter and unfold over the pie).
- Cut off excess at the edges leaving an inch of overhang.
- Fold the top pastry under the bottom pastry (see video).
- Then, crimp the edge by forming a V shape with your thumb and index finger (see video).
- Brush with egg wash.
- Now, cut a few slits on the top crust.
- Bake until done. Cover edges loosely with foil or pie shield to prevent it becoming too dark.
Recipe Notes
6 Tips for making the perfect flaky pie crust every single time
The secret to making a perfect pie crust is not only in the recipe but in the method of making it.- Fat - you will see a big difference in the quality of your crust based on the fat you use. If you ask my mom, it can't be all butter. It had to be mostly full-fat GHEE (Shortening) and some butter for flavor. The higher the ratio your fat is, the better the crust.
My grandmother would use 100% lard (animal fat). For her, making a pie crust with butter is a No-No! And yet, she lived healthily until 89.
I, on the other hand, never use lard for making my pie crust. I use butter or sometimes half butter and half veg shortening. I'd be lucky if I live to her age..! - The amount of water in your pie dough plays a very important role in the final texture. Too much water will make your crust very tough. And too little will make it very crumbly. Crumbly is good, and yet you still want to be able to hold a slice of pie.
- Avoid the fat/butter from melting into your flour. I usually place my bowl with the flour and chilled butter into the fridge for at least half an hour before I start to work it into the dough. Those of you living in a hot and humid climate can avoid touching the dough too much with your hands by rolling the pastry between two parchment papers.
- Also, use chilled iced water to maintain the temperature of the dough.
- Cool the pie crust for at least half-hour before you bake. This will prevent the sides from shrinking.
- Let the pre-baked crust cool for 15 minutes before you add in the filling. This will prevent the liquid from being absorbed into the crust. And if your filling is very liquidy, brush the pastry with egg white, before adding the filling. This creates a seal between the filling and crust.
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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