How to Make Pie Crust at Home – Pâte Brisée

Is there anything better than homemade flaky pie crust? Also known as Pâte Brisée in French. This is the basic unsweetened all-purpose crust for pies, quiches, and often tarts too. It’s buttery, flaky and tender. And if you love making pastry, this flaky pie crust is a must-have skill. Today I share my no-fail method to making a single or double pie crust from scratch.

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Pie crust sounds intimidating, and yet it is really not difficult to make. Seems like we always have flour, butter, salt, and water at home. Don’t we? Yet, most people will take the trouble to go out and buy store-bought pie crust instead of just making it themselves. And it’s often just because we perceive it as being difficult to make. 

A small word of advice, try making it at least once and you will be pleasantly surprised how easy and do-able this is. Furthermore, pie crust is the one recipe where you get rewarded for being imperfect. While in most recipes, we aim for perfection, in a pie crust, less is better. Since if you do less with that dough it will reward you with the flakiest pastry. Does that sound difficult? 

What is the Definition of a Good Pie Crust?

Buttery, soft, flaky, something that’s ready to fall apart when you touch it. And the broken crumbs beg to be tasted.

Now, a homemade pie crust is not only that, since it’s also made with love. And, you know exactly what is inside it. Also, I use quality ingredients, like real butter, that give it a nice flaky texture and a soft crumb that almost melts in the mouth.

Have you ever had a tart where you have to push the fork so hard to crack the pastry? Have you ever eaten a pie filling and left the crust behind? Well, today we are going to make sure each and every crumb from your next pie crust will be appreciated.

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Homemade Sweet Shortcrust Pastry aka Pate Sucree' or Sweet French Pastry Dough

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Is butter or shortening better for pie crust? 

Shortening is 100% fat while butter is 80% fat. So yes, shortening gives you the flakiest pie 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 pie crust. 

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How to make a pie crust/Pate Brisee

I know this is a long post with so much information to absorb. Especially, considering that a pie crust has just four main ingredients, which you probably have in your kitchen every day. Flour, butter, salt, and water. And yet, these four ingredients when used with different methods, proportions or temperatures can produce very different results. Luckily a pie crust is simple to make. And below, I explain how in detail, step-by-step. Here’s the process at a glace.

• Cut the cold butter cubes into the flour and salt mix.
• Add the water. 
• Gather it all into a ball/disc.
• Chill it.
• Roll it.
• Line it in the pie pan.
• Crimp it. 
• Chill it again.
• Blind bake – fill it – bake it some more.  Or 
• Prebake it – and fill it.
• Enjoy!

Tips to making the perfect flaky pie crust (Save/Pin)

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. 

How to make the perfect crimp for your pie crust?

Here’s something you may not know about crimping the pastry dough. 

1. If you want the crimp to be perfect, use half butter and half shortening. Because, in an all-butter pie crust, the steam in the butter and flour tends to distort the pastry crimp.
2. 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.
3. So once you crimp it stays on that edge all thru baking.
4. As a result, when baked you get a perfect crimp.

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What is blind bake and how to blind bake a pie 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 crust?

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 thefood processor. I like to cut the butter into the flour until it reaches 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.

Useful Tips and Tools 

• If you know me, I’m not a slave to tools in the kitchen, and yet I believe that tools can make a huge difference to your end product and your own working experience. This pastry blender is a great tool to have if you plan to make pies often.
• And of course, you need a good rolling pin. I use my French rolling pin for almost everything including fondant. But often on videos, you will find me with my pink rolling pin.
• A pie crust is often baked in a pie pan, and yet there are times when we bake the sweet filling in a tart pan. If you are new to pie crust I highly recommend buying a pie pan with a rim like this Pie Pan. The extra edge will be great to achieve a perfect crimped edge. And having made a few pies over the years, a no edge pie pan as I have below is ok for seasoned bakers. 
• If you live in a hot and humid place, avoid touching the pie dough much. Instead, roll the dough between two parchment papers. This technique is also good for those who are new to pie crust and are not used to handling high-fat dough.
• To bake the pie crust we dock the pastry with the tings of a fork. And it is also necessary to use pie weights. Pie weights prevent the pastry from puffing up. Dried beans can also be used as a pie weight that can be used over and over again. And if you bake often, then you can also buy special pie weights. I still use my dried beans. And often I use nuts that I want to toast when prebaking my pie crust.

Recipe – Homemade Flaky Pie Crust – Pie Crust 101 (Save/Pin)

Ingredients

Single Pie Crust ( Bottom crust) 

• All-purpose flour – 190 grams (1 1/2 cup )
• Butter, very cold – 113 grams  (1/2 stick or 1/2 cup / 4 oz )
• Salt – 1/4 tsp
• Chilled water/ice water – 2 to 4 tbsp

Double Pie Crust  (Top and Bottom Crust)

• All-purpose flour – 350 grams (2 3/4 cups)
• Fat/butter – 228 grams (2 sticks / 8 oz or 1 cup)
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Chilled water/ice water – 60 to 90 ml (1/4 to 1/2 cup)

Method

Plan and Prepare

• Make sure the butter is chilled so it can be cut into cubes. When cold, cut into small cubes.
• Measure the ingredients – place flour and salt in a metal bowl.
• Make sure you have cold water – (you can also drop a few cubes of ice in a bowl of water).

Make the Pastry

• Use a fork, pastry blender or your finger-tips to cut the butter into the flour.
• Continue until you will have a crumbly mixture.
• Add the chilled water in three batches – only as much as you need.
• Gather all the crumbs into a ball.
• Wrap in cling or plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

Roll the Pastry

• Dust the work board with flour.
• Open the dough and roll carefully so it does not crack too much.
• Use your pie pan as a guide to know how big you need it.
• When you reach the desired size, transfer the dough without cracking. (see image below)
• Fold the pastry in half then quarter.
• Place it on the pie pan and open the folds.
• Carefully making sure the dough is evenly spread in the pan.
• Cut the excess from the edges leaving a 1/2 inch for crimping.
• Fold the excess under so you have a pretty round edge.
• Crimp the edge by forming a V shape with your thumb and index finger.
• Let cool in the fridge for 15 minutes.

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Prepare the Crust for Baking (blind bake or Prebake) 

• Preheat the oven at 180 C / 360 F.
• To bake the pie you can either use the docking method or the pie weights method. 
• For the docking method – just use the tines of a fork and prick holes all through the pie crust.
• For pie weight – line the pie with parchment paper, then fill the center with pie weights or baking beans.

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Bake the Single Pie Crust/Pâte Brisée

• At this point, you can fill the pie with your filling and bake.

Pre-Baked Pie Crust 

• Line the pie with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or baking beans.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minute – then remove the pie weights and parchment paper.
• Add the filling and bake it further for as long and necessary – until the filling is cooked.
• If the pie edges get too dark just tent the edges with foil or pie shield to prevent it from becoming darker.

Fully Baked Pie Crust

• Line the pie with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or baking beans.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minute – remove the pie weights and parchment paper.
• Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the bottom is lightly golden. 

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Baking a Double Pie Crust

• Divide the pie dough into two – one slightly bigger than the other. (slightly bigger for the bottom works better).
• Roll both discs – the bottom should be the size of the pie pan plus overhang.
• The top should be just an inch or two larger than the circumference of the pan.
• Line the bottom crust as shown.
• Cut off excess from the edges leaving a 1/2 inch for crimping.
• Fill the pie with filling (such as apple pie filling).
• Place the second disc of dough the same way as the first.
• Cut off excess at the edges leaving an inch of overhang.
• Fold excess edges under creating a neat edge
• Crimp the edge by forming a V shape with your thumb and index finger.
• Bake.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need to put vinegar in my pie crust? 

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. 

What if my pie crust is too wet? 

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. 

What if my Pie crust dough is too hard? 

If the pie 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 your dough chilled and yet still easy enough to roll.

Why does my pie crust shrink?

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 pie crust is not cold the dough tends to shrink.

Can I substitute oil for butter (or shortening) in my pie crust? 

You can use coconut oil for the pie 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. 

How do I know when my pie crust is done? 

A pre-baked pie crust needs to bake for 20 minutes with pie weight (baking beans), then without any weight for another 10 minutes.

How to prevent soggy pie crust? 

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.

I live in a hot humid climate? 

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. 

How do I alter my pie crust recipe? 

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.

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Homemade Flaky Pie Crust (Pâte Brisée)

Author: Veena Azmanov

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: basics, Flaky Pie, homemade, Pie, Pie Crust

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Calories: 527kcal

Adjust Servings Here: 9 Pie Crust

Is there anything better than homemade flaky pie crust? Also known as Pâte Brisée in French. This is the basic unsweetened all-purpose crust for pies, quiches, and often tarts too. It's buttery, flaky and tender. And if you love making pastry, this flaky pie crust is a must-have skill. Today I share my no-fail method to making a single or double pie crust from scratch.

Ingredients

Single Pie Crust ( Bottom crust)

• 190 grams All-purpose flour
• 113 grams Unsalted butter or shortening or lard
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 4 tbsp Chilled water/ice water

Double Pie Crust (Top & Bottom Crust)

• 350 grams All-purpose flour
• 228 grams Unsalted butter Or shortening or lard
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 90 ml Chilled water/ice water

Metric - US customary

Conversions - Please switch between Metric & US for more measurement options

Instructions

Plan and Prepare

• Make sure butter is chilled - so it can be cut into cubes. When cold cut into small cubes.
• Measure the ingredients - place flour and salt in a metal bowl.
• Make sure you have cold water - (you can also drop a few cubes of ice in a bowl of water).

Make the Pastry

• Use a fork, pastry blender or your finger-tips to cut the butter into the flour.
• Continue until you will have a crumbly mixture.
• Add the chilled water in three batches - only as much as you need.
• Gather all the crumbs into a ball.
• Wrap in cling or plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

Roll the Pastry

• Dust the work board with flour.
• Open the dough and roll carefully so it does not crack too much.
• Use your pie pan as a guide to know how big you need it.
• When you reach the desired size - transfer the dough without cracking. (see image below)
• Fold the pastry in half then quarter.
• Place it on the pie pan and open the folds.
• Carefully making sure the dough is evenly spread in the pan.
• Cut the excess from the edges leaving a 1/2 inch for crimping.
• Fold the excess under so you have a pretty round edge.
• Crimp the edge by forming a V shape with your thumb and index finger.
• Let cool in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Prepare the Crust for Baking (blind bake or Prebake)

• Preheat the oven at 180 C / 360 F.
• To bake the pie you can either use the docking method or the pie weights method.
• For the docking method - just use the tines of a fork and prick holes all through the pie crust.
• For pie weight - line the pie with parchment paper, then fill the center with pie weights or baking beans.

Bake the Single Pie Crust/Pâte Brisée

• At this point, you can fill the pie with filling and bake.

Prebaked Pie Crust

• Line the pie with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or baking beans.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minute - then remove the pie weights and parchment paper.
• Add the filling and bake it further for as long and necessary - until the filling is cooked.
• If the pie edges get too dark just tent the edges with foil or pie shield to prevent it from becoming darker.

Fully Baked Pie Crust

• Line the pie with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or baking beans.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minute - then remove the pie weights and parchment paper.
• Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes until the bottom is lightly golden.

Baking a Double Pie Crust

• Divide the pie dough into two - one slightly bigger than the other. (slightly bigger for the bottom works better).
• Roll both discs - the bottom should be the size of the pie pan plus overhang
• The top should be just an inch or two larger than the circumference of the pan.
• Line the bottom crust as shown.
• Cut off excess from the edges leaving a 1/2 inch for crimping.
• Fill the pie with filling (such as apple pie filling).
• Place the second disc of dough the same way as the first.
• Fold excess edges under creating a neat edge.
• Crimp the edge by forming a V shape with your thumb and index finger.
• Bake.

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Nutrition Information

Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 351mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3.9g | Vitamin A: 0% | Vitamin C: 0% | Calcium: 0% | Iron: 0%

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

Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear how it was.Mention @veenaazmanov or tag me on Instagram #veenaazmanov

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