Here’s a quick and simple guide on how to make all-butter pie crust! With step-by-step photos, this is the only recipe you’ll ever need. The recipe makes two pie crusts of eight servings each for a total of 16 single crust or 8 double crust slices of pie.
photography by Sophie MacKenzie
Making homemade pie crust can be super intimidating. The thought of keeping the ingredients cold enough, combined with the fears of adding too much ice water, and making a pie with a soggy bottom is enough to keep some bakers away.
In theory, making all-butter pie crust is simple. Mix flour, butter, sugar, salt, and cold water into a dough—ingredients you already have in your kitchen! Roll out the dough, and bake it into a Granny Smith apple pie, pumpkin custard pie, or apple rhubarb pie. Easy right?
Ok, ok, we admit, this may sound challenging but TRUST us, it will become so much easier once you start actually making pie dough. You will get the hang of it, especially after making the recipe a few times. And in the end, pie making is supposed to be fun! Even if you think you messed up, we’re pretty sure your pie will still be delicious.
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💖 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔️ It’s great to have on hand for any number of pies or galettes, especially during the holiday seasons.
✔️ The recipe makes a sturdy pastry that still has lots of flaky layers.
✔️ It’s incredibly delicious buttery flavour!
📋 Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: we use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
- Butter: can be salted or unsalted
Ingredient Substitutions
- Apple Cider Vinegar: you can use plain vodka in place of apple cider vinegar.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
👩🍳 Method
STEP 1: in a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.
STEP 2: add the butter pieces to the flour mixture.
STEP 3: working quickly, use your hands to work the butter into the flour. You want the butter pieces to be coarse, with some pieces left chunky, about the size of green peas, and other pieces smooshed more flat.
STEP 4: in another bowl, combine the cold water, apple cider vinegar, and ice.
STEP 5: sprinkle two tablespoons of ice water over the flour. Switch to a fork or a pastry blender to mix the water into the flour until fully incorporated.
STEP 6: continue to add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing between each addition. When the dough starts to show signs of coming together, switch to adding teaspoons of water instead of tablespoons. Stop when the dough forms into a loose dough.
STEP 7: shape the dough into two flat discs. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least one hour. Use a rolling pin to roll one disc to fit the size of a standard 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate.
STEP 8: transfer the rolled dough to a pie plate. Crimp the edges however you like and proceed with your chosen recipe. See the recipe card below for making a double crust pie.
💡 Top Tips
- You can use a fork or pastry blender to mix in the butter if you prefer, but we like to use our hands. Just be gentle and work quickly.
- Don’t over flour your work surface when rolling. You don’t want your pie dough picking up any extra flour it doesn’t really need! This is why we roll our dough on lightly floured parchment or waxed paper.
- Add colour and shine to your crust by brushing any exposed areas of crust with a lightly beaten egg before baking.
📝 Recipe Notes
- If the butter pieces are left too large you will need extra water to absorb the dry flour. This can lead to a tough crust and shrinkage in the oven. If the butter pieces are too small, you can end up with a crumbly, rather than flaky, pastry.
- Unbaked pie dough can be frozen, very well wrapped, for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
- If you want to make it ahead, the all-butter pie crust can be refrigerated for up to 4 days before rolling and using.
❓Recipe FAQ
The easy answer is too much water. Pie making takes practice, and knowing when to stop adding water is something that can only be learned by doing.
Vinegar helps stop gluten from forming. Too much gluten in a pie crust means tougher crust and a higher chance of shrinkage while baking.
This is tricky. Butter can melt but it tastes butter. Shortening doesn’t melt but doesn’t have much flavour. We recommend using all-butter crust that’s kept very cold, or substituting only half of the butter with shortening.
Recipe
All-Butter Pie Crust
Description
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- 2 Mixing bowls
- Fork or pastry blender
- Plastic wrap
- Parchment or waxed paper
- Rolling Pin
- 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate(s)
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups butter, cut into ½ inch pieces, very cold
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup ice cubes
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture. Working quickly, use your hands to work the butter into the flour. You want the butter pieces to be coarse, with some pieces left chunky, and some pieces smooshed more flat.
- In another bowl, combine the cold water, apple cider vinegar, and ice.
- Sprinkle two tablespoons of ice water over the flour. Switch to a fork or a pastry blender to mix the water into the flour until fully incorporated.
- Continue to add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing between each addition. When the dough starts to show signs of coming together, switch to adding teaspoons of water instead of tablespoons. Stop when the dough forms into a loose dough.
- Shape the dough into two flat discs. Wrap the discs in beeswax wrap or plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least one hour before rolling.
- Place a large piece of parchment or waxed paper on a work surface and sprinkle it lightly with flour. Place a disc of dough on the paper and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to fit the size of a standard 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate, about ⅛-inch (3-mm) thick.
- Once rolled, gently roll the dough around the pin, and off of the paper. Gently unroll the dough over the inside of the pie plate. Use your hands to pick up the edges of the dough, centering it over the pie plate, allowing it to relax into the shape of the plate. Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the sides of, and over the edge of the plate all the way around. Trim the edges of the dough with scissors, leaving about a 1-inch overhang.
To Make A Single Crust Pie
- Fold the trimmed overhang gently under itself to make a neat rounded edge. Crimp the edges however you like and proceed with your chosen recipe.
To Make A Double Crust Pie
- Before rolling under the edge of the first dough, add your chosen pie filling to the pie plate. Roll out the second disc of dough and repeat the process of rolling the dough around the pin to transfer it to the pie plate. Center the top crust, then trim the edges with scissors. Rolling the edges of both crusts under and crimp the edges. Don’t forget to add a few steam holes for venting on the top crust.
Notes
- If the butter pieces are left too large you will need extra water to absorb the dry flour. This can lead to a tough crust and shrinkage in the oven. If the butter pieces are too small, you can end up with a crumbly, rather than flaky, pastry.
- Unbaked pie dough can be frozen, very well wrapped, for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
- If you want to make it ahead, the all-butter pie crust can be refrigerated for up to 4 days before rolling and using.
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