Homemade Pie Crust: Flaky, Buttery, and Easy to Make
Homemade Pie Crust: When It’s Worth Making from Scratch
Buying store-bought pie crust is undeniably convenient. You can keep it in the freezer and have it ready whenever you need it, no extra prep, no mess. But there are times when making your own homemade pie crust makes more sense.
Homemade pie crust can be cheaper depending on ingredient prices, and it’s healthier since you control exactly what goes into it. You can choose higher-quality ingredients, avoid unnecessary additives, and even customize it to your needs—whether that’s using gluten-free flour, choosing different fats, or adjusting for dietary preferences.
So, is homemade pie crust always better? That depends. If you’re curious about how it stacks up against store-bought options in terms of cost, taste, and practicality, check out my detailed comparison:
Pie Crust: Homemade or Store-Bought? A Comparison of Cost, Taste, and Quality.
What Makes Pie Crust So Tricky? Understanding the Process
I’ve always approached cooking in a pragmatic, utilitarian way—making food that tastes good and is healthy has always been enough for me. Aesthetics or perfection has never been my priority. However, pie crusts are a category of their own. Making a pie crust seems simple: mix the ingredients, refrigerate for a bit, roll it out, and that’s it.
But anyone who has tried knows that achieving the perfect texture can be a real challenge. It’s not just about mixing ingredients and baking, there’s a science behind it that determines whether your crust will be flaky, crumbly, crunchy, or hard.
The key to a great homemade pie crust lies in understanding how the ingredients interact throughout the preparation process. From the temperature of the ingredients to the kneading technique and resting time for the dough, each step plays a decisive role in the final result.
How to Achieve a Flaky Pie Crust
- Distribute the Fat in the Flour:
A flaky texture is achieved when fat is added to the flour in small pieces. These pieces must remain solid during the preparation process. As the crust bakes, the fat melts, leaving small pockets in the dough that create the characteristic layers. - Keep Everything Cold:
The ingredients must be as cold as possible to prevent the fat from melting prematurely. While you’re not using the ingredients, keep them in the fridge. This is especially important if you live in a warm place or are working in a hot kitchen. You can even chill your utensils, like the rolling pin or mixing bowl, for better results. - Balance Between Water and Flour:
Use ice water or water with ice cubes. Adding too much water makes the dough sticky, while too little can make it crumbly. - Let the Dough Rest:
Refrigerating the dough relaxes the gluten and keeps the fat solid. - Careful Rolling:
Use a rolling pin and work quickly to prevent the dough from warming up. If possible, use a cool surface like marble or stainless steel to maintain the proper temperature.
Ingredients for a Perfect Pie Crust
- Flour: The best flour for making homemade pie crust is pastry flour, but I use all-purpose flour with great results. It provides a good balance of tenderness and structure.
- Butter: For a flaky texture, use cold butter and cut it into small cubes. Lard also creates a flaky and tender crust while being easier to work with than butter. Vegetable shortening results in a tender and uniform texture that holds its shape well, making it ideal for decorative crusts.
- Sugar: It is optional, and I use either regular granulated sugar or cane sugar.
- Ice-Cold Water: Water should be very cold to prevent the fat from melting too soon. Adding ice cubes to the water before measuring helps maintain the right temperature throughout the process.
How to Make Pie Crust Without a Food Processor
Step 1: Keep Everything Cold
Before you start, place the butter cubes in the refrigerator or freezer for about 10 minutes. The colder the ingredients, the better the texture of the final crust. If you want extra insurance against melting, you can also chill the mixing bowl and flour.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients and Incorporate the Butter
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar (if using). Add the cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to mix until you get small, pea-sized pieces of butter evenly distributed throughout the flour. If using your hands, work quickly to prevent the butter from warming up too much.
Step 3. Add ice water
Slowly add ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, gently mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon. Stop as soon as the dough begins to come together, it should still look slightly dry but hold its shape when pressed.
Step 4. Bring the Dough Together
Lightly knead the dough just until it forms a ball. You don’t want to overwork it, or the crust may turn out tough instead of flaky.
Step 6. Roll Out the Dough:
Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin to your desired size and thickness. Work quickly to keep it cold. If your kitchen is warm, rolling on a marble or stainless steel surface can help maintain the right temperature.
Step 7: Shape the Pie Crust
Carefully lift the dough and place it into your pie pan, gently easing it into the edges without stretching. If it cracks, just press it back together, pie dough isn’t meant to be perfect, and a few patches won’t change how delicious it turns out. No big deal!
Trim the excess dough around the edges, leaving about an inch overhang.
Fold the overhanging dough under itself to create a thicker border, then crimp the edges however you like.
You can pinch the edges using your thumb and forefinger for a traditional crimp. Once shaped, refrigerate the crust again for about 20 minutes before baking.
Step 8. Pre-cook pie crust:
Poke the base with a fork, place parchment paper on top, and add pie weights (such as dried beans). Bake in a preheated oven at 190 °C (375 °F) for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
Step 9. Fill the crust with your favourite filling
Fill the crust with your favourite filling and follow the specific instructions of your recipe. If you’re not using it right away, you can freeze the unbaked crust for later, just wrap it well in plastic wrap and place it inside a Ziplock bag to keep it fresh.
Storage & Reheating
This homemade pie crust dough keeps well, making it easy to prepare ahead of time. Once mixed and shaped into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it properly to maintain freshness.
When ready to use, transfer frozen dough to the refrigerator overnight before rolling it out. If the dough feels too firm after chilling, let it rest at room temperature until it’s easier to handle.
Summary
🥶 Fridge: Wrap in plastic and store in an airtight bag for up to 3 days.
❄️ Freezer: For the best texture and taste, use within 3 months. Let it rest in the fridge overnight before using.
🍽️ Before Rolling: If too firm, let it rest for 10–15 minutes at room temperature to soften slightly.
An easy recipe to achieve the perfect texture, ideal for any pie.
Course: Baked goodsDifficulty: Medium
Servings
2
crustPrep Time
10
minutesCooking Time
20
minutesResting Time
30
minutesIngredients
325 g 325 all-purpose flour( 2 1/2 cups)
230 g 230 cold butter, cut into small cubes( 1 cup)
1 tablespoon 1 Sugar (Optional, not required)
1 teaspoon 1 Salt
6-10 tablespoon 6-10 ice water
Directions
- Place the butter cubes in the refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes before starting. You can also chill the bowl and the flour for better results.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar (if using). Add the butter cubes and, using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, mix until the butter forms pea-sized pieces. Avoid warming the dough with your hands.
- Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, gently mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon. Stop when the dough begins to come together but is still slightly dry. Finish by lightly kneading it with your hands until a ball forms.
- Divide the dough into two flat disks, wrap them in plastic wrap or wax paper, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This helps keep the butter solid and makes the dough easier to handle.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to the desired size and thickness. Work quickly to keep the dough cold. If you have a marble or stainless steel surface, use it to maintain the dough's cool temperature.
- Poke the base with a fork, place parchment paper on top, and add pie weights (such as dried beans). Bake in a preheated oven at 190 °C (375 °F) for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Fill the crust with your desired filling and follow the specific instructions of the recipe.
Notes
- This recipe yields two pie crusts or one crust with a top.
The pie dough can be stored in the fridge for 2–3 days.
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