Description
This classic All Butter Pie Crust recipe yields a tender, flaky pastry perfect for sweet or savory pies. Made with cold unsalted butter, flour, and a hint of sugar and salt, this versatile crust can be customized with herbs, spices, or gluten-free alternatives for various dietary needs.
Ingredients
Scale
Basic Ingredients
- 1 cup (225g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 1/2 cups (312g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
- 6 to 8 tablespoons ice cold water
Optional Variations & Additions
- Chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme) for herb-infused crust
- Substitute half the flour with whole wheat flour for a whole wheat blend
- Gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum for gluten-free crust
- Extra sugar (1-2 tablespoons) for sweetened crust
- Cinnamon or nutmeg for spiced crust
Instructions
- Chill Your Ingredients: Place the cold unsalted butter and ice cold water in the refrigerator for at least one hour to ensure they remain chilled for the best flaky texture.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar if using. This combines them evenly and prevents clumps when you add the butter.
- Cut in the Butter: Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the chilled butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized crumbs form. Leaving some larger butter pieces enhances flakiness.
- Add Ice Cold Water: Slowly add the ice cold water one tablespoon at a time, gently mixing with a fork just until the dough starts to come together. Avoid overworking to keep the butter cold and dough tender.
- Form and Chill the Dough: Gather the dough into two discs, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to hydrate the flour and relax gluten.
- Roll Out and Use: Lightly flour your surface and roll each dough disc to about 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer to your pie dish, trim edges neatly, and proceed with your pie filling and baking.
Notes
- Keeping the butter and water cold is crucial for creating a flaky crust texture.
- Don’t overwork the dough to avoid a tough crust.
- You can customize the crust with herbs, spices, or substitute with gluten-free or whole wheat flours as desired.
- The dough discs can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use.
- Chilling the dough after mixing helps hydrate the flour and relax gluten, which prevents shrinkage during baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
