This pie crust recipe is simple to make and will provide a flaky and tasty crust for your dessert. Perfect for a galette or one crust pie, or double it for a two crust pie!
Making pie can seem intimidating, usually because of the thought of making a pie crust. But a pie crust is really a very simple recipe, with only a few ingredients.
This recipe is for one simple pie crust. It is perfect for using for making a galette or a one crust pie. I love to make a fruit galette like apple galette, blueberry galette or peach galette, because they are simple and fool proof.
And I like this recipe because it is easier for me to double the pie crust recipe on the rare occasions I need two crusts than to halve a recipe. I am much more likely to make a mistake if I am dividing than if I am doubling!
Pie Crust Ingredients
This pie crust has only 5 ingredients, and that includes the salt and water. It is a very basic pie crust!
- Flour – I use white all purpose flour.
- Sugar – A little bit of white granulated sugar in the crust adds flavor. You can vary the amount of sugar a little bit depending on whether you are making something sweet or something savory with the pie crust.
- Salt
- Butter – Use unsalted butter for best results.
- Ice cold water
Type of Fat in Pie Crusts
The main difference among pie crust recipes is the type of fat used in the crust. The fat is what determines the texture of the pie crust.
Some crusts use oil, some butter, some shortening and some use lard. Some recipes combine different types of fats in different proportions.
I don’t like to cook with shortening or lard, although they do make amazingly flaky pie crusts. So that leaves me oil and butter to choose from.
And there is no doubt pie crusts using butter are flakier than ones made with oil. So I either make this pie crust recipe using butter or buy a premade one and skip the entire process!
Step by Step Instructions
1. Cube the Butter
Use a sharp knife to cut the butter into small cubes. You want to use cold butter for this recipe, don’t let the butter reach room temperature.
If it is very hot in the house you can even put the butter cubes in the freezer for a few minutes to keep them cool.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl mix the flour, sugar and salt together. Stir it well so everything is well distributed.
3. Cut in the Butter
This is the key step in making pie crust! Put the butter pieces into the bowl and then use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter pieces into the flour mixture.
You want the flour and butter mixture to have a texture of breadcrumbs. There shouldn’t be big chunks of butter, but there also shouldn’t be a smooth dough.
You can also make the dough in a food processor. If you are doing that be careful to run it on pulse so you don’t over mix the dough. Stop processing once it has formed breadcrumb sized pieces.
4. Add the Water
Next add the ice cold water to the dough, 1 Tablespoon at a time. It works best to use a silicone spatula to stir the water in.
Stir until the dough is moistened and comes together in a ball.
5. Chill the Dough
The dough will be easier to roll out if you chill it for 30 minutes before using it. This also allows time for the ingredients to meld together and the water to be absorbed.
I have skipped this step with good results though, so use your own judgement on whether or not to chill the dough!
How to Store
Store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. After that if you aren’t going to use it you should freeze it.
To freeze the pie dough make sure it is tightly wrapped in aluminum foil or a freezer bag with all the air squeezed out. It should keep for 3 months in the freezer.
To use frozen pie dough thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before using.
How to Use the Dough
My favorite thing to make with pie crusts is galettes, which are rustic free form fruit tarts. I like them because they are both elegant and easy.
You can also use the dough to make a one crust pie, like this Egg Nog Pie. Most cream or custard pies have only a bottom crust.
And if you want to make a two crust pie it is very easy to double the recipe. Then you can make Grape Pie or a classic Apple Pie.
But pie crust doesn’t need to just be for dessert. You can make some tasty savory dishes too. Some possibilities are Thanksgiving Leftover Hand Pies or Italian Meat Pie.
Find More Easy Dessert Ideas
Single Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold
- 2 Tablespoons ice cold water
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut the butter into small cubes.1/2 cup unsalted butter
- In a medium bowl combine the flour with the salt and sugar and stir to mix.1 cup flour, 1 Tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is combined and looks like breadcrumbs. Use a pastry cutter or a food processor. If using a food processor be careful not to over mix the dough.
- Add the ice water a little bit at a time until the dough is moistened and forms a ball.2 Tablespoons ice cold water
- Form the dough into a ball. You can use it right away or refrigerator it until you are ready to use it.
Notes
- If you are making a pie crust for a savory pie you can reduce the sugar to 1/2 Tablespoon.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
