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Best Pie Crust Recipe

If there is one recipe I swear by, it's this pie crust recipe. It is my go-to - summer pies, fall pies, fruity pies, chocolate pies, and everything in between. This truly is the best pie crust recipe. It is buttery, flaky, tender, and surprisingly easy to make. A lot of people are intimidated by pie crust but I promise, once you make this recipe, you will never go back to store-bought pie crust.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings 2 servings (2 discs)

Ingredients
 

  • 2 ½ cups (313 grams) all purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter cold and cubed
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) vegetable shortening cold
  • ½ cup (120 mL) ice water

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar and salt.
  • Using a pastry cutter or your hands, cut the cold butter and cold vegetable shortening into the flour mixture until the butter and shortening are fully incorporated into the flour and no larger chunks remain. 
  • Measure out ½ cup (120 mL) of water, add ice and stir it around so it becomes ice cold. Remeasure ½ cup (120 mL) since some of the ice melted into the water. Start with three tablespoons of ice water and drizzle it on top of the dough. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix the water into the dough. Continue to do this, tablespoon by tablespoon, until the dough just comes together. You may not need to use all of the water.
  • Fold the dough into itself until it forms a ball. Divide the dough into two equal parts and flatten them slightly into discs. Wrap each with cling wrap and place them in the fridge to chill for at least two hours but up to two days. If you only need one disc of dough for your recipe, you can freeze the other for up to three months.
  • On a generously floured surface, roll one of the dough portions out into a big circle while leaving the other portion in the fridge. You'll want to roll your dough into a circle that is 2-3 inches larger than your pie dish.
  • Place your pie dish face down on the rolled out dough and use a sharp knife or scissors to cut a border two inches wider than your pan.
  • Roll the dough over your rolling pin and unroll it centered over the pie dish. Roll the excess dough on the edges up and underneath itself like you would roll up a sleeping bag.
  • Crimp the dough, making a "v" with two fingers on one hand while pressing the dough against the index finger of your other hand. Repeat until the entire edge is crimped.
  • Using a fork, poke holes in the bottom of the pie crust to give air room to escape. If your recipe requires the second pie portion, roll it out and proceed per your recipe's instructions!
  • To make the dough in a food processor: pulse together the flour, sugar and salt until combined. Add the cold cubed butter and cold chunks of vegetable shortening and pulse until evenly incorporated into the dough and no large chunks remain. Add three tablespoons of ice water to the food processor and pulse until combined. Continue to add ice water tablespoon by tablespoon and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out of the food processor onto a floured surface and roll into a ball. Separate the dough into two portions, cover, and refrigerate for two hours. Proceed with the recipe the same way as you would if making by hand!

Notes

  1. This pie dough can be frozen for up to three months. If making the dough after freezing it, remove the dough from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight before you use it.
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