Learn how to make the perfect pie crust with this recipe that results in flaky, buttery, layered pies with the perfect texture and flavor. It’s made with only 6 ingredients and comes together in 20 minutes. The best part? You can prep it ahead and be ready for the holiday season months in advance!
Pies are one of my favorite desserts. The flaky, buttery layers of dough paired with the sweet, jammy, fruity center, there are few things that come close. But you know what I don’t like at all? A soggy, sad, soft pie with no flakiness and buterriness. That’s just…wrong.
If you REALLY want to make a pie, you gotta have a good pie crust recipe that results in flaky layers of pastry. And you know what? It’s actually pretty easy to make.
All you need are 6 basic ingredients – flour, sugar, salt, butter, apple cider vinegar, and water.
Let’s get into the details.
Pie Crust Recipe
While it’s a fairly simple pastry to make, there are a few technical points to keep in mind if you want to make a really good, flaky pie crust. We want the pastry to have layers and also pockets of butter, which result in that flaky texture. To do that, we have to create a dough that has minimal gluten, has layers of lamination, and has pieces of butter in it. So here are things to keep in mind.
- Use cold, frozen butter: You want small butter pieces to be within the pastry without melting, which is why we use cold, frozen butter so that it does not melt while mixing the dough.
- Use ice-cold water: Using cold water makes sure that the butter maintains its temperature and does not melt while mixing.
- Add apple cider vinegar: The acidity in vinegar reduces gluten formation and helps the dough be more flaky.
- Minimal mixing: When mixing the dough, mix it very, very little, until it forms a crumbly texture. This ensures minimal gluten formation and also makes sure that the butter does not melt.
- Rub the butter into the dry ingredients: Instead of whipping the ingredients, rub the cold butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers. The warmth of your fingers will soften the butter, and there will be little chunks of butter in the dough by the end.
- Add the liquid a little at a time: In order to have a flaky pastry, the dough needs to be crumbly, and you may not need all of the liquid to reach that texture. Add the liquid a little at a time and mix until you reach the desired texture.
- Keep the dough cold: Make sure that the dough remains cold at all times so that the butter does not melt. If it seems to be getting warm, let it chill in the fridge for some time before continuing.
- Use baking paper to bring the dough together: Once the dough reaches the crumbly texture, transfer it to a baking paper and use it to bring it all together instead of using your hands. This will help the dough and butter maintain the temperature.
- Laminate the dough: To create flaky layers in the dough, cut it into pieces, place them on top of each other, and push them down. This will create layers of butter in the dough.
- Chill the dough before rolling: Make sure that the dough chills in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling it out. This will make sure that the dough is not too soft and will be easier to roll out.
Here are the steps for making the pie dough.
- In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, and salt until well combined.
- Add cubes of frozen butter into the dry ingredients. Rub each piece of butter with the dry ingredients using your fingers until the dough reaches a crumbly texture. There will still be small pieces of butter in the dough. Make sure the butter doesn’t become too soft.
- Mix the ice-cold water and apple cider vinegar, and add the liquid to the dough, a little at a time, rubbing it into the dough with your fingers. Continue to add water until the dough reaches the texture of wet sand but is still crumbly. It should hold its shape when pressed together.
- Transfer the dough to a sheet of baking paper, then push it together into a rectangle using the paper. It should come together easily. Avoid using your hands here, as their warmth can melt the butter.
- Once the dough forms into a rectangle that holds its shape, cut it into three pieces, place each piece over the other, and push it down to create laminated layers. Bring it back into a rectangle and repeat the process.
- Slice the final dough into two pieces and wrap it tightly with cling film and chill it for at least 1 hour before using.
- Roll the dough to a 2mm thickness into a rough circle that’s at least 4-5 inches larger than your pie pan, keeping it as even as possible. I recommend rolling it on baking paper to avoid any sticking. Make sure to also flour the rolling pin well.
- Roll the dough around the rolling pin and carefully roll it out on the pie dish. Push it down to the edges as neatly as possible. If there are small tears in the dough, don’t worry – you can patch them up with extra dough.
- Once the pan is lined with the pastry, cover with cling film and let it chill for 30 minutes, while you prepare the filling.
- Add the filling to the dough, then roll out the other half of the dough and cover the pie with your choice of design. Just remember, if you are covering it completely, don’t forget to add a hole in the center for the steam to release while baking, or the filling and crust will become soggy.
- Cover with dough with egg wash and a little sprinkle of sugar, and bake the pie for 60-80 minutes, depending on the filling. Let it chill for at least an hour before slicing.
How to Store Pie Crust (Make Ahead)
This pie crust can be easily made ahead and stored in the freezer for months, making your holiday pie a lot easier. Once the dough is properly wrapped, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To use the frozen pie crust, thaw it for 4-6 hours on the countertop until it’s soft enough to roll out and use as usual.
Once you have perfected the pie crust, the filling options are endless. You can go for classics like apple or pumpkin pie, or try new flavors from your imagination!
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
Flaky Pie Crust
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Baking paper
Ingredients
- 485 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 30 grams white granulated sugar
- 340 grans unsalted butter frozen and cut into squares
- 100 ml water with extra ice
- 100 ml apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingertips, gently rub the butter into the flour mixture until it starts to resemble coarse crumbs. You should still see small visible bits of butter throughout; that’s what gives your pie crust its flaky layers. Avoid overworking or softening the butter.
- Combine ice-cold water with the apple cider vinegar. Gradually drizzle this mixture into the dough, a spoonful at a time, gently mixing with your fingers after each addition. The dough should begin to come together while still feeling slightly crumbly; it should hold when pressed but not feel wet or sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and press it together into a rough rectangle using the paper. Try not to use your hands too much here, as the warmth can soften the butter.
- Once you’ve formed a rectangle, cut the dough into three parts. Stack them on top of each other, then press down to form layers. Repeat this step once more to create those flaky layers of pastry.
- Divide the dough into two portions, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling.
- When ready to roll, dust your surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll one piece of dough into a thin circle, about 2mm thick and 4-5 inches larger than your pie dish. Using your rolling pin, lift the dough carefully and lay it into the pie pan, pressing gently into the edges. Don’t stress about small cracks, you can easily patch them up with leftover dough.
- Cover the lined pan with plastic wrap and chill it again for about 30 minutes while you prepare your filling.
- Once the filling is ready, spoon it into the chilled crust. Roll out the second piece of dough and place it on top, either as a full cover or in a lattice pattern. If using a full cover, remember to cut a small vent in the center to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Brush the top with egg wash, sprinkle a little sugar for that golden crunch, and bake for 60-80 minutes, depending on your filling. Allow the pie to cool for at least an hour before slicing to help it set perfectly.
Notes
If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram.
Until next time!
