All Butter Pie Crust Recipe

Square image of all butter pie crust baked into a lattice top pie with golden, sugar crusted top.

All Butter Pie Crust Recipe

This classic all-butter pie crust is rich, flaky, and foolproof—perfect for any pie, tart, or quiche. Made with just five simple ingredients, it bakes up golden and crisp every time. Easy to roll out, make ahead, or freeze, it’s the only crust you’ll ever need for holiday and everyday baking alike.

Prep Time20

Chilling Time2

Total Time2 20

Servings: pie crusts

Calories: 142kcal

Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon if using salted butter
20 tablespoons butter chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup ice water

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Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter on top. Using a pastry cutter or food processor, cut or pulse the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about the size of peas.
In 1 tablespoon increments, drizzle the cold water over the flour mixture and stir after each addition. Continue this process until the dough comes together easily and begins to formlarge clumps. The dough should feel moist and a little sticky, but not overly wet. I use about 1/2 cup of ice water.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands or with a bowl or bench scraper, gently bring the dough together and form a ball. It's important to handle the dough as little as possible for the best flaky texture. If the dough feels dry or too crumbly, add a small amount of water and continue to form it. If it feels too sticky, dust a little more flour until it comes together. Divide the dough in half and gently flatten each into a 1-inch-thick disc.
Divide the dough in half and gently flatten each into a 1-inch-thick disc. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days before using in a pie recipe.
After the dough is chilled, it's ready to roll out. Proceed with the pie recipe instructions. PIE CRUST ROLLING TIP: Begin with a lightly floured surface. Then, when rolling out chilled pie dough, start from the center of the disc and work out in all directions using gentle force. Turn the dough with your hands between rolls and smooth the dough edges if you notice cracks.

Notes

Make Ahead: Prepare up to 5 days ahead and store in the refrigerator.
Freezer Instructions: Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Butter Temperature: Cold butter is key to flaky layers. If it softens, refrigerate the dough briefly.
Yield: Enough for one double-crust or two single-crust pies that fits a 9-10 inch deep dish pie plate.

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