All-Butter Pie Crust

I know a lot of people buy prepackaged pie crusts for "convenience" sake, but I'm here to show you how easy it is to make your own less expensive and MUCH better tasting crust from scratch... and in less time than it takes to drive to the grocery store.  Plus you can make it way ahead of time.  I mean, talk about convenient!

The process here is so simple.  Just place flour, salt, and sugar in a large food processor (here’s mine) and give them a whirl.

Then add COLD unsalted butter and pulse, pulse, pulse...

Pulse until the butter pieces are the size of peas.  About 5-10 pulses.

Then turn the processor on and drizzle in ICE COLD water until the mixture starts to form clumps that will stick together when compressed.  CAUTION:  do not allow any ice to fall into the processor - doing so will result in gooey, sticky holes in your crust.

Note:  depending on how humid your climate is and how much moisture your flour contains, you may not need to use all the water.

This is exactly what the dough should look like.  

Shape dough into a flat disk (two if making the double crust recipe), wrap well in plastic wrap or place in a zip-top bag and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days) before rolling so the flour has time to hydrate properly (trust me, this step is important)..

Note:  if you're not going to use the dough within 3 days, freeze it for up to a month.  To thaw:  place wrapped dough in refrigerator overnight before rolling.  

Happy Baking!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• food processor https://amzn.to/2I7dOGN

• pastry cloth https://amzn.to/2YOQcwf

• French tapered rolling pin https://amzn.to/3HAElbn

• ball bearing rolling pin https://amzn.to/2UfVqTb

• glass pie plate https://amzn.to/2HVTRTV

• ceramic pie plate https://amzn.to/2HWVsZD

• stoneware pie plate https://amzn.to/2TR6rpb

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3349816

• silicone silpat liner (this will keep the pie plate from sliding on the sheet pan) https://amzn.to/3J5JCYA

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Single all-Butter Pie Crust

makes one 9-inch crust

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 3-4 tablespoons ice cold water

Double all-Butter Pie Crust

makes two 9-inch crusts

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 16 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

• 1 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 6-8 tablespoons ice cold water

Directions

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, place flour, salt, and sugar; pulse several times to combine.

2. Add cold cubed butter and pulse processor on and off until the butter pieces are the size of peas.

3. Turn the machine on and drizzle ice water slowly until small clumps of dough start to stick together. You'll know you've added enough water when the moistened clumps hold together in the palm of your hand when squeezed.

4. Transfer to plastic wrap or zip-top storage bag and press into a round disk shape (two if making the double crust recipe); chill for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days before rolling. Dough can also be frozen for up to a month.

Note

• To prebake pie shell (blind bake), Place pie dough in pie plate, crimp edges and chill in freezer for 20 minutes or the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375F. Crumple a piece of parchment paper that's large enough to fill the pie plate, including the sides. Fill the parchment with rice (sometimes I use I use beans, but beans can’t be cooked afterwards, however rice can). Place chilled pie crust on half sheet pan and place it on the center rack of preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the parchment and rice and return to oven for 5 minutes. Cool completely before filling.