Description
This traditional Grandmother’s Pie Crust recipe yields a flaky, buttery crust perfect for both sweet and savory pies. Made from simple pantry staples like flour, cold butter, and ice water, this pie crust is easy to prepare and versatile enough to use as a bottom or top crust in your favorite pie recipes.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional, for sweet pies)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 6-8 tablespoons ice water (more if needed)
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar (if using) until fully blended.
- Cut in the butter: Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingertips, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter. If preferred, you can pulse the mixture in a food processor for a few seconds to achieve the same consistency.
- Add ice water: Gradually sprinkle 6 to 8 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture, mixing gently with a fork until the dough begins to hold together when pinched. Add more water if necessary but be careful not to overwork the dough to maintain flakiness.
- Form the dough: Lightly knead the mixture once or twice in the bowl to bring it together into a cohesive ball. Avoid over-kneading to keep the crust tender.
- Divide and chill: Split the dough ball in half and shape each half into a flat disc. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before using.
- Roll out the dough: Remove one disc from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a circle slightly larger than your pie dish. Carefully transfer the dough to the pie dish, pressing it gently into the bottom and sides to fit snugly without stretching.
- Prepare top crust (optional): If your pie requires a top crust, repeat the rolling process with the second disc of dough.
- Fill and bake: For a filled pie, add your preferred filling to the crust and bake according to your pie recipe’s instructions. Alternatively, if pre-baking (blind baking), follow your specific instructions for that process.
Notes
- Keep all ingredients cold to ensure a flaky crust.
- Do not overwork the dough; this prevents a tough crust.
- Use ice water sparingly; add just enough to bring the dough together.
- You can chill the dough discs overnight for better flavor and easier handling.
- If making a sweet pie, include the optional sugar in the dry ingredients.
- For blind baking, prick the dough with a fork and weigh it down with pie weights or dried beans before baking.
