Sourdough Pie Crust Recipe: Flaky & Buttery

If you’re searching for the a sourdough pie crust recipe, this flaky and buttery pie crust is the perfect base for both sweet pies and savory pies.

This homemade pie crust combines active sourdough starter(or discard), cold butter, and simple dry ingredients, creating a buttery crust that pairs beautifully with all kinds of pie fillings.

Whether you’re making a single crust pie or a double-crust pie for apple pie or pot pies, this recipe shows the easy way to achieve a tender, golden brown crust that’s perfect for every occasion.

This sourdough pie dough is also a great way to use up your sourdough starter or discard!

Ruby Ann and I crafted this buttery, sourdough pie crust recipe in our cottage kitchen, using our favorite sourdough starter (or discard) and a mix of all purpose unbleached flour (you can use whole wheat flour) for added depth.

Our years of experience baking pies have helped us master this homemade pie crust that is perfect for everything from sweet spicy apple pies to savory pot pies.

Why You Will Love This Sourdough Pie Crust Recipe

• Flaky Texture: This sourdough pie crust dough bakes up golden brown with layers of buttery, flaky pie crust perfection.
• Easy Way to Use Sourdough Starter: Perfect for active sourdough starter or discard, this recipe is a great way to repurpose your sourdough for pies.
• Versatile for All Types of Pies: This recipe works for hand pies, single pie crust, or a double-crust pie with your favorite sweet or savory fillings.
• Tender Butter Crust: This butter pie crust achieves gluten development for a tender yet strong crust that holds up beautifully.
• No Extra Costly Ingredients Needed: With pantry staples and sourdough discard or starter, you’re set to create this recipe without any extra cost!

Tips for Making the Best Sourdough Pie Crust

• Keep Ingredients Cold: Cold butter and chilled dry ingredients, such as flour, create a flaky pie crust. Cold sourdough starter (or discard) helps the dough form without melting the butter.
• Chill Your Dough Properly: Resting the sourdough pie crust dough in the fridge allows gluten development and improves texture for the next step.
• Use a Pastry Cutter or Food Processor: These tools are ideal for cutting cold butter into smaller pieces, achieving a crumbly texture for your pastry dough.
• Roll on a Lightly Floured Surface: Dust your work area and rolling pin lightly with flour to prevent sticking without overworking the dough.
• Blind Bake for Custard or Cream Pies: For sweet pies that use a wet filling, par-bake the bottom pie crust with pie weights to avoid sogginess.

FAQ

Can I use sourdough discard for this pie crust?

Yes! Sourdough starter discard adds a tangy flavor to the crust, and it works wonderfully for sweet pies and savory pot pies.

How can I prevent my crust from shrinking?

Chilling the dough before rolling and allowing it to rest after placing in the pie pan helps reduce shrinking. We do this and still end up with some shrinkage. So don’t be too hard on yourself if your pie crust shrinks.

What’s the best way to create a flaky pie crust?

Cold ingredients are essential. Keep the butter, sourdough pie crust dough, and even the dry ingredients chilled before mixing.

How should I store leftover dough?

Wrap excess dough tightly in cling wrap or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Do I need to par-bake or blind bake the crust?

Not always for all pies but for for custard or cream pies blond baking is a great to do. Blind baking with pie weights prevents the crust from puffing up or becoming soggy.

Tools you may need

• Pastry cutter
• Bench scraper
• Large mixing bowl
• Rolling pin
• Pie weights
• Cling wrap or plastic wrap

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Ingredients you will need

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the pie dough, creating a tender yet stable crust.
• Cold Salted or Unsalted Butter: Essential for a flaky crust, creating small pockets in the dough that melt into delicate layers. You can use salted or unsalted butter, depending on your preference—here at the cottage, we love using salted!
• Sourdough Starter or Discard: Adds a subtle tang and enhances the dough’s structure for both single and double-crust pies.
• Honey or Sugar: Adds a hint of sweetness, enhancing browning and flavor.
• Sea Salt: Balances the flavors in this butter pie crust, essential for all types of pies.

How To Make the Best Sourdough Pie Crust

Step 1: Chill Ingredients

Place the flour, butter (you can grated or cube it later after you chill it), and sourdough starter in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before starting. Cold ingredients are key to a flaky butter crust because they create steam pockets during baking, which give the crust it’s oh so flaky layers.

Step 2: Combine Flour and Salt

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and sea salt to ensure the dry ingredients are evenly distributed. This step ensures that the salt is mixed consistently throughout the pie dough, enhancing flavor.

Step 3: Add Cold Butter

Take the cold butter from the fridge and either grate it (or cube it) directly into the flour mixture or use a pastry cutter to cut it in. Work quickly with your hands(use the “lobster claw method” found HERE), a food processor, or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles small crumbs or coarse sand like texture. If the butter starts to soften, place the bowl back in the fridge for a few minutes before continuing. Keeping the butter in small, visible pieces ensures a flaky crust as it melts and creates layers in the oven.

Step 4: Add Sourdough Starter and Honey

Add the chilled sourdough starter and honey to the flour mixture. Use a fork or your hands to gently combine the ingredients until the dough starts to come together in large crumbs, resembling wet sand. Avoid over-mixing, as it can make the crust tough.

Step 5: Form and Chill Dough

Divide the dough into two equal portions and gently shape each into a flat disk, about 1-inch thick. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap or cling wrap. Flattening the dough into disks at this stage makes it easier to roll out later. Chill the wrapped dough for at least 2 hours (or overnight if possible) to allow gluten development, which improves the crust’s texture and flavor.

Step 6: Roll Out Dough

Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking. Remove one disk from the fridge, unwrap it, and roll it out into a 12-inch circle, turning the dough a quarter turn every few rolls to ensure an even thickness. Gently lift always making sure there is a light coating of flour under your dough disk. If the dough cracks or crumbles, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before rolling it out again.

Step 7: Fit Dough into Pie Pan

Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough to your pie pan. To make this easier, you can fold the dough in half or roll it onto the rolling pin, then unroll it over the pie pan. Press the dough gently into the bottom and up the sides of the pan without stretching it, as stretching can cause the crust to shrink while baking. Trim any excess dough around the edges.

Step 8: Par-Bake if Needed

For pies that require a partially baked crust, line the bottom crust with a piece of parchment paper, then fill it with pie weights, dry beans, or rice to prevent bubbling. Bake at 375°F for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the weights and parchment. Continue baking for an additional 5 minutes to set the crust. This blind baking step helps prevent a soggy bottom crust when adding wet fillings like custards.

Step 9: Fill and Bake as Desired

Add your chosen pie filling to the unbaked or par-baked crust. If using a double-crust, place the second rolled-out disk over the filling. Crimp the edges to seal and cut a few small slits in the top crust for steam to escape. Bake according to your pie recipe’s instructions, until the top crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

Enjoy your flaky and buttery sourdough pie crust!

Storage Ideas

• Refrigerate (Unbaked Pie Dough):
  Wrap unbaked pie dough tightly in cling wrap or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Place the wrapped dough in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to use, let the dough sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes to make rolling easier.
• Freeze (Unbaked Pie Dough):
  For longer storage, place the wrapped, unbaked dough disks in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, transfer the dough from the freezer to the refrigerator and allow it to thaw overnight. For best results, let the dough sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before rolling.