Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This flaky pie crust recipe uses cold butter and vegetable shortening for a tender, buttery crust that rolls out cleanly and bakes up with distinct, flaky layers. It makes enough dough for a full double crust or two single crust 9-inch pies.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Additional Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: baking

Cuisine: American

Servings: X 9 inch Pie Crust

Calories: 1297kcal

Author: Emily Rider

Equipment

1 Large mixing bowl
1 Pastry cutter
1 Rolling Pin
1 9-inch pie dish
1 sheet parchment paper
1 pie weights or dried beans

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour 300 grams
1 teaspoon salt about 6 grams
10 tablespoons salted butter cold and cut into small pieces, 142 grams
¼ cup vegetable shortening or lard cold and cut into small pieces, 48 grams
6 to 10 tablespoons ice cold water 90 to 150 grams

Instructions

Mix the dry ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt until evenly combined.
Cut in the fat – Add the cold cubed butter and chilled shortening to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse, sandy crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter and shortening remaining throughout.
Add the ice water – Add ice cold water one tablespoon at a time, stirring gently after each addition, until the dough just comes together when pressed. Stop adding water as soon as the dough holds without crumbling. Do not overwork.
Form and chill the dough – Divide the dough into two equal disks and shape each into a flat round. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
Prepare the work surface – Lightly flour a clean work surface and rolling pin, using extra flour sparingly to avoid drying out the dough.
Roll out the dough – Remove one disk from the refrigerator and roll from the center outward to about ⅛ inch thick, rotating the dough occasionally to maintain even thickness throughout.
Transfer to the pie dish – Fold the rolled dough in half or drape it over the rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Press gently into the bottom and up the sides, trimming any excess with a slight overhang around the edge.
Add the filling or par-bake – For a single crust pie with a wet filling, line with parchment, fill with pie weights, and bake at 425°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove weights and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until lightly golden. For a double crust pie, add the filling and top with the second rolled crust.
Finish and bake – Trim and crimp the edges to seal, cut several small slits in the top crust, and brush with egg wash for a deep golden finish. Bake at 375°F to 400°F according to your pie recipe until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Cool before slicing – Let the finished pie cool completely on a wire rack before slicing so the filling sets and the crust stays crisp underneath.

Video

Notes

Keep everything cold – Cold butter and shortening are what create the flaky layers. If the dough starts to warm while you are working with it, return it to the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before continuing.

Do not overwork the dough – Mix only until the dough just comes together. Overworking builds gluten and results in a crust that shrinks during baking and feels tough rather than tender.

Freeze for longer storage – Unbaked dough disks freeze well for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe bag, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.

Par-bake for wet fillings – For pies with a wet filling, par-bake the bottom crust with pie weights at 425°F before adding the filling to keep the base crisp through the full bake.

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