Sourdough Pie Crust Recipe

An unbaked sourdough pie crust fitted into a white ceramic pie dish with a crimped ruffled edge, surrounded by a vintage flour sifter, a glass jar of dried beans for blind baking, dried grain stalks, and vintage pastry tools on a crocheted doily over dark wood.

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5 from 2 votes

A flaky, all-butter sourdough pie crust made with active starter or discard – perfect for sweet and savory pies.

Prep Time15

Additional Time2

Total Time2 15

Course: Sourdough

Cuisine: American

Servings: x 9" Pie Crusts

Calories: 44kcal

Author: Emily Rider

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Pastry cutter
Rolling Pin
9-inch pie dish
Parchment Paper
pie weights or dried beans
Plastic wrap

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour 280g
1 tsp sea salt 6g
1 cup cold butter cubed – salted or unsalted, 227g
1 cup sourdough starter or discard cold, 180–240g
2 tbsp honey or sugar 42g

Instructions

Mix the dry ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sea salt until evenly combined.
Cut in the butter – Add the cold cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse, sandy crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
Add the sourdough starter and honey – Add the cold sourdough starter and honey. Mix gently until the dough just comes together when pressed. Do not overwork.
Form and chill the dough – Divide the dough into two equal disks about 1 inch thick. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Prepare the work surface – Lightly flour a clean work surface and rolling pin. Roll each disk from the center outward to about ⅛ inch thick, rotating occasionally for even thickness.
Transfer to the pie dish – Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Press gently into the bottom and sides without stretching. Trim with a slight overhang and crimp the edges.
Add the filling or par-bake – For a wet filling, par-bake with parchment and pie weights at 375°F for 15 minutes. Remove weights and bake 5 to 8 minutes more until lightly set. For a double crust pie, add filling and top with the second rolled crust.
Finish and bake – Brush with egg wash, cut steam vents in the top crust, and bake at 375°F to 400°F according to your pie recipe until golden brown and bubbling.
Cool before slicing – Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

Keep everything cold – cold butter and cold sourdough starter are what create the flaky layers. Return the bowl to the refrigerator if the dough starts to warm.

Do not overwork the dough – mix only until it just comes together. Overworking builds gluten and makes the crust tough. Chill overnight for best results – the dough relaxes, the flavor deepens, and it rolls out much more easily after a full overnight rest.

For a savory crust – reduce honey to 1 teaspoon or leave it out entirely for pot pie, quiche, or hand pies.

Freeze for longer storage – unbaked dough disks freeze well for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.

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