Buttery Flaky Pie Crust

You can make the best homemade buttery, flaky pie crust without shortening from scratch with this in depth recipe. This easy pie crust is the perfect foundation for so many delicious desserts!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword best pie crust recipe, butter pie crust, easy pie crust, easy pie crust recipe, flaky pie crust recipe, homemade pie crust, how to make pie crust from scratch, perfect pie crust, pie crust recipe

Prep Time 20

Resting Time 2

Total Time 2 20

Servings Pie crusts

Calories 1581kcal

Author Megan

Equipment

Ingredients

2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 g) sea salt
2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter cold
¼ cup (55 g) ice water more as needed
¼ cup (55 g) vodka cold

Instructions

Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until combined.
Add butter. Cut your cold butter into about 1/2-inch cubes. Immediately add your cold, cubed butter to the flour and toss to coat. Working quickly, squish each piece of butter between two fingers to create flat little “shingles” of butter. Work until you’re left with about pea-sized butter pieces.
Slowly add water and vodka. In a bowl mix together the ice water and cold vodka. Make a well in the center of your mixture and add about half of your water vodka mix. Using your hands, combine the water and flour until incorporated. Continue 1 tablespoon of water at a time to the dough until it comes together. You want to stay on the side of crumbly, yet hold together. If it is too wet and sticky add a tablespoon of flour to adjust.
Rest. Split the dough in two, form each half into discs, wrap both tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
For the flaky crust. on a lightly floured surface, roll out each disc into a large ~10-inch circle. Then, fold it in half from top to bottom and then from left to right. Repeat this entire process one more time for a total of 2 times. Then, form the dough back into a small disc, wrap it tightly in plastic, and chill in the fridge for 1 more hour before using. Repeat with the other disc of dough.
Roll out the dough. Lightly flour your work surface, coat your rolling pin, and sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Use gentle medium force to roll out the first disc of dough until about ⅛" thick, lifting and turning it to prevent it from sticking to the surface. If the dough gets sticky, sprinkle more flour on top of the dough and your rolling pin. If the dough cracks, use your hands to mold the dough back together.
Transfer to pie dish. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll it over a pie dish. Press the dough into the bottom edges of the pie dish. Trim any excess dough, leaving about a 1" overhang on the edge of the pie dish.

Notes

Don’t over-mix the butter into the dough. We want to see the beautiful pieces of butter stick out in the dough. This is what creates the buttery flaky pie crust.
Use cold water and cold vodka. The cold water and vodka keep the butter in the homemade pie crust solid. Vodka adds hydration to the dough without activating the gluten formation. This will increase the chances of flakiness and prevent it from being tough.
Add the liquid incrementally. Each brand of flour may absorb liquid at different rates. Thus, it is safer to add the cold liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is formed.
If it feels too crumbly: if the pie crust dough feels too dry or crumbly, add another tablespoon of water and continue to form the dough with your hands.
If it feels too sticky: if the pie crust dough is sticking to your hands, sprinkle more flour onto the dough.
Keep the dough cold. For a perfect pie crust, I recommend keeping the dough as cold as possible when rolling. If the pie dough is too warm, it may melt too quickly and be a sticky mess. If this happens, place the dough back in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to chill.
Generously flour your workstation. To prevent your easy pie crust from sticking and ripping, generously flour your work surface, rolling pin, and pie dough when rolling.
Storage Instructions: You can store the homemade easy pie crust individually wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze: if you’d like to make your butter pie crust in advance, you can wrap with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost the pie dough in the refrigerator overnight before using.

Nutrition