Best Pie Crust Recipe
User Reviews
4.8
Best Pie Crust Recipe
Description
This pie crust starts by mixing flour, sugar, and salt, then cutting chilled, diced butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Using frozen butter grated into the flour can make cutting in easier and improve flakiness. Ice water is added in small amounts, stirred gently just until the dough forms without overworking it.
The dough is divided into two discs, wrapped tightly in plastic, and chilled for at least an hour. Chilling firms up the fat and relaxes the gluten, helping to prevent shrinkage and produce a tender crust. Before baking, the dough can be rolled out and used for a single or double crust pie.
This recipe is a versatile base crust, suitable for a variety of pies. Proper chilling and handling ensure a flaky texture and a lightly sweet flavor that complements fillings without overpowering them.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled + extra for the work surface, unbleached, 353g
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 12 Tablespoons butter cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled, salted
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening chilled
- 6-8 Tablespoons water ice
Instructions
- Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a food processor (if I had one I would use it!), cut the shortening and butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. It is only about 10 pulses with a food processor but a bit more work by hand. One trick to make the process a little easier is to freeze your butter beforehand, then grate it into the flour mixture before cutting it in with the pastry cutter if not using a food processor.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Using a fork, gently stir the water in to the flour mixture, then repeat with the remaining water, adding only 2 tablespoons at a time, just until the dough starts to come together.
- Divide the dough into two even pieces (if making a double-crust recipe). Turn each piece of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten each into a disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then allow the chilled dough to sit on the counter to soften slightly for 10 minutes before rolling out.
Notes
- Freezing and grating butter before mixing helps achieve a flakier crust by keeping chunks cold and distributed.
- Chilling the dough for at least one hour is important to relax gluten and firm fats, preventing shrinkage during baking.
- Use just enough ice water for the dough to come together without over-mixing to keep the crust tender.
- This recipe yields two pie crust discs, ideal for double-crust pies or covering two smaller pie shells.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 278 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 278kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 2g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 30mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 295mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 31mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 350IU | 7% |
| Calcium | 8mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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