Easy Pie Crust with Butter (3 Ingredient Pie Crust)

Food Processor Pie Crust Method

1. This is key! Start with 1 ½-2 cups of flour (reserving the additional cup), add salt and sugar if adding to the food processor. Pulse a couple of times to combine. Use more flour if making 2 deep dish pies, less if single curst.
2. Drop cold, cubed butter over the top of the flour mixture, as evenly as possible. Process the flour and butter mixture, pulsing until it begins to make a paste, some machines take longer than others. It will start as crumbs, then as you pulse it will become a clumpy paste.
3. Scrape the sides and spread the flour mixture evenly back into the bowl of the food processor. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup flour over the top, pulse 5-8 times on LOW until the flour is mixed back into, the mixture will be crumbly and broken up.
4. Transfer the dough to a large bowl, and sprinkle with ice water (starting with 4 tablespoons), mix using your hands (best way!) until the crumbs start making some larger clumps. Give it a pinch, if the dough falls apart, you need to add a little more ice water. Add just a teaspoon or two at a time, working it in, folding the dough over on itself until it comes together.
5. On a floured surface, gently knead the dough (lightly now) just until it forms a ball. Divide the dough into two portions, pressing each into a round disc, about 1 inch thick and wrap (both discs) in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge. If you chill too long, it will become too hard to roll out, no worries. Just let it sit out for 15-30 minutes and then roll out, instructions below.

No Fail Pie Crust | Stand Mixer

1. Place cubed butter in freezer while you measure out the rest of your ingredients.
2. Combine the flour, salt and/or sugar if using in the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until combined.
3. With the mixer on low, add a few pieces of cold butter to the flour at a time, it won't really incorporate but you will have some bigger and smaller mashed up pieces.
4. Measure out your ice water, starting with 4 tablespoons, drizzle into the pie crust mixture with mixer on low, add a little more until the mixture forms a doughy ball.
5. Remove from mixer onto a lightly floured surface and form the dough gently into a ball (careful not to overwork the dough here). Divide into two balls, flattening out with hand. Wrap well and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out dough (instructions below).

Pie Crust By Hand | Without food processor

1. In a large bowl add 1 ½-2 cups of flour, salt and/or sugar if using, mix to combine.
2. Place the small cubes of butter, in bowl -- try for ¼ inch cubes for making a crust by hand. Using a pastry cutter, your fingers or two knives work the butter into the flour mixture until well combined, sprinkle ¼ cup of the remaining flour over the mixture, working each time until all of the flour is incorporated, but the dough is still crumbly.
3. Sprinkle the dough with 4 tablespoons of ice water, working into the dough until it just starts sticking together, only adding 1 teaspoon additional ice water at a time. Once the dough starts to hold together, stop adding water. Proceed with the recipe.
4. See notes for how to par-bake (blind bake) or make crusts. Or follow instructions on your pie recipe.