Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

Baking a tender and flaky pie crust from scratch is incredibly simple. It needs just a few ingredients and a bit of time. Use this no fail butter and shortening recipe and you will never use a store bought pie crust again.

Making a buttery flaky pie crust by hand can be intimidating. It looks incredibly hard but actually, it’s very easy. You just need the proper technique. This guide will give you all the tips you need for success.

pie dough in plate with rolling pin beside it.

The one thing about pie dough is that it is very forgiving. Did you just tear it? Patch it! No problem! Think back to when you dug your hands into play dough. It’s the same concept.

This is the pie crust recipe I use for my Apple Crumble Pie , Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie and Strawberry Pie. It’s hands down the best pie crust for different types of pies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best flour for a flaky pie crust?

All purpose flour is ideal for a flaky pie crust. It has just the right amount of protein to produce that flakiness you’re looking for. This is the type of flour that most home cooks keep in their pantry.

What is the secret to making a flaky pie crust?

Keep the butter cold. You want bits of cold butter throughout the pie dough. As the pie dough bakes, the butter melts which creates little pockets in the pie crust. This results in a delicious and flaky pie crust.

Homemade Pie Crust Ingredients

  • all purpose flour (there is no need to sift the flour)
  • salt
  • vegetable shortening (Crisco)
  • unsalted butter
  • ice cold water

Essential Pie Dough Tools

You probably already have most of the tools needed in your kitchen cabinet to make a pie crust. All you need are a few basic utensils.

  1. large bowl
  2. fork
  3. two dinner knives or a pastry cutter
  4. rolling pin
  5. waxed paper
  6. glass or metal pie pan

Cutting In The Fat

Cutting in the fat is the term used to incorporate the shortening (or chosen fat) into the flour. To do this, you can do it a couple of different ways. You don’t need a food processor for this step but you could use one.

Two knives: Hold one knife in each hand and simply cross the two dinner knifes. In a cutting motion cut the flour and the shortening/butter together. Continue until the fat resembles small peas.

Pastry cutter: Using a pastry cutter only requires the use of one hand to cut the fat into the flour. This tool is easy to maneuver. You simply rock it back and forth. You may need to occasionally take a knife and scrape the dough out from between the blades. Continue rocking through the flour and fat till the mixture resembles small peas.

Pastry cutter over a bowl of flour.

Food processor: Dump the fat and flour into the bowl of a food processor and pulse till the desired result. Just be sure not to overwork the fat into the flour.

The Best Fat For A Flaky Pie Crust

Each type of fat will give a different texture to a pie crust. Depending on personal taste and the type of pie you are baking, will determine on what fat to use.

Shortening: This is an all purpose fat made from vegetable oils that will give you a sturdy pie crust. The downside is that a shortening crust gives no flavor to the pie crust. To me, that is negligible since the pie crust is only part of the whole pie. This will depend upon your pie filling if you want additional flavor.

Lard: An old fashioned ingredient. To be honest, I didn’t know lard was still being produced. It is still available. Lard is made from animal fat. It has the same properties as shortening so can be used interchangeably. However, lard will give your pie crust noticeably more flavor than shortening.

Unsalted butter: This is not 100% a fat. Butter is a mixture of water, milk and fat solids. Use butter to get a flaky and delicious pie crust. However, it will not be as sturdy as a pie crust made with shortening or lard. Only use unsalted butter. You are adding salt to the pie dough so you don’t need any extra salt.

Combination of butter and shortening: Using one part shortening and one part butter is my favorite pie dough. You get the sturdiness of shortening with the flavor and flakiness of butter. This combination will make a buttery flaky pie crust that will melt in your mouth.

Oil: I have never had any success using oil as a fat for pie crust. It was difficult to roll out and had a greasy taste. I wouldn’t recommend oil at all.

Types Of Rolling Pins

Traditional wooden rolling pin made from maple: A traditional rolling pin with handles made from maple is my favorite type. Maple is a durable wood. They are relatively inexpensive and will last for years, if taken care of properly. Modern rolling pins have ball bearings in the handles to ensure smooth rolling. You need at least one of these in your baking tools collection.

wooden rolling pin rolling out pie dough.

French rolling pin: Using a French rolling pin will give you more control when rolling a pie dough. It can be either tapered on each end or completely straight. There are no handles so you are using more muscle to guide the pin where you want it.

Silicone rolling pin: This is a fairly recent introduction into baking. You can get one either with traditional handles or a French style. The biggest draw is the non-stick you get with the silicone. It’s not supposed to stick to the pie dough but I find myself still flouring it.

silicone rolling pin rolling out pie dough.

The Best Pie Pan

Is it better to use a metal or glass pie pan?

This is an area of debate. There are many opinions on which type of pie pan is better. I think it is a matter of personal preference.

Metal pans conduct heat the best but they heat very quickly. This could result in cooking the pie crust faster than the filling.

I actually prefer a glass pie pan. Glass is slower to heat and will retain heat longer than metal. That will ensure even cooking. With glass, I am able to look at the bottom of the pie crust to make sure it is browned.

Both types of pans are inexpensive. You may want to experiment to see which type suits your cooking.

Chilling The Pie Dough

It is important to chill pie dough for the best results. Chilling makes for the best flaky pie dough. This gives the flour time to completely hydrate.

pie dough crumbs on a sheet of plastic wrap.
Pie dough before being squeezed into a disk.

The pie dough will be easier to roll and transfer to the pie plate if it is properly chilled. This also helps to prevent the pie crust from shrinking when baked.

Once the pie dough has been mixed, pour the dough crumbs onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Pull all the side of the plastic wrap over the dough crumbs and shape into a flat round disk. Place the disk into the refrigerator for thirty minutes. After chilling, the dough can be easily rolled.

A disk of pie dough wrapped in plastic wrap.

If you chill the dough for longer than thirty minutes, it will need to sit out for a few minutes to become soft enough to roll out.

The Easiest Way To Roll Out Pie Dough

My favorite way to roll pie dough is to use wax paper. This makes rolling and transferring the dough easy.

pie dough on floured wax paper.
  1. After the dough has chilled, place the dough on a piece of wax paper that has been floured on your work surface. Flatten it a bit. Sprinkle a small amount of flour on top of the dough. Then place a second sheet of waxed paper on top of that.
  2. Take your rolling pin and begin to roll in one direction. Turn the wax paper a quarter turn and roll again. Continue to do this till you have the pie dough to the desired size.
  3. To determine the size needed for a pie crust, I like to place my pie dish right side down on top of the rolled dough. I like to leave plenty of dough beyond the pie dish to make sure it is big enough for the inside and the overhang.

To transfer the pie dough into the pie dish: remove the top layer of wax paper. Then flip over the pie dough into the pie dish, centering it. Carefully remove the bottom sheet of wax paper. Gently ease the dough into the pie dish then flute the edges.

using fingers to flute the edge of the pie crust.

To flute the pie edge, turn under the edge into the pie plate. Then using both hands, I press one finger into the dough and use the other hand’s finger press into the opposite direction. Continue all the way around the pie till you are back at the beginning.

5 Pro Tips For This Recipe

  1. When adding ice water to the pie dough, only add one tablespoon at a time. You need enough water to moisten the dough, not make it form a ball. The pie dough should be like crumbs after adding the water. There should be just enough moisture for the dough to come together when squeezed between your fingers.
  2. Butter should be cold. Do not let it get warm. Chop into small cubes prior to adding it the flour before cutting it in.
  3. Use only ice cold water. The dough needs to stay chilled for the best results.
  4. Properly cut the fat into the flour. The fat should resemble small peas. The bits of fat will make pockets of steam when baked which results in a flaky crust.
  5. Do not overwork the pie dough. This happens when it is rolled over and over. The last thing you want to do is develop the gluten in the flour. This would make the pastry tough.
pie crust with rolling pin

9 inch Single Flaky Pie Crust

Carol
A no fail buttery and flaky pie crust. This is such an easy pie crust, you'll never use a store bought pie crust again.
4.45 from 18 votes
Prep Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 9 inch pie plate

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup cold unsalted butter (cubed)
  • ¼ cup vegetable shortening
  • 2-4 tablespoons ice cold water

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together all purpose flour and salt.
  • Add butter and shortening to flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the fats into the flour until they resemble small peas.
  • Slowly add ice cold water to flour mixture, one tablespoon at a time. Using a fork to mix in the water after each addition. Only add enough water for dough to stick together when squeezed. The dough will look like loose crumbs at this point.
  • Dump the dough crumbs onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Gather the ends of the plastic wrap and form dough into a flat disk. Completely cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Remove dough from the refrigerator. Take off the plastic wrap and place the dough onto a sheet of floured wax paper. Lightly sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Cover with a second sheet of wax paper. Roll the dough until the desired size.
  • Remove the top sheet of wax paper. Flip the dough onto the pie plate and carefully remove the bottom sheet of wax paper. Gently fit the dough into the pie plate. Turn under the top edges of the dough and flute.
  • Continue with pie filling recipe.

To Prebake The Pie Crust

  • Using a fork, prick the sides and bottom of the pie crust. Bake in a preheated oven at 425°F for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool completely before filling.
Keyword dough, pie
Did you make this recipe?Let us know how it was!

75 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is the best piecrust recipe I believe I have ever come across it was easy to work with and came out nice and flaky I’ll definitely put it in my cookbook and will use this recipe again and again in the future!!

      1. How long does the dough last uncooked? Can I freeze raw pie crust & cook later? Can I freeze cooked pie crust? I’m sorry for all of the questions! This is my favorite pie crust recipe!!

        1. Hi Melanie, I have always prepared my pie crust the day I have made it. I’m not sure about the storage of the raw dough or cooked pie crust. I wish I could be of more help. This makes me happy that this is your favorite pie crust recipe!!!

          1. Becky, can I make this pie crust in 5 or 6 days in advance? If so, can I refrigerate it or should I freeze it?

          1. This depends on the type of pie you are making. The pie filling recipe should tell you at what temperature and for how long. I hope this answers your question.

    1. You can make this in a food processor. Carefully add the water one tablespoon at a time. Then only process till the the crust is crumbly. Don’t over process. I hope this helps.

  2. Is this the measurements for a bottom crust or should I double it if I prefer to cover my cherries?

      1. Award winner! I have been looking for a keeper pie crust recipe and this is it! It is super flaky, delicious and perfect for savoury and sweet. Thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe.

    1. This depends on the type of pie you are making. The pie filling recipe should say whether the pie crust needs to be prebaked or not. I hope this answers your question.

    1. You can make this in a food processor. Carefully add the water one tablespoon at a time. Then only process till the the crust is crumbly. Don’t over process. I hope this helps.

  3. By far the best piecrust I’ve ever made an easy. I cut the parchment paper a little longer than I required so that I could hold the paper against the counter with my tummy to prevent it from sliding all over the place it worked wonderful thank you for the recipe Carol.

  4. How do you measure your flour? Spoon flour into measuring cup and level with knife or dip measuring cup into flour bin and level off?

  5. I have the same question about making the pie crust in advance. Can I do that to save a step for the day I cook the pies?

  6. 5 stars
    I have loved baking and cooking since I was a child with my Mom and Grandma. They always make homemade pie crust Never store bought. Me I never made a homemade crust. It just seemed like you said intimidating.
    Todays my 1st making this recipe and I’m going to give it my best and know I will never use store bought again.
    Thank you for your step by steps and I don’t feel so intimidated lol
    Will let you know how this turned out and your also the first I ever commented on.
    Happy Thanksgiving 🍽 Pumpkin is what I’m making. 🤩

  7. 5 stars
    Excellent pie crust! I did have to use an extra tablespoon of water, I think it may be because I’m in florida and the central air being on all the time dries out the air in the house. The crust was delicious and extremely flaky! Can’t wait to make this tomorrow for my family, thank you so much!

  8. 5 stars
    This is definitely a five star pie crust recipe. I’ve always used frozen pie crusts because I’ve never been able to find a recipe that works for me. This one is so easy! And my pie crust was flaky and tasty! I did make one change…..I substituted 1/2 cup margarine for the 1/4 cup butter & 1/4 cup vegetable shortening. I’m so happy that I can finally make my own pie crust and be proud of the final product.

  9. 5 stars
    I have been using this exact recipe for about 65 years! Taught to my mother by my aunt who cooked ‘in service’ in England before WWII. It works really well! Use the lard and butter mixture, don’t turn your nose up at the lard, it makes it flaky.

  10. I’ve been searching for a favorite pie crust and I believe this is it. It was not only flaky, but was easy to work with. It also has the right amount of dough that allows plenty of pie crust to cover a pie.

  11. 5 stars
    Hi carol, I just made your pie crust yes it was very easy my husband is very picky about pie crust I’m waiting for it to cool going to fill it it came out great 😊👍thank you for this pie crust recipe it’s a keeper

  12. I’ve looked at a lot of pie crust recipes. I found the key one. I can’t wait to make this. This will be the first time for me. Thank you 😊

    1. I’m not sure about the consistency of coconut oil. Unsalted butter is fine but I have never used coconut oil instead of shortening.

  13. 1 star
    The pie crust was super crumbly and I was unable to even pick it up after rolling it out. I don’t know how the pie crust in the pictures came out so nice but Mine was unable to be handled at all.

    1. It could be that your flour was very dry. In that case, more ice water is needed. Also, it is very important the pie dough be refrigerated to hydrate properly. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you. I hope you try it again. Thank you for the feedback.

  14. 5 stars
    Perfect recipe! So simply and tasty, I used it to make a Strawberry Rhubarb pie with crumb topping. The only thing I did differently is grate my cold butter vs cubed.
    Thank you.

  15. 5 stars
    I have just made the best pie crust I have ever made. I followed all your suggestions, and it was so much easier. Usually, I’m saying a Hail Mary when I slip it in the pie plate. Lol. Thank you, life is easier.

    1. Sounds like too much water. Only add one tablespoon of water at a time till the dough is crumbly. Then chill the dough to hydrate the pie dough.

  16. 2 stars
    Tried to make apple turnovers with this recipe but as soon as I folded it over it cracked. Did refrigerate as stated in recipe and added a little more water with second batch but still no luck. My mother always used a pie crust recipe to make turnovers but after 5 different recipes with no luck I’m stumped.

    1. I wonder if it needs even more water to make it more pliable? I have only used this recipe for a pie crust and I don’t do any folding except for turning under the edges. I have found that humidity plays a big part in hydrating the flour. If your kitchen is really dry, you probably need more water. If you try this again, please let me know how it turns out.

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