Homemade pie crust is often considered to be a labor of love. Chances are your first attempt will leave you frustrated with the results as well as the number of steps involved in perfecting that flaky crust. Have no fear. As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day. You should be able to make the perfect crust without going bonkers and throwing flour all over the kitchen.
Flaky Crust Means Cold Ingredients
The ideal flakiness of your crust comes from using cold butter, leaving visible chunks of butter, and from handling the dough as little as possible. The butter should be FROZEN for at least 15 minutes, cut into tiny cubes and then frozen for another 10 minutes.. When kneading the dough, use a pastry cutter or fork, not your hands. The heat from your hands will melt the butter and all reduce the flakiness of the baked crust.
Ideally you should refrigerate the flour, salt, and sugar. Cold ingredients create the flakiness. You don’t want to add the frozen butter to dry ingredients that are at room temperature. This will cause the butter to start softening almost immediately. Freeze the butter and chill the dry ingredients. If there is a secret to crafting the perfect flaky crust, it’s to freeze the butter and chill everything else.
Key Ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Salt (preferably fine grain)
- Granulated sugar (optional)
- Butter (cold (but preferably frozen)
- Water
Utensils and Equipment You’ll Need
- Large bowl
- Pastry cutter or 2 forks
Rolling Pin - Plastic wrap
Flaky Homemade Pie Crust
Utensils & Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 pastry cutter or 2 forks
- 1 Rolling Pin
- plastic wrap
Ingredients List
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for rolling the dough
- 1 tsp salt preferably fine grain
- 1 tsp granulated sugar (optional)
- 2 sticks butter cold (or even frozen)
- 1/2 cup ice water
Instructions
Most Important Step
- Freeze the butter and refrigerate the dry ingredients for a minimum of 15 minutes.
Prepare The Butter
- The easiest method to prepare the butter is to cut it into tiny cubes. Once done, be sure to freeze the butter for at least 10 minutes.
Mix The Dry Ingredients
- In a large bowl whisk together the 2 1/2 cups of flour, salt, and sugar if you're adding it. The sugar is optional.
Add The Butter
- Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Blend together with a pastry cutter or fork. Do not use your hands as the heat from your hands will soften the butter.
- Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time. Continue blending until you can see pea-sized chunks of the butter. DO NOT OVER BLEND,
- Stop mixing when the dough starts to hold together.
Refrigerate The Dough
- Divide the dough into two flat disks and wrap in plastic.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This hardens the butter and allows the gluten in the dough to rest.
Roll The Dough
- On a floured surface, roll the dough into circles roughly 12" round.
Refrigerate The Crusts
- Many bakers skip this step. After rolling the dough into circles, wrap separately in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. If you're short on time, you can skip this step. Your crust will still be 100% better than the premade ones.
Prepare The Pie
- Layer the pie plate with the bottom crust.
- Add your pie filling
Top Crust
- For a regular top crust, lay it over the pie and crimp the edges together to create a scalloped look.
- For a lattice top crust. cut the dough into strips and lay over the top of the pie.