All Butter Pie Crust

Yield
crust for 9" or 10" pie
Prep time
10 min + chill
Cook time
depends on final recipe
Total time
10 min + chill
RecipeVideoPrint

Flaky all butter pie crust, all made by hand. We'll go through each step to ensure you get a flaky crust, which is the best characteristic of homemade pie crusts. We can use a pastry cutter or butter knives to efficiently cut the cold butter into the flour. Use these crusts after chilling for an hour or learn how to store them for future use.

Step by step:

Video

Read this before you begin

Measure by weight, if possible.

Measuring by weight is the best way for you to replicate my recipes. I develop recipes using ingredients (even liquids) measured in grams, which is why you see them listed first in the recipe cards. For measurements under 5 grams, I will typically only list the volumetric measurements (teaspoons, etc.), as most home scales are not precise for such small weights.

In most cases, I have converted grams to volumetric measurements (aka US customary units) for bakers who prefer this method. However, the measurements are not as precise and may have awkward proportions. The recipes should still work, but for the ultimate precision, try to use weight.

This is the OXO scale I use daily. I also purchased this budget version of a good scale, which I keep at my Mom’s house for baking. If you’re interested in other tools I use for my baking, I’ve compiled a list here.

Use room temperature ingredients.

All my ingredients should be used at room temperature, or 65-75 °F/18-24 °C. I will always indicate if you need something outside this range. If no details are given, room temperature is the default. 

Pay attention to the ingredient descriptions.

I try not to be brand-specific, but I will always note an interesting result from a type of ingredient, be it negative or positive. 

A specific note regarding salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for everything on this site except for frostings. In frostings, you want the salt to dissolve more easily, and kosher salt tends to leave granules behind. If you substitute table salt (more finely granulated) for recipes that list kosher salt, you must use half the volume indicated in my recipes.

Substitutions are hard.

That’s not to say they’re impossible, though. For instance, in many cases, substituting reduced fat for whole milk (and thus reducing fat by less than 2%) will probably be fine. Using applesauce for oil or even Greek yogurt when sour cream is listed will definitely alter the fat content and adversely affect the crumb texture and density of the cake.

I experiment for hours to get these recipes to work for us. First, try to make them as written or use one of my tested substitutions, which I often dedicate a section to. Then, if necessary, you can make modifications afterward. Even then I would be pretty cautious, as substitutions are one of the hardest things to investigate in recipe development.

Read all the recipe instructions before beginning.

I’m in the “Pre-read the Chapter before Class Lecture” club... and I invite you to join! Baking new recipes can be intimidating, so let’s set you up for success. I want you to think about timeframes. Most fillings and frostings can be made ahead of time, and give you an extra day for mental space. Also, as you become a more proficient baker, you can anticipate and recognize steps. (“Oh, this has a meringue step, so I’ll need an extra clean bowl…” etc.) Ensure you go down the ingredient list and have everything at the right temperature.

All-Butter Pie Crust

Yield
crust for 9" or 10" pie
Prep time
10 min + chill
Cook time
depends on final recipe
Total time
10 min + chill
Download PDFSave to Pinterest

Ingredients

Single Crust Pie

  • 8 TB (one stick or 113g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in chunks
  • 1 cup + 3 TB (140g) all purpose (or pastry flour)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or unflavored vodka)
  • 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 TB ice cold water

Double Crust Pie

  • 16 TB (two sticks or 226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in chunks
  • 2 cups + 6 TB (280g) all purpose (or pastry flour)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 TB apple cider vinegar (or unflavored vodka)
  • 7 to 9 TB ice cold water

Single Crust Pie

  • 8 TB (one stick or 113g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in chunks
  • 1 cup + 3 TB (140g) all purpose (or pastry flour)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or unflavored vodka)
  • 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 TB ice cold water

Double Crust Pie

  • 16 TB (two sticks or 226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in chunks
  • 2 cups + 6 TB (280g) all purpose (or pastry flour)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 TB apple cider vinegar (or unflavored vodka)
  • 7 to 9 TB ice cold water

Instructions

To make the crust by hand:

  1. Place your cut butter in the freezer while you measure/prep your other ingredients.
  2. Whisk your flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl for 30 seconds.
  3. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture. Using two butter knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are about the size of large peas.
  4. Add the vinegar to the smaller amount of water in a small bowl and pour onto dough. Use a spatula to press and mix the water into the dough, making sure there are no dried bits of flour on the bottom of the bowl. Pick up some dough with your fingers. Press it together. Does it stick together easily? If not, add more water, a half teaspoon at a time, until you can form the dough into a large ball.
  5. Pour the dough out onto plastic wrap, form it into a disc. Cover tightly and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. For best results, let it rest overnight.

To make crust using a food processor:

  1. Place your cut butter in the freezer while you measure/prep your other ingredients.
  2. Add the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder to the processor. Pulse about 10 times to combine.
  3. Add about a quarter of the cold butter to the flour mixture (you can approximate, it doesn't have to be precise) and pulse about 8-10 times. This coats the flour thoroughly with a bit of fat. You shouldn't really see any butter remaining.
  4. Add the rest of the cold butter to the flour mixture and pulse about 8-10 times. Lift the lid, and use a fork (or CAREFULLY with your fingers) to sift the mixture. There should be large butter pieces remaining about the size of large peas.
  5. Pour the flour and butter mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the vinegar to the smaller amount of water in a small bowl and pour onto dough. Use a spatula to press and mix the water into the dough, making sure there are no dried bits of flour on the bottom of the bowl. Pick up some dough with your fingers. Press it together. Does it stick together easily? If not, add more water, a half teaspoon at a time, until you can form the dough into a large ball.
  6. Pour the dough out onto plastic wrap, form it into a disc. Cover tightly and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. For best results, let it rest overnight.

Adriana's Notes

Ingredients
Instructions

Single Crust Pie

  • 8 TB (one stick or 113g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in chunks
  • 1 cup + 3 TB (140g) all purpose (or pastry flour)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or unflavored vodka)
  • 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 TB ice cold water

Double Crust Pie

  • 16 TB (two sticks or 226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in chunks
  • 2 cups + 6 TB (280g) all purpose (or pastry flour)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 TB apple cider vinegar (or unflavored vodka)
  • 7 to 9 TB ice cold water

Single Crust Pie

  • 8 TB (one stick or 113g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in chunks
  • 1 cup + 3 TB (140g) all purpose (or pastry flour)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or unflavored vodka)
  • 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 TB ice cold water

Double Crust Pie

  • 16 TB (two sticks or 226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in chunks
  • 2 cups + 6 TB (280g) all purpose (or pastry flour)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 TB apple cider vinegar (or unflavored vodka)
  • 7 to 9 TB ice cold water

To make the crust by hand:

  1. Place your cut butter in the freezer while you measure/prep your other ingredients.
  2. Whisk your flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl for 30 seconds.
  3. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture. Using two butter knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are about the size of large peas.
  4. Add the vinegar to the smaller amount of water in a small bowl and pour onto dough. Use a spatula to press and mix the water into the dough, making sure there are no dried bits of flour on the bottom of the bowl. Pick up some dough with your fingers. Press it together. Does it stick together easily? If not, add more water, a half teaspoon at a time, until you can form the dough into a large ball.
  5. Pour the dough out onto plastic wrap, form it into a disc. Cover tightly and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. For best results, let it rest overnight.

To make crust using a food processor:

  1. Place your cut butter in the freezer while you measure/prep your other ingredients.
  2. Add the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder to the processor. Pulse about 10 times to combine.
  3. Add about a quarter of the cold butter to the flour mixture (you can approximate, it doesn't have to be precise) and pulse about 8-10 times. This coats the flour thoroughly with a bit of fat. You shouldn't really see any butter remaining.
  4. Add the rest of the cold butter to the flour mixture and pulse about 8-10 times. Lift the lid, and use a fork (or CAREFULLY with your fingers) to sift the mixture. There should be large butter pieces remaining about the size of large peas.
  5. Pour the flour and butter mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the vinegar to the smaller amount of water in a small bowl and pour onto dough. Use a spatula to press and mix the water into the dough, making sure there are no dried bits of flour on the bottom of the bowl. Pick up some dough with your fingers. Press it together. Does it stick together easily? If not, add more water, a half teaspoon at a time, until you can form the dough into a large ball.
  6. Pour the dough out onto plastic wrap, form it into a disc. Cover tightly and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. For best results, let it rest overnight.

Recipe Card - Adriana's Notes

Recommended Sugar Lab Recipes + Experiments

Pumpkin Tart

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

All Butter Pie Crust

There’s more where this came from!

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All-Butter Pie Crust

Yield
crust for 9" or 10" pie
Prep time
10 min + chill
Cook time
depends on final recipe
Total time
10 min + chill

Ingredients

Single Crust Pie

  • 8 TB (one stick or 113g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in chunks
  • 1 cup + 3 TB (140g) all purpose (or pastry flour)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or unflavored vodka)
  • 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 TB ice cold water

Double Crust Pie

  • 16 TB (two sticks or 226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in chunks
  • 2 cups + 6 TB (280g) all purpose (or pastry flour)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 TB apple cider vinegar (or unflavored vodka)
  • 7 to 9 TB ice cold water

Instructions

To make the crust by hand:

  1. Place your cut butter in the freezer while you measure/prep your other ingredients.
  2. Whisk your flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl for 30 seconds.
  3. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture. Using two butter knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are about the size of large peas.
  4. Add the vinegar to the smaller amount of water in a small bowl and pour onto dough. Use a spatula to press and mix the water into the dough, making sure there are no dried bits of flour on the bottom of the bowl. Pick up some dough with your fingers. Press it together. Does it stick together easily? If not, add more water, a half teaspoon at a time, until you can form the dough into a large ball.
  5. Pour the dough out onto plastic wrap, form it into a disc. Cover tightly and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. For best results, let it rest overnight.

To make crust using a food processor:

  1. Place your cut butter in the freezer while you measure/prep your other ingredients.
  2. Add the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder to the processor. Pulse about 10 times to combine.
  3. Add about a quarter of the cold butter to the flour mixture (you can approximate, it doesn't have to be precise) and pulse about 8-10 times. This coats the flour thoroughly with a bit of fat. You shouldn't really see any butter remaining.
  4. Add the rest of the cold butter to the flour mixture and pulse about 8-10 times. Lift the lid, and use a fork (or CAREFULLY with your fingers) to sift the mixture. There should be large butter pieces remaining about the size of large peas.
  5. Pour the flour and butter mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the vinegar to the smaller amount of water in a small bowl and pour onto dough. Use a spatula to press and mix the water into the dough, making sure there are no dried bits of flour on the bottom of the bowl. Pick up some dough with your fingers. Press it together. Does it stick together easily? If not, add more water, a half teaspoon at a time, until you can form the dough into a large ball.
  6. Pour the dough out onto plastic wrap, form it into a disc. Cover tightly and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. For best results, let it rest overnight.