Flakiest Pie Crust Ever Recipes

PERFECTLY FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, and sugar until well combined. Using clean hands, add butter and toss until just coated. Rub butter between thumb and forefingers to incorporate into flour mixture until butter is in lima bean-sized pieces and comes together in quarter-sized clumps when squeezed in palm, about 2 minutes. Add shortening, toss until just coated in flour, then rub into flour mixture until mixture forms pea-size pieces (some big chunks should remain) and comes together in fist-sized clumps when squeezed, about 1 minute. Drizzle in half ice water and rake through mixture with fingers until just moistened. Drizzle in remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time and comb through mixture with fingers to moisten. It will go from being a shaggy mess to coming together. Dough is moist enough when it is moistened through but is not wet when pressed. (Do not overwork the dough or it will become tough.)
• While rotating the bowl with 1 hand, push dough between other palm and side of bowl to gather into a ball. Turn dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, press it into a flat disk, then close in wrap. Place in coldest part of refrigerator (usually back bottom shelf) at least 30 minutes before rolling out and forming into a crust.

EASY ALL-BUTTER FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Add 1 ½ cups flour, salt, and sugar (optional) to a food processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times until combined. The remaining cup of flour will be added later.
• Scatter butter cubes over flour and process until a dough or paste begins to form, about 15 seconds. (There should be no uncoated flour).
• Scrape bowl, redistribute the flour-butter mixture then add remaining 1 cup of flour. Pulse 4 to 5 times until flour is evenly distributed. (Dough should look broken up and a little crumbly).
• Transfer to a medium bowl then sprinkle ice water over mixture - start with 4 tablespoons and add from there. Using a rubber spatula, press the dough into itself. The crumbs should begin to form larger clusters. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough falls apart, add 2 to 4 more tablespoons of water and continue to press until dough comes together.
• Remove dough from bowl and place in a mound on a clean surface. Work the dough just enough to form a ball. Cut the ball in half then form each half into discs. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (just thaw it overnight in the fridge before using it).
• Add 1 1/2 cups flour, salt and sugar (optional) to a medium bowl. Stir 2 to 3 times until combined.
• Scatter butter cubes over flour and mix briefly with a fork or spatula to coat the butter with flour.
• Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender, working mixture until the flour has a coarse, mealy texture similar to fresh bread crumbs. About 1 - 2 minutes.
• Add remaining 1 cup of flour. Work butter and flour with the pastry blender until flour is evenly distributed. About 20 seconds. (Dough should look crumbly with pea-sized pieces).
• Sprinkle ice water over the mixture - start with 4 tablespoons and add from there. Using a rubber spatula, press the dough into itself. The crumbs should begin to form larger clusters. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough falls apart, add 2 to 4 more tablespoons of water and continue to press until dough comes together.
• Remove dough from bowl and place in a mound on a clean surface. Work the dough just enough to form a ball. Cut ball in half then form each half into discs. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (just thaw it overnight in the fridge before using).
• Remove one of the dough discs from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
• Lightly flour work surface, top of dough and rolling pin. Then use rolling pin to roll out dough to a 12-inch circle (about 1/8-inch thick). Be sure to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below - add a small amount of flour when necessary.
• Check for size by inverting pie dish over dough round. Look for a 1-inch edge around the pie dish. To transfer dough to dish, starting at one end, roll dough around rolling pin then unroll over dish.
• Gently press dough down into dish so that it lines the bottom and sides of the dish. (Be careful not to pull or stretch the dough). Then, use a knife or pair of kitchen scissors to trim dough to within 1/2-inch of the edge of the dish.
• Fold edge of dough underneath itself so that it creates a thicker, 1/4-inch border that rests on the lip of the dish. Then, crimp edges by pressing the pointer finger of one hand against the edge of the dough from the inside of the dish while gently pressing with two knuckles of the other hand from the outside. Refrigerate dough at least 20 minutes or freeze for 5 minutes before baking.
• If making a double crust pie, do not crimp edges yet. Roll out second dough disc, fill pie then top with second dough round. Trim the edges then crimp.
• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a baking sheet on a middle oven rack.
• Roll out enough dough to make one 9-inch crust (1 dough disk). Place into a pie plate and then pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork (this prevent air pockets or bubbles from forming while baking). Line the crust with two sheets of aluminum foil or parchment paper. (Be sure to push foil against the edges of the crust). Then, fill foil with dried rice, dried beans or pie weights. Refrigerate 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
• Place pie crust onto preheated baking sheet and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden.
• Make an egg wash by whisking one egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of cream in a small bowl. Then, remove rice, beans or pie weights and foil from pie crust. Brush the bottom and sides of the crust with egg wash. Bake until egg wash is dry and shiny, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool crust completely before filling.
• Oven temperature and bake time for double crust pies will vary depending on the pie recipe you plan to follow. As an example, we set our oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for our double crust cherry pie (see the recipe here).
• Remove half of dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch (1/8-inch thick) circle.
• Check for size by inverting pie dish over dough round. Look for a 1-inch edge around the pie dish. Carefully press the dough into the dish. Spoon the pie filling into pie crust.
• Roll out second half of dough then top pie. Use a knife or pair of kitchen scissors to trim dough to within 3/4-inch of the edge of the dish.
• Fold edges of top crust underneath edges of bottom crust, pressing the edge to seal it so that it creates a thicker, 1/4-inch border that rests on the lip of the dish. Then, crimp edges by pressing the pointer finger of one hand against the edge of the dough from the inside of the dish while gently pressing with two knuckles of the other hand from the outside. Refrigerate pie at least 20 minutes or freeze for 5 minutes before baking.
• Just before baking, make egg wash by whisking egg yolk and cream together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush over the top crust. Then, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Then, cut 3 to 4 slits in top of pie. Bake as directed by the specific recipe you are following.

BEST-EVER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and lard; using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add 5 tablespoons ice water and mix with fork until dough begins to clump together, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough together. Divide dough in half; flatten each half into disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. If necessary, soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

THE FLAKIEST ALL-BUTTER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Grate 2 tablespoons (1oz/ 28g) of the butter on the large holes of a box grater and place in the freezer until solid. Cut remaining 8 tablespoons (4oz/ 114g) of butter into ½-inch cubes.
• In the work bowl of a food processor, combine together ¾ cup (3 3/4oz/ 106g) of the flour, sugar, and salt and pulse a few times to incorporate. Add the cubed butter and process until a homogeneous paste forms, about 30 seconds.
• Using your hands, carefully break the paste into 2-inch chunks and redistribute evenly around the processor blade. Add the remaining ½ cup (2 1/2oz/ 71g) of flour and pulse 4 to 5 times, until the mixture is broken into pieces that are no larger than 1-inch (most pieces will be much smaller).
• Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the frozen grated butter and toss until the butter pieces are separated and coated with the flour. Be sure to work quickly, as to not let the warmth of your hands melt the butter.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently toss until the mixture is evenly moistened. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons ice water over the mixture and toss to combine. Press dough with the spatula until dough sticks together. Dough will be sticky like cookie dough and much more moist than most pie doughs, but as it chills it will absorb a lot of excess moisture.
• Transfer dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and use it's edges to press firmly on the sides and top to form a neat 5-inch disk. Wrap well and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Let chilled dough sit on counter to soften slightly, about 5 to 10 minutes, before rolling. (Wrapped dough can be frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, let dough thaw completely on counter before rolling.)
• On a well floured counter, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. To transfer it to the pie dish, roll the dough loosely around the rolling pin and unroll it onto a 9-inch pie dish, leaving at least 1-inch overhang around the edges. Ease dough into the dish by gently lifting edge of the dough with your hand while pressing into plate bottom with your other hand.
• If needed, trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of the dish. Tuck overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of plate. Use your fingers to crimp dough edges around the dish. Refrigerate dough‑lined plate until firm, at least 30 minutes. Fill and bake as per individual recipes instructions or bake for a parbaked or fully baked crust as per instruction below.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 180C/ 350F.
• Line chilled pie shell with aluminum foil, covering edges to prevent burning, and fill with pie weights or beans/rice/sugar.
• Bake until edges are set and just beginning to turn golden, but the center will remain pale, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and continue to bake about 10 to 15 minutes longer or until lightly golden for a partially baked crust. For a fully baked crust, bake until golden brown and crisp,15 to 20 minutes longer. If crust begins to puff, pierce gently with the tip of a paring knife.
• Proceed with specific pie recipe or let crust cool completely in the dish on wire rack, about 30 minutes.

EASY FLAKY OIL PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Sift the flour twice, then whisk in the salt and create a little well.
• Pour in the oil, then milk and stir everything together. If the dough seems too dry, add 1-2 tbsp of milk.
• Once the dough starts to form, finish working it by gently kneading it on a sheet of wax paper.
• Divide into two parts. Roll the dough out in between 2 sheets of wax paper. Remove the top sheet of wax paper. Use the bottom sheet to lift and flip the dough onto the pie plate and on top of the filling.
• Trim and seal edges. Cut some slits for ventilation.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 425F for 15 minutes, then bake at 375F until the crust is golden and filling is cooked. Usually about another 30-45 minutes.

THE FLAKIEST PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift flour with sugar and salt.
• Cut in shortening and butter. Pea-sized chunks are fine, but slightly larger chunks will really make a difference.
• In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and vinegar. Add 2/3 cup of water (more if you live in a dry climate, and less if it is a particularly humid day). You can always add tablespoons of water to the dough later.
• Pour the liquids mixture into flour/butter mixture. Stir together and add a little water if necessary. Mixture should be just moist enough for you to form it into a ball. *Note: I like to have just enough moisture so crumbs in the bowl will stick to the dough if you pat them on.
• Cover the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 MINUTES - this allows the gluten to develop and the dough to get a bit flakier :). (Or so Grandma says.).
• Divide into 6 pieces, use what you need, and flatten the rest into 1/4" disks (or 1/8" if you really want to have an easy time thawing the dough). Put them in the freezer and thaw when needed (or just wanted)!

BEST EVER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half, and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
• Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don't over work it. Use as directed in pie recipe.

BASIC FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the cold shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water over flour. Toss mixture with a fork to moisten, adding more water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together.
• Gently gather dough particles together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
• Roll out dough, and put in a pie plate. Fill with desired filling and bake.

FLAKIEST PIE CRUST EVER

Steps:

• 1. Place flour and butter in food processor. Pulse until it resembles coarse meal. Add 1 tbsp of ice water at time (while pulsing) add just enough until dough starts to cling together. I used 6 tbsp.
• 2. Remove blade and dough and form into a ball, roll out on a lightly floured surface. Place in a 9" pie plate, cut edges. Place in fridge for at least 30 min. OR wrap ball into plastic wrap for 30 min. Remove and roll out and place in pie plate.
• 3. If pre-baking, place parchment paper or foil on top of crust, place dried beans on top. Bake at 375° for about 25 min.