Butter Pie Crust

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Looking for the perfect pie crust? This easy butter pie crust recipe is flaky, buttery, and a great base for any pie filling you love!

A close-up of the golden-brown lattice crust on a freshly baked pie.

Making your own butter pie crust is easier than you might think. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have a flaky, buttery crust ready to fill with your favorite pie fillings. This recipe makes two 9-inch crusts, perfect for double-crust pies or saving one for later.

What You’ll Need:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
  • Ice water

How to Make Our Butter Pie Crust Recipe:

  1. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
  2. Cut in the butter: Add the chilled, cubed butter to the bowl. Use a pastry cutter or your hands to blend until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
A glass bowl containing a crumbly mixture, likely a dough or topping, with apples and cinnamon sticks around.
  1. Add water slowly: Gradually mix in ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to come together. You might not need all the water—just add enough until the dough holds.
  2. Divide and chill: Divide the dough into two equal discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Two discs of pie crusts wrapped in plastic wrap.
  1. Roll out the dough: After chilling, let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it’s large enough to fit a 9-inch pie pan.

Blind Baking:

Blind baking means pre-baking your pie crust without the filling, which helps keep it from getting soggy when you add moist fillings like custards or creams. To blind bake, roll out the dough and fit it into your pie pan.

Then, cover the dough with parchment paper and fill the pie with pie weights (or dried beans). Bake it at 375°F (190°C) for about 15-20 minutes, remove the weights, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until it’s golden.

This step isn’t necessary for all pies, like sweet potato pie, where the filling and crust bake together. Affiliate link: These are my favorite pie weights, and I use them for all of my blind baked crusts.

Top down view of a pie shell with pie weights.

Using the Crust:

This butter pie crust works for both single and double-crust pies. For a pie like butterscotch pie or cinnamon pie, roll out one disc and press it into the pie pan before adding your filling.

If you’re making a double-crust pie like an apple pie with a lattice top, roll out the second disc after adding the filling. Cut the top into strips and weave them to create the lattice. Trim and crimp the edges for a neat finish.

A slice of apple pie with a flaky, golden crust on a plate, with cinnamon sticks and whole apples blurred in the background.

Baking the Crust:

Once your pie is filled, brush the top with an egg wash (beat an egg with a little water) to give it that golden color. Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. The baking time and temperature might vary depending on the filling, so keep an eye on it!

Tips:

  • For pies like pecan pie, the crust and filling bake together, so there’s no need for blind baking.
  • Keep the dough chilled for a flaky crust—chilling prevents the butter from melting too quickly.

Storage:

If you have leftover pie crust or want to make it ahead, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Just thaw it in the fridge before using.

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Top down view of butter pie crust in a dish.

Butter Pie Crust Recipe

4.7 from 3 votes
Print Pin
Author: Kimberly
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Rest and Roll: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 16 Servings

Ingredients

Optional Egg Wash

Instructions
 

  • Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
    2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    1 teaspoon salt
  • Add the chilled butter and blend until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
    1 cup unsalted butter
  • Gradually mix in ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together.
    ½ cup ice water
  • Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Let the dough sit at room temperature for 4-5 minutes, then roll it out on a lightly floured surface.
  • Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie pan, add your filling, and use the second disc for the top crust if needed.
  • If using an egg wash, whisk together the egg and water.
    1 large egg
    1 tablespoon water
  • Brush the top with the egg wash and bake at 425°F for 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Adjust the cooking time and temperature as needed depending on the recipe.

Notes

  • The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of ⅛ of a total pie (single crust). Double this amount for a double crust pie. Actual calories will vary.
  • See our nutrition disclaimer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 369IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
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4.67 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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