Easy Flaky Butter Pie Crust

1Combine the first portion of flour and butter: Add 1 ½ cups of flour, salt, and sugar to your food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Next, scatter the cold butter cubes over the flour mixture. Process for about 15 seconds, until a dough or paste begins to form and there is no dry, uncoated flour left. The flour should take on a pale yellow color, and you should be able to press the dough together.

2Add the remaining flour: Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl to redistribute the mixture. Add the remaining 1 cup of flour and pulse 4 to 5 times. The dough should look broken up and a little crumbly, with the flour evenly distributed (see our video for reference).

3Add water and bring the dough together: Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of ice water over it, and use a rubber spatula to press the dough into itself. The crumbs should start to form larger clusters. To check if it’s ready, pinch a small amount of dough; if it holds together, you’re good to go. If it falls apart, add 2 to 4 more tablespoons of water and continue to press until the dough comes together. The amount of water needed depends on the level of humidity in your kitchen. Don’t worry if you need to add more than we do in our video.

4Form and chill the dough: Remove the dough from the bowl and gently form it into a ball on a clean surface. Cut the ball in half, then flatten each half into a disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months (just be sure to thaw it overnight in the fridge before using it).

1Combine the first portion of flour and butter: In a medium bowl, add 1 ½ cups of flour, salt, and sugar. Whisk to combine. Scatter the cold butter cubes over the flour, then briefly mix with a fork or spatula to coat the butter. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture has a coarse, mealy texture, similar to breadcrumbs. This should take about 1 to 2 minutes.

2Add the remaining flour: Scatter the remaining 1 cup of flour over the butter and flour mixture. Continue to work the mixture with the pastry blender for about 20 seconds, or until the flour is evenly distributed. The dough should look crumbly, with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible (see our video for reference).

3Add water and bring the dough together: Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of ice water over it, then use a rubber spatula to press the dough into itself. The crumbs should start to form larger clusters. To check if it’s ready, pinch a small amount of dough; if it holds together, you’re good to go. If it falls apart, add 2 or more tablespoons of water and continue to press until the dough comes together. The amount of water needed depends on the level of humidity in your kitchen. Don’t worry if you need to add more than we do in our video.

1Prepare the dough: Remove one of the dough disks from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes. This makes the dough less stiff and easier to roll. Lightly flour your work surface, the top of the dough, and your rolling pin.

2Roll the dough: Using your rolling pin, roll the dough, turning it a quarter turn after every other roll, until you have a circle about 12 inches in diameter (perfect for a 9-inch pie dish). Periodically check to make sure the dough isn’t sticking to your work surface, and add a small amount of flour underneath as needed. You can always check the size by inverting your pie dish over the dough (you should have about a 1-inch edge all the way around).

3Transfer to the pie dish: To move the dough to your pie dish, carefully roll it around your rolling pin, then unroll it over the dish. Gently press the dough down into the dish, making sure it lines the bottom and sides without pulling or stretching it.

4Crimp the edges: Fold any overlapping dough underneath itself to create a thicker, 1/4-inch border that rests on the lip of the dish. To crimp, press the pointer finger of one hand against the inside of the dough while gently pressing with the knuckles of your other hand from the outside.

5For a double-crust pie, don’t crimp the bottom crust. Instead, roll out your second dough disk, fill the pie, then place the top crust over the filling. Trim the edges of both crusts and then crimp them together as described above.

6Chill the crust: Slide the unbaked pie crust into the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

1Preheat the oven: While the unbaked pie crust is chilling, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

2Bake the crust (phase 1): Pierce the bottom of the chilled crust all over with a fork. Crumple up a sheet of parchment paper in your hands, then uncrumple it and use it to line the crust. Fill with pie weights, dried rice, or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. This is where you would stop for a partially-baked crust, used in recipes that will bake the pie with a filling later on.

3Bake the crust (phase 2): For a fully baked pie crust, carefully remove the crust from the oven and lift out the parchment paper and weights. Return the crust to the oven and continue to bake until it is light golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Set aside to cool completely before filling.

4Optional shiny, golden crust: For a shiny, golden finish, prepare an egg wash by whisking one egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of cream together. Lightly brush the bottom and sides of the crust, then bake for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the crust is dry and shiny. Allow the crust to cool completely before filling.

1Note: Oven temperature and bake time will vary based on your specific pie recipe. Always refer to the recipe you are following. As an example, we use 400°F for our homemade cherry pie.

2Add the top crust: Roll the bottom crust out and place it into your pie dish as directed above. Then, roll out the second dough disk and place it over the filled pie. Use a knife or kitchen scissors to trim the dough so that it overhangs the edge of the dish by about 3/4-inch. For a lattice crust, see How to Make Lattice Pie Crust.

3Seal and crimp the edges: Fold the edges of the top crust underneath the edges of the bottom crust, pressing to seal them together and create a thicker border that rests on the lip of the dish. Crimp the edges as desired. Refrigerate the pie for at least 30 minutes before baking.

4Finish and bake: Just before baking, make an egg wash by whisking an egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of cream together. Use a pastry brush to coat the top crust lightly, then sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of sugar. Cut 3 to 4 slits in the top of the pie to vent steam. Bake as directed by your specific recipe.