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Flaky All-Butter Pie Crust

All butter pie crust made with cold butter, ice water, and a simple hand-mixed method bakes up with pea-size pieces and larger flat bits for a flaky texture. Chill the dough before rolling it into a 12-inch round for your favorite pie.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Chilling 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 173
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 teaspoon fine salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons ice water to 4 tablespoons total; add more 1 teaspoon at a time as needed

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch pie plate

Method
 

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
  2. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture has pea-size pieces and some larger, flat bits.
  3. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water over the mixture.
  4. Toss with a fork until the mixture begins to clump.
  5. Add more water 1 teaspoon at a time, up to 1 tablespoon, just until the dough holds together when pressed.
  6. Gather the dough into a disk and wrap it tightly.
  7. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  8. Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a 12-inch round.
  9. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate.
  10. Trim the overhang.
  11. Crimp the edge.
  12. Refrigerate the shaped crust for 30 minutes before filling and baking according to your pie recipe.

Notes

For the flakiest crust, keep the butter cold and stop adding water as soon as the dough holds together when pressed. Refrigerate wrapped dough for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. For a dairy-free version, use a plant-based baking stick in place of the butter.