Description

This simple and classic 3 Ingredient Pie Crust recipe creates a flaky and buttery base perfect for all your favorite pies. Made with just butter, all-purpose flour, and a touch of salt, this pie crust is easy to prepare and can be chilled in advance to ensure the best texture. With minimal ingredients and straightforward instructions, it’s an ideal recipe for bakers of all levels looking for a reliable pie crust foundation.

Ingredients

Scale

Pie Crust Ingredients

½ cup salted butter (113 grams, cold, 1 stick)
1½ cups all-purpose flour (180 grams)
⅛ tsp kosher salt
4-5 tbsp ice water (57-71 grams)

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Instructions

Cut the butter: Cut the cold salted butter into small cubes to prepare for combining it easily with the flour.
Combine dry ingredients and butter: Place the butter cubes, all-purpose flour, and kosher salt into a food processor to begin mixing the dough.
Pulse to coarse crumbs: Pulse the food processor until the mixture reaches a coarse crumb texture, ensuring the butter is cut evenly into the flour.
Add water gradually: Add 1 tablespoon of ice water to the mixture and pulse a couple of times to start forming the dough.
Continue adding water: Keep adding one tablespoon of ice water at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough begins to form a cohesive ball.
Form dough ball: Transfer the dough from the processor onto a clean counter and form it into a smooth ball by hand.
Chill the dough: Wrap the dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up before rolling.
Roll out the crust: Once chilled, roll the dough with a rolling pin into a large circle approximately ⅛-inch thick, ready to line your pie pan.
Line the pie pan: Gently place the rolled-out dough into a 9-inch pie pan and trim any excess dough hanging over the edges.
Fill and bake: Add your desired pie filling and bake according to your pie recipe’s specific instructions for the filling you choose.

Notes

Make sure the butter and water are very cold to create a flaky crust.
Do not overwork the dough to avoid a tough crust.
The dough can be prepared a day ahead and kept chilled in the refrigerator.
If you prefer, you can substitute salted butter with unsalted butter and add slightly more salt.
If the dough is too crumbly, add a little more ice water, one teaspoon at a time.