Nothing beats the satisfaction of making a pie crust from scratch, especially when you can create a flaky, buttery base with minimal effort. This 3 Ingredient Pie Crust Recipe is an absolute game changer for home bakers who want simplicity without sacrificing that homemade touch. Using just butter, flour, and salt, with a touch of ice water to pull it all together, you’ll be amazed at the tender, golden crust you can craft—perfect for everything from sweet fruit pies to savory quiches. Whether you’re a pie pro or trying your hand at baking for the first time, this easy pie crust recipe will quickly become your new favorite secret weapon.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Keeping things simple is the heart of this recipe. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in texture and flavor, ensuring your pie crust turns out flaky, flavorful, and just the right amount of tender.
- Salted Butter: Cold and cubed for flakiness, butter gives your crust that rich, buttery taste and tender layers that practically melt in your mouth.
- All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of the dough, flour provides structure without weighing down the crust, keeping it crisp yet tender after baking.
- Kosher Salt: Just a pinch to bring out the buttery sweetness and balance the flavors, enhancing every bite.
- Ice Water: Added gradually to bind the dough without warming the butter, ice water helps create that perfect texture that holds together without being tough.
How to Make 3 Ingredient Pie Crust Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Butter
Start by cutting your cold salted butter into small cubes. Keeping the butter chilled is key to achieving flaky layers, as the cold chunks create pockets of steam while baking.
Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients and Butter
Place the butter cubes, flour, and kosher salt into your food processor. Pulse these together until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter still visible—this is the secret to a flaky crust.
Step 3: Add Ice Water Gradually
Add one tablespoon of ice water to your mixture and pulse a few times. Keep adding water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just begins to clump together and form a ball. Be careful not to overwork the dough here to avoid a tough crust.
Step 4: Form and Chill the Dough
Turn the dough out onto your clean counter and gently press it together to form a ball. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This resting time lets the gluten relax and keeps the butter cold for the flakiest results.
Step 5: Roll and Shape the Crust
After chilling, roll the dough out on a floured surface into a large circle about â…›-inch thick. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan and carefully press it into place. Trim any excess dough from the edges and your crust is ready for whatever filling you choose.
Step 6: Bake with Your Favorite Filling
Fill your pie crust with your favorite filling—be it fresh fruit, custard, or savory ingredients—and bake according to the filling’s recipe instructions. This versatile crust will bake to a perfect golden brown every time.
How to Serve 3 Ingredient Pie Crust Recipe
Garnishes
Enhance your pie’s presentation with fresh whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a drizzle of caramel sauce. These light additions complement the buttery crust and add a finishing flourish perfect for any occasion.
Side Dishes
Pair your pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a simple fruit salad to balance the richness of the crust and filling. For savory pies, a crisp green salad or roasted vegetables create a well-rounded meal.
Creative Ways to Present
Try cutting the pie into fun shapes or using lattice or decorative edges on the crust to make your pie the center of attention. Using cute cupcake liners, this crust also works wonderfully for mini hand pies or tartlets that are perfect for gatherings.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftover pie crust dough, wrap it well in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. This lets you be ready for a spontaneous baking session anytime.
Freezing
The dough freezes beautifully for up to one month. Just wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer bag. When you’re ready, thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling out.
Reheating
Reheat baked pies in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 to 15 minutes to restore that fresh-baked crispness. Avoid microwaving to keep the crust flaky.
FAQs
Can I use unsalted butter instead of salted butter?
Absolutely! If you opt for unsalted butter, just be sure to add a pinch more salt to the flour mixture to maintain that balanced flavor the recipe relies on.
Why is ice water important in this recipe?
Ice water keeps the butter from melting while mixing, which helps create the flaky layers in the crust by allowing small pockets of butter to stay intact until baking.
Can I make this pie crust by hand without a food processor?
Yes! Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then add ice water gradually and mix with your hands until the dough forms.
How thick should I roll out the dough?
Roll it to about ⅛-inch thickness for a crust that’s sturdy enough to hold fillings but still tender and flaky after baking.
Can this crust work for savory pies as well as sweet?
Definitely! This crust’s buttery, slightly salty flavor pairs well with both sweet fillings like fruit and savory ones like quiche or pot pie.
Final Thoughts
I can’t recommend this 3 Ingredient Pie Crust Recipe enough if you’re looking for a simple, reliable, and delicious base for all your pie creations. It’s quick to make, requires minimal ingredients, and delivers that homemade pie magic every time. Give it a try, and I promise your pies will never be the same!
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3 Ingredient Pie Crust Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings (8 slices)
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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
Pie Crust Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter (113 grams, cold, 1 stick)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (180 grams)
- â…› tsp kosher salt
- 4–5 tbsp ice water (57–71 grams)
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 â…›-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.
