Grandmother’s Pie Crust Recipe
This classic homemade pie crust is buttery, flaky, and made with simple, high-quality ingredients. Perfect for sweet or savory pies, it creates the ideal foundation for all your favorite pie recipes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes (if blind baking)
- Total Time: 30-35 minutes (not including chilling time)
- Yield: 1 double-crust pie (or 2 single-crust pies) 1x
- Category: Dessert, Pie
- Method: Baking, Mixing, Rolling
- Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cold, cut into small cubes)
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water
- Optional Add-Ins:
- 1 tablespoon sugar (for sweet pies like apple or cherry)
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (optional, helps keep the dough tender)
Instructions
- Chill Your Ingredients: Cold ingredients are key to a flaky crust. Ensure that the butter and water are chilled before starting. You can even pop the flour in the fridge for 10 minutes if your kitchen is warm.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt (and sugar, if using). This ensures even distribution of the salt and sugar throughout the dough.
- Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces. These pieces create the flaky layers in the crust.
- Add the Ice Water: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of ice water over the mixture at a time. Gently mix with a fork or your hands after each addition. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form a shaggy mass—it should hold together when squeezed but not be overly wet or sticky.
- Form the Dough: Divide the dough in half for a double-crust pie or leave it as one piece for a single-crust pie. Shape each portion into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the dough firms up the butter and relaxes the gluten, ensuring a tender crust.
- Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough into a circle about 1/8-inch thick and 2 inches larger than your pie pan. Carefully transfer the dough to the pan and press gently into the edges. Trim any excess dough, leaving a slight overhang for crimping.
- Blind Bake (Optional): If your recipe calls for a pre-baked crust, prick the bottom with a fork, line it with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and bake for an additional 5–10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Assemble and Bake: Fill the pie crust with your favorite filling, top with a second crust if desired, and bake according to your pie recipe’s instructions. For a shiny, golden finish, brush the top crust with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) before baking.
Notes
- For the flakiest pie crust, it’s important to keep the butter cold and work quickly.
- If you’re making a sweet pie, you can add the optional sugar for a slightly sweetened crust.
- For extra tenderness, the vinegar is optional, but it can help keep the dough soft.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (from a 9-inch pie)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Find it online: https://grandmarecipesflash.com/grandmothers-pie-crust-recipe/