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–+ servings

Flaky Pie Crust (Pastry Dough)

Homemade pie crust is truly unparalleled. You will instantly taste — and smell — the difference: so buttery, so flaky, so delicious. There really is no substitute.
5 from 20 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 ten-inch pie crusts
Category Basics

Ingredients
 

  • ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) cup unsalted butter, chilled
  • ⅓ cup vegetable shortening, chilled
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
  • ½ cup cold water

Instructions

  • Dice butter and shortening into small pieces. Return to refrigerator or freezer.
    ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) cup unsalted butter, chilled
    ⅓ cup vegetable shortening, chilled
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
    3 cup all-purpose flour
    1 Tbsp granulated sugar
    1 tsp kosher salt
  • Add chilled butter and shortening. Mix on low/medium speed until only a few pea-sized lumps of butter and shortening remain (about 3 to 5 minutes).
  • While mixer is still on, slowly pour cold water into the bowl.
    ½ cup cold water
  • Mix until dough begins to form a mass (about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Dribble in more cold water, if necessary.
  • Place dough onto a lightly floured surface, cut in half (each for the top and bottom crusts), and form into two disks.
  • Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  • Place first half on a well-floured surface and roll out dough using a floured rolling pin. Keep rotating the dough to prevent sticking.
  • Carefully transfer rolled-out dough onto pie plate and gently press into bottom edges of pie plate. Cut off any excess dough, leaving enough around the sides to form edges.
  • Repeat steps 8 and 9 with second half of dough for the top crust.
  • Chill for at least 20 minutes before filling and/or baking.

Notes

  1. Try to keep everything very cold! The colder the butter, the shortening, and the water, the better. You can even chill the bowl and the flour if you are making pastry on a particularly hot day.
  2. If the dough is too hard from chilling it, beat it with a rolling pin until it becomes malleable.
  3. When rolling and forming the dough, be sure to work quickly and keep the dough moving. This will prevent the dough from becoming warm and sticking to your rolling surface.
  4. If cracks form when rolling out the dough, simply dip your fingers in cold water and gently press the cracks together to reform. A pie dough can break and crumble if it is too dry or too cold.
  5. This pie dough can also be made by hand, using light and quick finger movements to avoid warming up the dough. When adding the butter and shortening, simply crumble them into the flour by hand until only a few pea-sized lumps remain.

Nutrition

Calories: 1618kcal | Carbohydrates: 149g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 105g | Saturated Fat: 53g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 1180mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2131IU | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 9mg
Nutrition Disclaimer