Welcome to my foolproof flaky pie crust recipe, where I’ll guide you through creating a perfect all-butter pie crust that’s easy to prepare and practically impossible to mess up. If you’re looking for the best flaky pie crust recipe that anyone can make, this is it!

A whole blueberry pie fresh out of the oven

This flaky pie crust is my go-to for all of my pie baking and I’ve probably made it hundreds of times over the last 10+ years. I know there are a lot of recipes and opinions out there when it comes to pie, but this is the crust that never fails me.

It’s not just very flaky and tender, but it’s also full of delicious buttery flavor all on its own. Combine this pie crust with your favorite filling and I promise it will be a tasty match made in heaven! And if making pies intimidates you, this tutorial is a great place to start. 

“I’ve always had a hard time getting a flaky pie crust, and this recipe is now my go-to. Delicious!!!” — from reader Marisa

“Ever since I found your sheeting technique several years ago, I’ve made all my crusts this way. I’ve used it for sweet/dessert pies, chicken pot pies, hand pies, and my favorite…pie crust cookies. The crust comes out so flaky and tender every time. Thanks so much!” — from reader KDub

Table of Contents

Pie crust ingredients

pie crust Ingredients measured out

Let’s get started! For the most basic butter pie crust, you need just 4-5 simple ingredients (view the full recipe below):

  • All-purpose flour
  • Butter
  • Granulated sugar (optional, for sweet/dessert pies)
  • Coarse salt
  • Cold water

Give your pie crust a flavor boost! My favorite way to make this recipe is with buttermilk instead of water. So much flavor and it adds a touch of tenderness to the flaky layers! Click here to see my buttermilk pie crust variation.

baking tip:What causes flaky layers in a pie crust?

The flaky layers in a pie crust are created by solid chunks of butter layered within the dough. Rolling out the dough turns those butter pieces into thin sheets. And when the pie bakes, the sheets of butter melt and release steam, creating little pockets of air that lift and separate the crust into flaky layers.

More Baking Tips »

How to make homemade pie crust

There are three ways I know of to make pie dough:

  1. With a pastry blender, using it to cut the butter into dry ingredients. This is probably the most common method.
  2. Using a food processor, which works great, especially if you’re short on time.
  3. By rolling out the butter into the dry ingredients, the method I’m going to show you here.

These are all fine options! But I want to show you how rolling the butter into the dry ingredients is a guaranteed way to get the perfect flaky pie crust. This method takes a little bit more time and effort, but only about 5 additional minutes, and it works!

butter in a bowl with dry ingredients

Step 1— Combine dry ingredients and add butter

Combine the flour, salt and sugar (if using) in a bowl and add the cold butter cubes. Toss until all the butter is coated in flour.

rolling butter into dry ingredients with rolling pin

Step 2— Roll butter into dry ingredients

Dump everything out onto a clean surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten the butter cubes and roll them into the dry ingredients. A bench scraper is handy to bring it all back together into a pile, and also to remove butter from the rolling pin as needed.

sheets of flaky butter rolled into dry ingredients

Keep rolling until all of the butter has been rolled into the dry ingredients (yes, this get’s quite messy!). The goal is to have thin sheets of butter visible throughout the dry ingredients. Break up any really long sheets of butter with your bench scraper.

adding water to pie crust

Step 3— Add ice water

Gather up the mixture and return it to the bowl. Place the bowl in the freezer for a few minutes if needed, just to get everything cold again. Then, make a well in the center and add about 2-3 tablespoons of cold water (or buttermilk if using that variation).

Use a large spoon and then your hands to bring the mixture together into a ball. If necessary, add more cold water 1 tablespoon at a time. I always need to add more water, anywhere from ¼ cup – ½ cup total, but it’s different every time and so I start with a small amount and slowly add more. Adding too much water will make the dough sticky and produce a tough crust.

forming pie crust dough into disks

Step 4— Form dough into disks

The dough should hold together in a ball, but a few loose crumbs are okay. I like to dump the mixture out onto a work surface to bring the dough together with my hands. You don’t want to over-work it, but a little kneading and handling is just fine.

Divide the dough in half and flatten each into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Then, you’re ready to bake a pie!

2 disks of pie crust dough

How to roll out pie crust

  1. Let dough rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
  2. Use a rolling to begin rolling out the disk. This may be hard at first while it’s thick and cold, but move from the center outwards and it should take shape.
  3. Every few rolls, rotate the dough a quarter turn on your surface and add more flour if needed.
  4. Keep rolling until it’s the size you want and evenly thin. Encourage the dough into a circle, and reshape with your hands if needed or if the dough cracks.
  5. Roll the pie crust up onto your rolling pin and transfer it to a pie plate, then use it according to your pie recipe’s instructions.
A slice of berry pie on a plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Pie crust tips for success!

  • The bigger the butter chunks, the flakier your pie will be. So don’t be afraid to leave larger pieces throughout.
  • Keep ingredients and dough cold. In order to get those flaky layers, the butter needs to stay separate from the flour. Start with cold butter and water, chill the dough mixture as needed while you’re working with it, and rest the dough in the fridge before rolling it out.
  • Cut this recipe in half for a single-crust pie. Or you can freeze the second disk of dough for another time.
  • Use an egg wash. In order to get a shiny golden crust once baked, brush the dough with a simple whisked mixture of 1 egg + 1 tablespoon of water.
  • Pie crust storage: Pie crust dough will keep in the fridge up to 5 days and in the freezer (double-wrapped) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
  • Make pie crust ahead of time: It’s easy to do and a great time saver! For example, I usually make pie crusts for Thanksgiving 1-2 weeks before so it’s one less thing to worry about in the busy days before the holiday.

See also:

My favorite pies to make with this pie crust

slice of mile high apple pie with ice cream on a plate
Mile High Apple Pie
baked cranberry blueberry pie with linen
Cranberry Blueberry Pie
strawberry rhubarb pie on table with stack of plates
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
side view of chocolate coconut pie
Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie

Get the best pie crust recipe

This cranberry blueberry pie is the perfect combination of sweet and tart, with plenty of cozy spices and a buttery flaky pie crust. It's perfect for the holidays!
4.73 from 29 reviews

The Best Flaky Pie Crust

Servings: 10 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
It’s not just very flaky and tender, but it’s also full of delicious buttery flavor all on its own.
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Ingredients
 

  • 2 ½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar , optional
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter , cold and cut into cubes
  • ¼-½ cup (56-113 grams) ice cold water , as needed (see Notes)

Equipment

bench scraper
Bench scraper
rolling pin
Rolling pin
pastry blender
Pastry blender

Instructions
 

  • Combine the flour, sugar (if using), and salt in a bowl. Add the cubed butter and toss to coat.
  • Dump the mixture out onto a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the butter into thin sheets, combining it with the flour. Use a bench scraper to scrape the rolling pin and to bring the mixture back into a pile as necessary. Continue until all of the butter is incorporated into the flour. Mixture will be very flaky.
  • Return mixture to the bowl and place in the freezer for 10 minutes to chill the butter.
  • Remove from freezer and add ¼ cup of the ice cold water. Use a spoon and then your hands to stir the mixture until it comes together into a ball. If mixture is too dry, add additional water a tablespoon at a time. I usually end up needing slightly more than ¼ cup but it varies each time. It's okay if some dry bits remain, but you should be able to shape the dough together.
  • Divide the dough in half and flatten into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour (2+ hours preferred) and up to 5 days.
  • To freeze pie crust, wrap in double layers of plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

Video

Notes

  • Makes enough dough for one double crust 9-inch pie. Recipe can be cut in half for a single crust pie.
  • You can find my buttermilk pie crust variation here. It’s my favorite for fruit pies! If you use buttermilk instead of water, know that you will need closer to ½ cup.
  • If you’re looking to speed things up, check out my tutorial on how to make pie crust in a food processor here.
Calories: 281kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 236mg, Potassium: 39mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 567IU, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise Sandberg
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