All-Butter Pie Crust (Flaky, Easy & Fool-Proof)
This simple, buttery, flaky pie crust is the foundation for every perfect pie I make. It's tender, easy to roll, and-best of all-made entirely with butter. Once you try it, it'll be your go-to recipe forever. The golden foundation of every great pie. Why this crust works All butter, no shortcuts: Pure flavor and perfect...
This simple, buttery, flaky pie crust is the foundation for every perfect pie I make. It's tender, easy to roll, and-best of all-made entirely with butter. Once you try it, it'll be your go-to recipe forever.
Why this crust works
- All butter, no shortcuts: Pure flavor and perfect flake-no shortening needed.
- Food processor magic: Butter is cut evenly through the flour in seconds.
- Cold, cold, cold: Ice water and chilled butter keep the dough light and tender.
From "I hate making pie crust" to "I've got this"
I'll be honest: for years, homemade pie dough intimidated me. No matter how carefully I measured, the texture never turned out quite right. Then my friend Dorothy at Crazy for Crust shared her food-processor method-and it changed everything.
Instead of cutting in butter by hand, I pulse it cold in the processor. The blades do the work, distributing butter pieces that melt into flaky layers as the crust bakes.
The result? Fool-proof dough that even self-proclaimed crust-haters (me!) can master.
Cold butter is everything
Those icy chunks of butter cut through the flour and create steam pockets as they melt in the oven-that's what makes a flaky crust. Use butter straight from the fridge and water with ice cubes swirling in it.
Batch size & pie assembly
One batch makes enough dough for a single crust. For a double-crust pie like my classic Apple Pie, make the bottom crust first, chill it while you prepare the filling, then whirl up the top crust-no need to clean the processor between batches.
Use it with any filling
This dough works beautifully for fruit pies, custards, and savory fillings. You can pre-bake it (blind bake) for cream pies or fill and bake it for double-crust desserts.
Photos & Video by Frenchly Photography
Music by HookSounds
Tools I swear by
- Food processor
- Pastry scraper
- Rolling pin
- Glass pie plate
More from the pie kitchen
Full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below. Rate it ★★★★★ after baking-your feedback helps this recipe reach more home bakers!
All Butter Pie Crust
This fool-proof all-butter pie crust is tender, flaky, and deeply flavorful. The food-processor method cuts in cold butter fast—no pastry blender needed.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, diced and chilled
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2-4 tablespoons ice water
- food processor
- 8 or 9 inch pie plate
Instructions
- Dice cold butter into cubes and freeze for 10 minutes.
- Mix ⅓ cup water and 4-5 ice cubes together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Mix together the flour and the salt in a small bowl then pour into the bowl of the food processor.
- Add the cold cubed butter and pulse together until the butter is crumbly.
- Add 2 tablespoon of ice cold water and pulse the dough.
- Add up to 2 tablespoon more of ice cold water and pulse until the dough comes together in a ball.
- Dust flour over a clean surface and place dough on top.
- Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into 11-12 inch circle.
- Using the rolling pin, transfer the dough into the pie plate and gently press into the plate.
- Trim the extra dough off the edges.
- Crimp the dough edges.
- Fill and bake immediately.
all butter pie crusts are my fave-yours is gorgeous!