Single Crust Pie Dough

This article will teach you all about how to make the best pie crust from scratch that is tender and flaky. This all-purpose recipe is for one Single Crust Pie Dough to make a pie shell for open-faced pies such as fruit crumble pies, or those with cooked fillings like French Silk Pie or custard-based fillings like Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie. In this post I will cover all of the techniques and tips for making the ultimate pastry for your pies and tarts. If you love making pie, then be sure to check out my Classic Apple Pie recipe, or try this crust on my popular Espresso Chocolate Pecan Pie.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Easy recipe - you don't need a mixer to make perfect pie crust. In fact, I prefer to use my hands so I can control the extent of mixing so I don't over-work the dough.
• Tender pie crust - the two-step method I use to incorporate the butter means this pie crust will be tender AND flaky.
• Flaky pie crust - my technique of slicing cold butter into thin sheets helps promote lamination without having to fold and actually laminate the dough as you would when making puff pastry. The result is delicate, flaky pastry that still has integrity.
• Rich buttery taste - this is an all-butter pie crust recipe which means it is very flavorful. Although non-dairy fats like shortening and lard can product wonderful flaky results, they do not lend much taste. This recipe guarantees flakiness AND flavor!

INGREDIENTS FOR PIE CRUST RECIPE

• All-purpose flour - you can use specialty pastry flour, however I almost always use unbleached all-purpose flour to make pie crust. With the right amount of fat and the correct technique, you can make great pastry and there's no need for special flour. Pastry flour has a lower protein content and creates a more "short" texture to make pastries even more tender, but I like the strength that comes with AP flour so that I get nice flaky layers.
• Sugar - not all pie dough recipes contain sugar, such as the French "pate brisée" which is often used for savory tarts too. I always use a little bit of sugar in my sweet pie dough recipes because it achieves a few great things. For one, sugar enhances the flavor of the pastry; two, it makes the crust more tender as it interferes with gluten development; three, it promotes browning for both color and flavor; and four, it helps the dough roll out smoother. 
• Salt - this is important! Without a good amount of salt, pastry is bland. I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control how much salt to add, however salted butter still makes great pastry.
• Butter - butter adds unmatchable flavor to pastry, and bottom line is that butter is better, so never replace all of the butter with alternative fat in a recipe. Shortening is essentially flavorless. Butter also promotes browning thanks to the milk proteins and milk sugars that come together in a golden delicious reaction called "Maillard Browning". The tricky thing about butter is that its unique fat composition makes it hard and solid when cold but soft and spreadable at room temperature. It melts between 32-35 degrees C so it is best to work quickly and coldly.
• Water - ice cold water is ideal for pastry since it is more difficult for gluten to form in cold conditions and it keeps the fat cold in the pastry. Just do not let ice get in because as the ice melts, it will leave pockets of water that will make the dough soggy.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: How to make Single Crust Pie Dough

• Step 1). Flash freeze the butter. First place the butter in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Step 2). Combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to blend evenly.
• Step 3). Cut cold butter into small cubes if using a pastry cutter. Or, for best results, slice cold butter into thin sheets. This is my favorite technique for pie crust. I take a block of butter straight from the freezer and use a small sharp, thin-bladed serrated knife to slice it thinly. If you are using sticks of butter, imagine thin little squares. This creates cold sheets of fat that you can easily and quickly work into the flour so that it doesn't get too warm from your hands. The thin pieces also help create a laminated effect for extra flakiness.
• Step 4). Finely blend in some butter. Add 2 tablespoons (28g) of cold butter (keep the rest of the butter in the fridge) and rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it is evenly dispersed and the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs (you can also blend on medium-low speed in a stand mixer for 2 minutes or pulse in a food processor).
• Step 5). Press in remaining butter. Toss the remaining cold sliced butter into the flour mixture, then use your fingers to incorporate it, smearing it between your thumbs and fingertips to rub the flour into the butter. The thin slices will help create an instant laminated effect (watch the video at the top of the recipe card for a demonstration). Continue to rub in the fat until the mixture looks very shaggy and all of the fat is coated with flour without any large pieces, but also it shouldn't be blended in too finely as in Step 4. There should be some larger almond flake-sized pieces remaining and no dusty flour left in the bowl.
• Alternatively, instead of slicing the butter (if you find it too finicky) add the remaining cold butter in small cubes and rub it in, pressing and smearing it between your thumbs and fingertips to flatten pieces of butter. You can also use a pastry cutter (this is my all-time favorite one - it is strong and fits comfortably in the hand) to mince the butter into smaller pieces first. If you use my method of slicing the butter into thin sheets, then you can work it in with your hands and it will take much less effort than trying to press out cold cubes of fat. Continue to rub in the fat until it resembles coarse crumbs with some larger almond flake-sized pieces remaining. There should be no dusty flour in the bowl.
• Step 6). Add water. Gradually sprinkle in cold water, one tablespoon at a time, while gently tossing with a fork until the dough is moistened and it clings together in clumps. The dough will hold together when squeezed or pressed when it is ready and it will hold the impressions of your fingers, but it should not form a ball. You can add another tablespoon of water as needed if it is too dry. Do this part by hand and don't use the mixer once you add the water since it tends to over-mix in parts. Turn the shaggy mixture out onto a clean surface and bring it together with cupped hands, pressing in loose bits until it is cohesive. Do not knead.
• Step 7). Shape the dough. Lay a large piece of plastic on the counter and place the dough on top. If some shaggy bits fall off, place them on top and pile them onto the dough. Bring the sides of the plastic up and over the dough and use it to squeeze the dough together again.
• Step 8). Chill the dough. Wrap it firmly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or over night. You can also divide the shaggy dough in half and wrap each portion into two discs so you can keep one chilled while you roll the other one when making a double crust pie.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR FLAKY PIE CRUST

• Use cold butter and cold water to make the pastry. Cold ingredients will help with flakiness and also reduce the chances of gluten formation when water comes into contact with flour. This will ensure a tender crust.
• Keep the rolled out pie dough cold. Make sure your pie filling is ready to go as soon as you roll out the crust so that it doesn't have a chance to warm up, or roll the dough, line the pie dish with pastry and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to fill it.
• Blend a fraction of butter into the flour so it is well incorporated. This creates tenderness as the fat coats the flour particles to prevent excessive moisture absorption which limits gluten formation. The result is a "short" texture which is a baking term for tenderness as it relates to a "short bite", meaning that you don't need to pull much to break off a piece.
• Blend the remaining fat into larger, flattened pieces. This creates flakiness as the flattened pieces of fat will become laminated into the dough to create layers of dough with fat in between that will separate them and create flakes.
• Slice cold butter into thin sheets. This is my favorite technique for pie crust. I take a block of butter straight from the fridge and use a small sharp serrated knife to slice it thinly. This creates cold sheets of fat that you can easily and quickly work into the flour so that it doesn't get too warm from your hands. The thin pieces also help create a laminated effect for extra flakiness.
• Work quickly and be aware of the temperature of your butter when making pastry - if you feel that your dough mixture becomes oily, place it in the freezer for a few minutes until the fat firms up.
• Avoid any ice in the dough. Ice cold water is important for making pastry, but if you get any actual ice in the dough it will cause issues. The ice will melt into water and leave a soggy hole in the pastry. Be sure to strain the ice and only use the cold water.
• Do not over-mix the pie dough. Over-working the dough will activate gluten which will make the dough more stretchy and tough. You only need to fold the dough over itself once or twice and then press and compress it together. Do not knead.
• Use a glass pie dish. I prefer to bake pies in glass as opposed to metal or ceramic because it conducts heat evenly and will retain heat to help cook the filling. Ceramic takes too long to heat through which means the crust is more likely to be soggy, while metal conducts heat very quickly but will not retain enough heat so the crust may burn before the filling starts to cook. In addition to this, glass allows you to see through to the bottom so you know when the crust is evenly browned.
• Blind bake your crust for wet fillings or pre-cooked fillings. This is a must for desserts such as pumpkin pie that bake with a wet filling. If you don't par-bake or fully-bake the crust, then it will definitely be soggy.
• Use pie weights if you are blind-baking. If you bake an empty pastry shell, then it will most likely shrink too much. It is important to use baking beads, dried beans or dried rice for even browning and to prevent shrinking. You can store them away and re-use them almost indefinitely.
• Bake very hot for the first 10-20 minutes. This is true whether you blind bake or not. Bake the pie at a higher temperature for the first half so that it sets the dough before all of the fat melts. As the fat melts, the dough shrinks and if you can set this structure in place before the water in the butter evaporates, then you can keep the shape intact better. It also helps brown the bottom crust to minimize sogginess.
• Use a pie crust shield. This will help protect the edge crust from burning before the filling is fully cooked through. It is important to bake pies at a high temperature to make a flaky crust and also to cook the dense filling, but since pies need a long baking time, it does mean the crust is prone to browning very quickly. I often fold up some aluminum foil and curve it around to loosely cover the crust for a homemade shield (see the video below for an example).

RECIPE FAQ

BEST TOOLS FOR MAKING PIE

• Pastry cutter - if you prefer to not use your hands, I highly recommend a pastry cutter which will help keep the ingredients cold and prevent over-working.
• Rolling pin - you can use anything long that rolls to roll out pie dough, including a wine bottle. My favorite rolling pin is a French tapered rolling pin. I've had this one for almost 2 decades. It is lightweight, easy to store and clean, and it will last me for life!
• Pizza cutter - this is handy to cut strips of pastry to make a lattice top, although I also often use a sharp long knife and a straight edge (like a ruler).
• Glass pie dish - I've had this 8-inch pie dish also for 20 years and it is my go-to!
• Pastry brush - a pie without an egg wash is just not worth it! The egg wash adds so much appeal, adding a rich golden, crisp and glossy top. Lightly brush the pie dough with beaten egg and the fine bristles help it disperse evenly. I always use one to brush biscotti before baking as well. Without and egg wash, pie can turn out dull and lacking color.
• Pie weights - these ceramic beads are so handy for weighing down pie dough when blind baking crust for open pies with pre-cooked or wet fillings such as custard pies.
• Pie crust shield - it's very helpful to cover the edges of a pie with a pie crust shield about halfway through baking in order to prevent the crust from burning before the filling is fully cooked. I often make my own from folding up several layers of aluminum foil and shaping it around the pie.

Recipes you might want to try to practice your awesome new pastry skills:

The Best Blueberry Pie Classic Apple Pie Gooey Little Pecan Tarts All Butter Raspberry Peach Pie