Buttery Flaky Pie Crust

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5 from 2 votes

This buttery flaky pie crust made with butter and shortening turns out perfect every time and is so simple to make.

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Chilling Time30

Total Time40

Course: Baking

Cuisine: American

Servings: pie crusts

Author: Julia Foerster

Equipment

Pie Plate

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose Flour
1 ¼ tsp salt
¼ cup vegetable shortening
10 Tbsp unsalted butter cut into small cubes and frozen for 15 min
10 Tbsp ice water

Instructions

In a medium bowl combine flour and salt. Add cubed shortening and cold butter, work it in roughly with a fork or pastry cutter.
Pour 4 Tbsp ice water over the flour mixture and toss the mixture gently together to combine. Add more water, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is fairly cohesive, chunky, and holds together when squeezed.
Pour mixture onto a floured worksurface and press it into a rectangle. Fold sides into the middle, flatten and fold sides over again. Divide in half.
Shape each piece into a rough flat disc. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and chill for 30 min in the fridge or overnight (let sit at room temp for 10 minutes before rolling out).
On a floured work surface roll out one dough disc into a 12” round for a 9” pie. Make sure the crust is not sticking by moving it around, sprinkle more flour if necessary.
Spray pie pan with oil spray, fold the crust in half and then quarter, and transfer to pie plate. Don’t stretch the dough, lift and rearrange instead, this prevents shrinking.
Proceed with the pie crust per your recipe’s instructions.

Notes

I prefer to use a glass pan because it makes it easy to see if the crust has browned and is cooked through.
If the crust browns too fast in the oven, use a pie crust shield or use aluminum foil with a hole cut in the center so the middle of the pie is still exposed.
To prevent a soggy pie crust, brush the crust with egg white before filling it.
To prevent shrinking, don’t stretch the dough on the pie plate, lift and rearrange it instead.
Don't overwork the dough or your crust will be tough. That's why I don't recommend using a food processor.
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To make rolling out the pie crust easier, take the dough out of the fridge 10 minutes before rolling it out.
Blind baking: This means either fully or partially baking the crust before adding a filling. Chill the crust after assembling the pie before putting it in the oven so it keeps its shape. Line the crust with parchment paper and completely fill it with either pie weights or dried beans, uncooked rice works too. Then bake it!
Fluting the edge: Use two hands to flute the edge of the pie crust by pushing your finger from one hand in between the thumb and index finger of the opposite hand (see images in the post).
Single-Crust Pie: Fold the edge of the crust under, squeeze together, and flute edges.
Double-Crust Pie: Trim the bottom crust with scissors within 1/2” of the rim of the pan. Add the filling, roll the remaining crust into a 12” circle and top the pie with it. Fold the edge of the top crust under the bottom crust and press together to seal. Flute edges or crimp them with a fork.

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