Perfect Pie Crust

This homemade Pie Crust recipe includes a full tutorial for making perfect pie crust every time! The BEST tender, buttery, and flaky pie crust recipe, and it’s so easy!

Looking for more pie crust recipes? Try my Oreo Pie Crust or Graham Cracker Crust!

Why I love this recipe:

• Butter AND Shortening – I combine both butter and shortening since they have different melting points. This ensures great stability and tenderness, while still having that delicious buttery taste we all love.
• Makes Two Crusts, perfect for those recipes that require a bottom and top crust, or simply freeze the other one for a different day.
• Simple – This easy pie crust recipe is definitely at the top of the list when it comes to recipes I ALWAYS make from scratch. It’s completely fool-proof, and the taste just can’t be beat!

How to make a Pie Crust:

Combine Ingredients: Start by adding the flour and salt to a mixing bowl, then add the cold shortening and butter.

• You want to keep the “fats” in the pie crust cold so that when they begin to melt in the oven they have time to create flakey, tender layers of crust.  Cold butter and shortening are so important in helping create that flaky pie crust that everyone loves!

Cut Fats into Flour: Use a pastry blender or forks to cut the fats into the flour until the mixture resembles crumbs.

Add Moisture: Add some ice water, just one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture starts to come together into a ball. (You may not need all of the ice water).

Form into Ball: The dough should not be sticky, be careful not to over-work it. Handle the dough just enough to form it into a ball.

Divide into two equal pieces and flatten each into a disc.

Refrigerate/Freeze: Cover the dough well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up 24 hours. You can also freeze the dough at this point. Place the wrapped disc of dough in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

How to roll out Pie Crust:

Prepare: Find a large, thin hand towel or cloth and get it barely damp. Lay on countertop and place a large piece of parchment paper over it. (The damp cloth will keep the parchment paper from sliding around as you roll out your pie dough). Remove pie dough from fridge and dust both sides with a little bit of flour. Place on parchment paper.

Roll Out: Use your rolling pin to gently press the pie dough out into a large circle. Always start at the center of the crust and work outwards. You want your crust to be thin, and a at least 1or 2 inches larger then the size of your pie tin.

Transfer into Dish: Place pie pan next to the rolled out pie crust. Lift the crust placing a hand underneath the parchment paper and gently flip the crust, guiding it into the pie pan. Settle the crust into the bottom and sides of the pan, then gently peel the parchment paper off.

Trim and Crimp Crust: Leave 1 inch overhang of excess crust around the edges, and use a butter-knife or kitchen scissors to trim anything larger. Fold the excess crust behind the outer edges to create a thicker crust border. Crimp or flute the edges, if desired.

Fill or Bake: At this point you can proceed and pie filling that requires baking (like pumpkin pie) and bake according to recipe instructions. Or, blind bake the pie crust to use in pie recipes that call for a pre-baked pie crust (like a pudding pie or this lemon sour cream pie). 

How to blind bake Pie Crust:

Why do I need pie weights? When blind-baking your crust, always use pie weights! You can use dry beans, dry rice, or pie weights. Pie weights help the pie crust to keep its shape. If you bake your crust without pie weights you risk the crust shrinking and shriveling down into the bottom of the pan.

Fill with Pie Weights: Place a large piece of parchment paper inside unbaked pie crust. Pour some dry beans, rice, or pie weights onto the parchment paper and smooth into an even layer.

Bake at 375° F for 15-20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and lift the parchment paper and weights out of the crust. Prick the the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, then return the pie to the oven to bake until lightly golden, about 10-15 more minutes.

Freezing Instructions:

To freeze pie crust dough: Prepare the pie dough, wrap the dough discs tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freeze ziplock bag.  Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator before rolling out.

To freeze unbaked pie crust: roll out pie crust and place in a freezer safe pie dish. Cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before filling or baking.

To freeze baked pie crust: Allow blind baked pie crust to cool completely. Cover well and freeze for up to 3 months.

Uses this Pie Crust recipe to make:

• Quiche, like Broccoli Cheese Quiche or Quiche Lorraine
• Savory pies like Chicken Pot Pie, Tomato Pie or Garden Vegetable Pie
• Triple Berry Pie
• Lemon Meringue Pie
• Lemon Sour Cream Pie
• Pumpkin Pie with Caramel Pecan Topping
• Pecan Pie
• Cherry Pie
• Apple Pie
• Coconut Cream Pie
• Peach Pie

UPDATED November 2016, March 2018 and November 2022.

*This post contains affiliate links. I like to share my favorite products with you!

This post contains affiliate links.