All-Purpose Flaky Pastry Dough

Two Tricks to Start as Cold as Possible

1. I keep some of my butter in the freezer and transfer it to the refrigerator a few hours before beginning the crust. This way it is still a little bit frozen and very, very cold. Simply keep the shortening in the refrigerator.
2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl (the flour and salt). Place the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.

---

Start With These 5 Ingredients

The ingredient list for pie crust is short & simple:

1. Flour: Start with quality flour. Did you know that not all all-purpose flours are equal? King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour is my go-to for not only pie crust, but for everything. (Not working with the brand, just a true fan!) Why? Its high protein level: “At 11.7% protein, it tops ordinary American all-purpose flours by nearly 2 percentage points.” What does this mean? Baked goods rise higher and stay fresh longer.
2. Salt: Enhances the flavor.
3. Butter: For that unparalleled buttery flavor and flaky layers.
4. Vegetable Shortening: For structure and stability. More on this below.
5. Ice water: Liquid brings the dough together. Some recipes call for half water and half vodka, because alcohol doesn’t promote gluten formation, which helps the crust stay flaky and tender. Basically, it’s a gift to anyone who accidentally overworks dough. If you want to try using vodka, use 1/4 cup (60ml) each cold vodka and cold water in this recipe.

You can use this pie dough for so many recipes beyond a traditional pie, too, such as mini pecan pies, mini fruit galettes, apple hand pies, and homemade brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts.

For a baker, there’s nothing more satisfying than making a pie completely from scratch. Pies are often made for special occasions, and there’s a good reason for that: they’re time consuming. This shouldn’t scare you! It should intrigue you. If you’ve ever felt intimidated about making homemade pie crust, I’m here to walk you through it and cheer you on. If I can do this, you can do this.

Pie crust is the foundation for so many delicious desserts (plus savory pies and quiche), so once you build up your confidence in making a crust, you’re opening a door to an entire baking category. And that’s exciting! Whether your favorite pie filling is apple pie or creamy banana cream pie, or even eggs & cheese, the success of the overall pie can really hinge on the quality of the crust.

You wouldn’t hang a beautiful piece of art or favorite photo in a terrible frame, right?

---

Today I’m teaching you everything about making a buttery, flaky pie crust. This is my absolute favorite pie crust recipe and one of the most popular recipes on this website.

In her cookbook What’s For Dessert, Claire Saffitz swears to have uncovered the method for the easiest and most foolproof ultra-flaky pie pastry. She brings the dough together with a bench knife, then cuts and stacks it to create lots of layers without sacrificing tenderness. While this pastry might require a bit more hands-on time to make than other versions you’ve tried, it yields a generous quantity of supremely flaky pastry, so you’ll likely have extra to freeze. Use it in Claire’s Walnut and Oat Slab Pie or your favorite pie recipes for excellent results.  

enough for 2 single-crust pies, 1 double-crust pie, or 2 galettes

Hide images

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.  

   

2. Add the butter to the bowl with the dry ingredients and toss, separating the pieces and coating them in the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to quickly break and smash the pieces of butter into smaller bits (it’s OK if some of the butter is left in large pieces; you’ll break it up more in the next step). Make a well in the center of the bowl and add 2/3 cup (152g) of the ice water. Toss with a fork to distribute the water until you have a clumpy mixture with lots of dry spots. 

   

3. Tip the contents of the bowl out onto a clean work surface. Use a bench knife or bowl scraper to chop up the mixture, breaking up the clumps and pieces of butter and periodically using the scraper to toss and push the mixture back into a pile. Continue to chop and toss the mixture until it’s broken down into small, uniform pieces with very few floury spots and the butter pieces are no larger than a pea. This process helps bring the dough together without working it excessively, increasing tenderness. 

   

4. Push the mixture into a pile and squeeze it with your hands so it holds together in large pieces. If you still have some dry floury areas, move any large pieces to one side, leaving the dry bits in the pile. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of ice water over the floury area, then use the bench knife or bowl scraper in the same chopping motion to evenly distribute the water. Squeeze the dough to bring it together, move the large pieces to the side, then repeat with more ice water as needed until no dry flour remains on the surface.  

   

5. Use your hands to pat the dough firmly into a square, then use a floured rolling pin to flatten the square until it’s 3/4″ thick. Pat around the four sides with your hands or the scraper to square off and compact the dough then cut it in half.  

   

6. Lift one half up (again, using the scraper to help) and place it directly on top of the other. Use the scraper to lift the stack of dough and dust underneath with more flour, then roll over it with the pin to flatten and lengthen it slightly, dusting the top with flour if needed to prevent sticking. Cut the dough in half again, this time crosswise, and stack the halves again. The stacking and flattening increases the flakiness of the dough and further distributes the moisture, making it easier to roll out.  

   

7. Working quickly, use the scraper to loosen the dough from the surface and dust underneath and on top with more flour, then flatten it with the rolling pin into a long rectangle measuring 3/4″ thick.  

   

8. If making the Walnut & Oat Slab Pie leave the rectangle whole. If making a round pie, cut the rectangle in half crosswise to make 2 equal portions. Whatever form the dough takes when it’s chilled is the form it will most easily assume when being rolled out, so if it’s destined to be round, as for a pie, use the heel of your hand to round off any corners and press the portion(s) into more of a disk shape. If it’s destined to be rectangular, pat around the sides to straighten and square off the corners.  

   

9. Wrap each piece in your favorite reusable wrapper, maintaining the round or rectangular shape. Roll over the wrapped pieces with the rolling pin to flatten the dough and force it to fill out the wrap (applying this pressure will help prevent cracking later).  

   

10. Transfer the dough to the refrigerator and chill until it’s very cold and firm, at least 2 hours. If a recipe requires a single portion of dough, freeze the other portion and save it for another use.  
     

11. To roll out the chilled pastry dough: Remove the cold pastry dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for a minute or two to soften slightly. Unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface.  
     

12. Use a rolling pin to beat the dough evenly across the surface, applying enough force to leave an imprint but not enough to crack or splinter it. If rolling it into a round, lift and rotate the dough every couple of whacks to keep the round shape. If rolling it into a square or rectangle, beat the dough lengthwise across the entire surface, then rotate it 90° (a quarter turn) and beat crosswise, repeating several times in both directions. Continue to beat the dough, lifting it frequently and adding more flour if needed to prevent sticking, until it’s just under 1/2″ thick. This will make the dough pliable and easier to roll out while still cold. 

    

13. Dust underneath and on top of the dough with more flour, then roll it out, frequently lifting and rotating the dough to work it into a round, or turning it 90° every so often and rolling it lengthwise and crosswise for a square or rectangle. Continue to roll, keeping the dough moving on the work surface and dusting it with more flour as needed to prevent sticking, until you have the size and/or thickness specified in the recipe. If it starts to feel soft or sticky, transfer the dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate until it’s cold and firm, about 10 minutes, then proceed.

    

Tips from our Bakers

• If you’re working in a hot kitchen, the butter might soften and make the dough sticky and difficult to handle. If this happens, transfer the dough to the refrigerator or freezer and chill until it’s firm, 10 to 15 minutes, before proceeding.  

• Don’t skip the stacking process, as it’s needed to give the dough some structure. Bringing the dough together with the bench knife or bowl scraper is such a gentle method that it might not develop sufficient gluten, so without stacking, the dough could crack during rolling or baking. 

• If your dough is slightly underhydrated, meaning it doesn’t have enough moisture to bind the flour (unlikely given the above method, but not impossible), it might crack in places. If this happens, stop rolling and trim off a piece of dough from along the edge large enough to cover the entire cracked area. Press the piece of dough firmly over the area and proceed with rolling. 

For more recipes like this subscribe to our newsletter

View our privacy policy

Recommended Recipes

Claire Saffitz has made a lot of pie crusts in her lifetime, always tweaking and experimenting to find the best method. So when she tells us she’s found a new crust technique that’s basically failproof, we listen. 

After a lot of experimentation (and a lot of pies), she recently landed on what she calls “the most successful method I’ve found to date.” Crucially, she uses a bench knife — rather than her hands — to bring the dough together. “Not only does this prevent the butter from warming from the heat of your hands, but it also very evenly distributes the water,” she explains. Thoroughly hydrating the dough means there are fewer dry spots, which leads to less cracking while rolling.

There’s another benefit to the bench knife: “The butter gets broken up into pieces of all different sizes,” says Claire. “It results in a crust with a great balance of tender and flaky; tender from smaller pieces of butter, flaky from the larger.” 

The result? “A dough that gives you the best of both worlds,” raves Test Kitchen Director Sarah Jampel. “Unlike with a food processor or a stand mixer, you have total control of the size of your butter pieces; and unlike with your hands, you don’t risk warming the butter up quickly with body heat.” 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DcCa_dHHu30%3Fautoplay%3D0%26start%3D0%26rel%3D0

Combine the dry ingredients, butter, and water

This method starts like most pie doughs. Claire mixes the dry ingredients — flour, sugar, and salt — and adds cold butter, sliced thinly crosswise. The butter gets tossed to coat with flour, then Claire uses her fingertips to break the butter into smaller pieces. The key here: small-er, not small. The butter pieces can remain quite large, as they will be more thoroughly broken down later.

Photography and food styling by Liz Neily

Next the ice water gets added, and everything is tossed with a fork to form a clumpy mixture with lots of dry spots. (Claire prefers a fork to help prevent the wetter parts of dough from getting stuck to her hands.)

While most pie dough recipes might have you continue this step until a dough is formed, Claire pauses here — when the mixture is still extremely dry and uneven — and uses a different technique to finish the dough.

Photography and food styling by Liz Neily

Use a bench knife to work the mixture directly on the surface

First, she tips the bowl’s contents onto a work surface. “I love to work directly on the bench to bring together dough,” she says. “Using a bowl to contain everything feels a bit restrictive.”

She then uses the straight edge of a bench knife (or bowl scraper) to chop up the mixture, breaking up the clumps of butter and periodically using the scraper to toss and push the mixture back into a pile.

(No bench knife? Claire says, “Any dull straight-edge will work here. You could use the flat end of a metal spatula, or even two butter knives in a slicing motion.”) 

This step further breaks down the butter pieces — you’ll get some small pieces to create tenderness and some larger pieces to get flakiness. And it’s all done without using your hands and warming the butter.

What this also does is distribute the water, hydrating the flour evenly but gently so that the dough isn’t overworked. This way, the dough can be rolled out easily because it’s not too dry, nor is it gummy from too much water or tough from too much gluten development.

Photography and food styling by Liz Neily

Bring the dough together

Once the butter is broken down into small pieces no larger than a pea, Claire pushes it into a pile and squeezes with her hands until it holds together in large pieces. At this point, the entire mixture may hold together without dry spots, in which case she moves to the next step.

However, if the dough continues to have some floury areas, she’ll move the larger clumps to the side, leaving the floury bits left behind in a pile. She drizzles 1/2 tablespoon of ice water over the floury area, then uses the bench knife in the same chopping motion to evenly distribute the water. Again, she squeezes to bring the mixture together, moving any large pieces to the side and continuing with more ice water until no floury bits remain.

Photography and food styling by Liz Neily

Stack the dough

Once the dough is formed, Claire stacks it to make more layers — another trick to increase flakiness. After patting the dough into a rough square about 3/4″ thick (the dimensions here don’t need to be exact; it can be rectangular, more of a square, etc.), she uses the bench knife to cut the dough in half, then places one half directly on top of the other. She uses a rolling pin to flatten and lengthen the stack slightly, then cuts it in half again and stacks the halves once more.

Not only does this stacking and flattening increase the flakiness of the dough, but it also further distributes the moisture, making it easier to roll out.

Potential pitfall: If you’re working in a hot kitchen, the butter might soften and make the dough sticky and difficult to handle. If this happens, transfer the dough to the refrigerator or freezer and chill until it’s firm, about 10 to 15 minutes, before proceeding. Don’t skip the stacking process, as it’s needed to give the dough some structure. Bringing the dough together with the bench scraper is such a gentle method that it might not develop sufficient gluten, so without stacking, the dough could crack during baking.

Photography and food styling by Liz Neily

Divide, wrap, and chill

Once flattened with a rolling pin into a long rectangle measuring 3/4″ thick, the dough is ready to be portioned, shaped, and chilled. Claire uses the bench knife one last time to cut the dough in half and make two equal portions — each for one piece of dough. If she’s ultimately going to roll the dough into a circle for a pie pan, she’ll use the heel of her hands to gently shape into a disk so it’s easier to roll out round.

Claire wraps each piece in plastic or reusable food wrap, maintaining the round or rectangular shape. She rolls over the wrapped pieces with the rolling pin to flatten the dough and force it to fill out the plastic or food wrap (applying this pressure will help prevent cracking later), then transfers to the refrigerator to chill until very cold and firm, at least two hours.

Photography and food styling by Liz Neily

Bake your pie of choice

From here, the pie dough is ready to be turned into the recipe of your choice. Might we suggest a recipe from Claire herself? Try Walnut & Oat Slab Pie, featuring a filling of oats and nuts enveloped in brown butter, cream, and cinnamon, or Cinnamon-and-Sugar Apple Pie, a classic pie with twists like a dusting of cinnamon sugar on the top crust and a big dash of bitters in the filling.  

Cover photo (All-Purpose Flaky Pastry Dough) and food styling by Liz Neily

How to Make Pie Dough by Hand

We don’t need no stinkin’ food processor! Make a flaky, all-butter pie dough by hand with our step-by-step instructions and you’ll be well on your way to pie dough mastery.

Updated November 01, 2022

Pie lovers know that an all-butter crust is the gold standard of flakiness and flavor. Sure, lard and shortening have their place, but you really can’t go wrong with butter.

Except that butter melts more easily. Ay, there’s the rub! Butter starts to melt around 89.5°F, but the average body temperature is 98.6°F. Many-a hopeful pie maker has been thwarted by pie dough that became greasy, sticky, or soft enough to fall apart as they handled it.

That’s why food processors gained ground as the tool of choice: they cut down on the time your warm hands get pawsy with the dough. The food processor method is how I learned, in fact. But over the years, I gained confidence and learned a few key secrets to making pie dough by hand, which I find easier and ultimately faster than using a food processor.

The Case for Pie Dough by Hand

• I hate washing a food processor
• Not everyone has one
• The baked crust is superior

Why does pie dough made by hand bake into a more noteworthy crust? Because pulsing cubes of butter in a food processor makes rounded bits. In the oven, these bake into a tender crust. 

But when you make dough by hand, you use your fingertips to smoosh the cold butter bits into flakes. Rolling the dough out stretches these flakes into layers that puff up in the oven and become crispy, flaky pie dough versus the melty-tender pie dough you get from the food processor method. 

Both have merit, but my preference is a flaky crust and no food processor to wash.

Temperature Is Everything

Have you ever heard the saying “cold hands, warm heart”? Its origins have nothing to do with pie, but it does illustrate an important point. The natural temperature of your hands will determine the ease with which you can make an all-butter crust. 

My average body temperature seems to hover around 97°F and my hands in particular are always slightly warmer than a corpse. The only time this trait is advantageous is in working with pastry, when nuances of half a degree can make the difference between the pliable yet firm butter desirable for pie dough and the soft, greasy butter that’s better suited for slathering all over corn on the cob. 

Generally speaking, the less handsy you are with pie dough, the better it will be. But this is especially true for those of you who run hot. Your hands are natural butter-melting machines. How, then, do you have any hope of making an all-butter crust with them?

Tips for Keeping Your Cool 

• The tips are the coolest part of your fingers. Use your fingertips to bring the dough together rather than your whole hands. 
• Rely on tools if it helps. For the hot-blooded, gadgets can be lifesavers. Pastry cutters are made just for cutting the butter into the dough in a hands-free manner. Or just use a fork.
• Your fridge and freezer are big assets. Keeping your ingredients and dough cold at all times during the process will make the path to perfect pie dough a smooth one. If your dough is getting soft or greasy, put it in the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes to get it firmed up again. As you wait, take a breather. Pie dough can tell when you are rushed or anxious. Remember, it’s only pie! 

Thank you to The Castle in Marietta, Ohio, for hosting us for this photo shoot.

Pies to Bake With Buttery Crusts

You can double this recipe for 2 crusts (for a double crust pie, for example), but for those who are first-timers, I recommend making one crust at a time until you have the hang of it.

• 1 1/4 cups ()

• , optional

• 1 stick () cold

• 3 to (see recipe note)

To Make the Dough

1. Prep your ingredients and work station:

   On a clean countertop, set out a piece of plastic wrap about a foot and a half long.

   Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Set aside.

   Cube the butter into 1/4-inch chunks, or—this is my preference—quickly grate it using the coarse holes of a box grater. If the butter is starting to get soft, pop it in the freezer for 10  minutes.

2. Work the butter into the dough:

   Add the butter bits to the bowl of dry ingredients and toss to coat. With the tips of your fingers, smash and pinch the tiny butter cubes to make crumbles and flakes no larger than peas. Stick the whole bowl in the freezer for a few minutes if the butter starts to feel greasy.

   Simple Tip!

   You may also use a pastry cutter or a large metal fork (good options for those with warm hands, as it keeps the butter from melting). Old cookbooks will recommend cutting the butter in with two table knives, but I’ve never had luck with that.

3. Add the chilled liquid:

   Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of ice water (or whichever chilled liquid you choose) over the mixture and toss it all together like a salad (don’t knead). Continue tossing and adding liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until everything comes together to form a rough, shaggy mass that holds its shape when you press a clump together. Err on the side of slightly sticky, rather than dry and crumbly, if you’re unsure when to stop.

4. Chill 30 minutes before rolling:

   Shape into a ball, place on the precut plastic wrap, and flatten into a disc about 6 inches across. Wrap the disc securely and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

   Simple Tip!

   You may refrigerate the dough for 2 to 3 days before rolling it out. Let the dough sit on the counter for 15 minutes before rolling. You may also freeze the wrapped disc of dough for up to 6 months.

To Roll the Dough

1. Gather your tools:

   This is best done in a cool kitchen, which keeps the dough from breaking down and becoming fragile and greasy. If your kitchen is hot, consider working early in the morning, when it’s coolest.

   Simple Tip!

   Don’t have a pastry cloth? Line your countertop with a few overlapping large sheets of plastic wrap. This makes for easy cleanup.

2. Working from the center of the dough, roll away from you and then toward you, rotating the disk of dough bit by bit as you roll. This helps keep it from sticking. Dust the dough and/or the counter with more flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.

   To line a 9-inch pie dish, you’ll want a circle of dough at least 14 inches across.

3. Transfer the rolled-out dough to the dish:

   Brush the excess flour off the dough with a clean, dry pastry brush or your hand. Lift the rolled-out dough into the dish by rolling it up on the pin and letting it drape over the center of the dish. Carefully press down the dough to line the bottom and sides of the dish.

   Simple Tip!

   There’s usually no need to grease the pie dish, but it’s often easier for new bakers to grease it just to be safe.

4. Shape the crust:

   Trim the excess from the sides of the pan. If you’d like to create a folded and pinched edge, leave about 1 inch of overhang. If the dough is too brittle to easily fold without it cracking, just trim it so the crust is even with the rim of the pan.

   To make a fluted edge, gently fold the inch of overhanging dough so you can tuck it under itself, making a clean, thick edge. Then use your thumb and forefinger to pinch and flute the edges. 

   Don’t worry about a picture-perfect crust! Imperfections often disappear once the pie is baked. 

   To blind-bake the crust (fully bake the crust without any filling), proceed as you would with any other pie dough.

   Simple Tip!

   I like to take any trimmings left over from rolling out a pie crust, form them into a ball, and chill them for 5 or 10 minutes. Then I roll it into a rectangle, sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar, and fold it over before rolling it a second time to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into strips about 1/4 to 1/2 inch across, sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar, and bake at about 400°F until crispy and golden brown. What a treat!

   Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!

Show Full Nutrition Label
Hide Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

What is Wienerbrødsdej?

So, what is Danish pastry dough, or wienerbrødsdej? Well, let’s start with the name. Wienerbrød is what we call Danish pastries in Denmark, which translates to “Vienna bread.” This is because Austrian bakers were actually the first to bring these techniques to Denmark. The irony is that nowadays, these pastries are known as “Danishes” throughout the rest of the world, but “Vienna bread” in Denmark!

These Step-By-Step Photos Will Help

Take the butter and shortening out of the refrigerator. Cube the cold butter and measure out the cold shortening. Give the shortening a little chop—this is actually optional because, truly, the shortening is quite soft even when cold so it’s easy to mix in.

Now it’s time to combine everything. Add the butter and shortening to the dry ingredients, and use a pastry cutter (or 2 forks) to cut in the fats. Some pie crust recipes use a food processor for this, but I don’t recommend it, because it can lead to overworking the fats into the dough, cutting them up too small—which means you’ll need less water and your dough will fall apart. In this step, you’re only breaking up the cold fat into tiny little flour-coated pieces; you’re not completely incorporating it:

Cut in the fats until the mixture resembles coarse meal—crumbly with lots of lumps, as you see above. You should still have some larger pieces of butter and shortening when you’re done.

From a cup of ice water, measure out 1/2 cup (120ml), since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water into the dough 1 Tablespoon (15ml) at a time, stirring after every Tablespoon has been added.

You’ll add just a little water at a time so that you don’t accidentally add too much. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I usually use 1/2 cup (120ml) of water, but if the weather is humid, you may not need as much, and if the weather is really dry, you may need a little more.

If too much water is added, the pie dough will require more flour and become tough.

If too little water is added, you’ll notice the dough is dry and crumbly when you try to roll it out and handle it.

You want the dough to clump together, but not feel overly sticky. Once the dough is clumping together, transfer the dough to a floured work surface.

Using floured hands, fold and smush (yes, that’s the technical term) the dough into itself, forming the dough into a ball. Your hands are your best tool, just like when making homemade puff pastry.

The ball of dough should come together easily. If it feels a bit too dry or crumbly, dip your fingers in the ice water and then continue forming the dough with your hands. If it feels too sticky, sprinkle on more flour and then continue forming the dough with your hands.

Once your ball of pie dough has come together, use a sharp knife to cut it in half:

This is enough dough for 2 pie crusts. You can use both crusts for a double-crust pie, like chicken pot pie and strawberry rhubarb pie; or, if your pie doesn’t require a top crust, like coconut cream pie, brownie pie, and lemon meringue pie, save the second pie crust for another pie. You can also roll out the second dough and use cookie cutters to make an easy pie design, like on this pumpkin pie.

---

Troubleshooting Pie Crust

• Pie crust is tough: Tough crusts are the result of not enough fat in the crust, as well as overworking the dough. Use the recipe below (plenty of fat) and avoid handling the dough more than you need.
• Don’t have enough pie dough: This recipe yields 2 pie crusts. To ensure you have enough pie dough for overhang and a pretty topping, roll your dough out to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick.
• Pie crust shrinks down the sides of the dish when baking: This can happen when par-baking a pie crust. See section below.
• Pie dough is dry & cracking around edges when rolling: Use enough ice water when preparing the pie dough. If you work the fats into the dry ingredients too much, the dough will feel too wet before you can add enough water. (And the dough will be dry and thirsty.) Do not overwork the fats in the dry ingredients—you still want those nice crumbles. If it’s too late and you notice the edges of your pie crust are cracking as you roll it out, dip your fingers in ice-cold water and meld the edges back together. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
• Pie dough is falling apart & crumbling when rolling: The dough is likely crumbling because there’s too much fat, and not enough flour and water. Again, this is usually a result of fat being worked in too much, which can easily happen if the ingredients weren’t cold enough. (Refrigerate those dry ingredients before you start!) If it’s too late and the pie dough is crumbling as you roll it out, try adding more water AND more flour. Sprinkle a tiny bit of ice water and flour onto the cracks and crumbled pieces, and gently work it all in with your fingers. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.

Gently work ice water drops and flour into your crumbly pie dough to bring it back together:

---

---

Visible Specks and Swirls of Fat in Pie Dough

Take a look at the inside of the dough where you just sliced it. You want to see pieces of butter and flaky layers throughout the pie dough. These specks and swirls of butter and shortening will help ensure a flaky pie dough. They are a GOOD thing!

Now your pie dough is ready for a rest in the refrigerator. Flatten each half into 1-inch-thick discs using your hands. The disc shape makes it easier to roll out. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.

Difficulties of Wienerbrødsdej

However, the challenge of making this type of dough is that it is extremely difficult to master. Any tiny misjudgment, such as underproofing the pastry by 20 minutes, could result in all the butter leaking out in the oven and giving you greasy rather than buttery pastries. The lamination is also a challenge, as the butter has to remain cold so it doesn’t leak out of the dough, but also pliable so that it doesn’t break into chunks when you roll it out. If it does, you won’t end up with smooth layers of butter in the dough. So, as you can see, it is not without its challenges. However, if you do decide to try your hand at this dough, we have offered you all the possible tips we can in our recipe down below!

You can check out our YouTube video for a demo on how to fold and laminate the dough! Be sure to check out the recipe for full details and instructions as well. Let us know if you try out the recipe down below in the comments!

PASTRY DOUGH

• instant yeast (2.25 tsp active dry yeast, 17.5g fresh yeast)
• (2/3 cup) warm water
• (2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• (about 3 sticks) European (high fat %) unsalted butter (for laminating the dough)
• egg for egg wash

Can I Freeze Pie Dough?

Yes, absolutely, and I encourage it! Pie crust freezes beautifully, so it’s a great thing to make ahead of time. Store the tightly wrapped discs of pie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months.

If you know you’re going to want several pies around the holidays, or when your favorite fruit will be in season (cherry pie, anyone?), you can cut down on the amount of time it takes to make pies from scratch the day you want them by making several pie crusts in advance and freezing them.

Thaw the pie crust dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out. It will be extra cold, which is a great starting point.

---

A Challenging Dough

Pie Crust Success Tips

1. Use a glass pie dish. I prefer using a glass pie dish when I make pie. Why? Glass dishes conduct heat evenly, which allows the bottom of the crust to bake thoroughly. Also, you’ll be able to see when the sides and bottom of the crust have browned.
2. The refrigerator is pie dough’s best friend. Keep everything cold every step of the way: ingredients, the bowl, and the dough before rolling. When taking the pie crust out of the refrigerator to roll out and fill, make sure your pie filling is ready to go. If not, keep the pie crust in the refrigerator until it is.
3. Keep dough cold when rolling out: Warm pie dough is unworkable. If the dough becomes too warm when you’re rolling it out, stop what you’re doing, pick it up as gently as you can, put it on a plate or small baking sheet, and then cover and refrigerate it for 10–20 minutes.
4. Protect the crust edges from burning: Use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from burning. A shield keeps the crust edge covered, but the center of the pie exposed, protecting the edges. I usually just make a pie shield out of a piece of aluminum foil. Take a piece of aluminum foil and fold it in half. Cut out a half circle. When you open it back up, you’ll have a square of foil with a circle cut out of the center. If you notice the edges of your pie crust are browning before the pie has fully baked, carefully and gently place the foil over the top of the pie, centering the cut-out hole over the pie. Carefully (obviously it’s very hot!) and lightly tuck the sides of the foil around the pie crust edges, then let the pie finish baking.
5. Create a beautiful topping: For designing the top crust, see How to Lattice Pie Crust, How to Braid Pie Crust, or these Pie Crust Designs.

---

Description

This recipe is enough for a double crust pie. If you only need 1 crust for your pie, freeze the other half per the Freezing Instructions below. Is your pie dough tearing, cracking, or crumbling as you try to roll it out? See recipe Notes.

---

• and 1/2 cups () all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for shaping and rolling
• salt
• () unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• () vegetable shortening, chilled
• (120ml) ice cold water

---

1. Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Add the butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). In this step, you’re only breaking up the cold fat into tiny little flour-coated pieces; you’re not completely incorporating it. Do not overwork the ingredients.
3. Measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water, since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon (15ml) at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon has been added. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use about 1/2 cup of water, and need a little more in dry winter months. Do not add any more water than you need.
4. Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Avoid overworking the dough. If it feels a bit too dry or crumbly, dip your fingers in the ice water and then continue bringing dough together with your hands. If it feels too sticky, sprinkle on more flour and then continue bringing dough together with your hands. Form it into a ball. Use a sharp knife to cut it in half. If it’s helpful, you should have about 1 lb, 8 ounces dough total (about 680g). Gently flatten each half into 1-inch-thick discs using your hands.
5. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.
6. After the dough has chilled for at least 2 hours, you can roll it out. Work with one crust at a time, keeping the other in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roll it out. Lightly flour the work surface, rolling pin, and your hands, and sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Use gentle-medium force with your rolling pin on the dough—don’t press down too hard on the dough; you’re not mad at it! When rolling dough out, start from the center and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go. Between passes of the rolling pin, rotate the pie crust and even flip it, to make sure it’s not sticking to your work surface. Sprinkle on a little more flour if it’s sticking; don’t be afraid to use a little more flour. If you notice the dough becoming a lopsided circle as you’re rolling it out, put down the rolling pin and use your hands to help mold the dough back into an even circle. Roll the dough into a very thin 12-inch circle, which is the perfect size to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Your pie dough will be about 1/8 inch thick, which is quite thin. Visible specks of butter and fat in the dough are perfectly normal and expected.
7. Because your dough is so thin, use your rolling pin to help transfer the pie crust to the pie dish. Carefully roll one end of the circle of dough gently onto the rolling pin, rolling it back towards you, slowly peeling it off the work surface as you go. Pick it up, and carefully roll it back out over the top of the pie dish. It’s helpful to watch how I do it in the video below.
8. Proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions. If your dough requires par-baking, see helpful How to Par-Bake Pie Crust tutorial.

Notes

1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare the pie dough through step 5 and freeze the discs for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using in your pie recipe.
2. Special Tools: Pastry Cutter & Rolling Pin. For more tools you may need to completely assemble and bake your pie, see my 10 Best Pie Baking Tools list.
3. Salt: Use regular table salt. If using kosher salt, use 1 and 1/4 teaspoons.
4. Shortening: This recipe uses a butter and shortening combination. Butter for flakiness and flavor, and shortening for its high melting point and ability to help the crust hold shape. You can use butter-flavor shortening if desired. If you want to skip the shortening, feel free to try this all-butter pie crust instead. Some readers have substituted lard for shortening in this recipe with success.
5. Can I use a food processor? You can use a food processor to bring the dough ingredients together in step 1, but I find it quickly overworks the dough. For best results and a light, flaky crust, I recommend a pastry cutter.
6. Pie dough is dry & cracking around edges when rolling: Use enough ice water when preparing the pie dough. If you work the fats into the dry ingredients too much, the dough will feel too wet before you can add enough water. (And the dough will be dry and thirsty.) Do not overwork the fats in the dry ingredients—you still want those nice crumbles. If it’s too late and you notice the edges of your pie crust are cracking as you roll it out, dip your fingers in ice-cold water and meld the edges back together. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
7. Pie dough is falling apart & crumbling when rolling: The dough is likely crumbling because there’s too much fat, and not enough flour and water. Again, this is usually a result of fat being worked in too much, which can easily happen if the ingredients weren’t cold enough. (Refrigerate those dry ingredients before you start!) If it’s too late and the pie dough is crumbling as you roll it out, try adding more water AND more flour. Sprinkle a tiny bit of ice water and flour onto the cracks and crumbled pieces, and gently work it all in with your fingers. Wait a minute, and then try rolling out again.
8. More Crusts: If you need more than 2 pie crusts, make another separate batch of dough. Doubling or tripling the recipe leads to over- or under-working the dough, which ruins all of your efforts.

Keywords: pie crust

How to Roll Out Pie Crust

After the dough has chilled for at least 2 hours, you can roll it out. Work with one crust at a time, keeping the other in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roll it out. You’ll need a clean work surface, a rolling pin, and some flour. Lightly flour the work surface, rolling pin, and your hands, and sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Use gentle-medium force with your rolling pin on the dough—don’t press down too hard on the dough; you’re not mad at it!

When rolling dough out, start from the center and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go:

Between passes of the rolling pin, rotate the pie crust and even flip it, to make sure it’s not sticking to your work surface. Sprinkle on a little more flour if it’s sticking. Roll, turn. Roll, turn.

Do you see that beautiful marbling of the butter and shortening throughout the dough? Flaky layers, here you come!

Success Tip: If you notice the dough becoming a lopsided circle as you’re rolling it out, put down the rolling pin and use your hands to help mold the dough back into an even circle:

Roll the dough into a thin 12-inch circle, which is the perfect size to fit a 9-inch pie dish. You want enough crust to have some overhang so you can make a decorative edge.

Your pie dough will be about 1/8-inch thick, which is quite thin.

Success Tip: Since your dough is so thin, use your rolling pin to help transfer the pie crust to the pie dish. Carefully roll one end of the circle of dough gently onto the rolling pin, rolling it back towards you, slowly peeling it off the work surface as you go. Pick it up, and carefully roll it back out over the top of the pie dish. It’s helpful to watch how I do it in the video below.

Make sure the pie crust is pretty well centered in the dish, with some overhang all around the sides. Tuck the crust into the pie dish, gently pressing it to the interior all the way around—no air bubbles.

Trim dough around the edges if there’s excess dough in some spots—you want about 1-inch overhang. After you add your pie filling and top crust (such as a lattice pie crust), fold overhang back over and pinch the top and bottom crusts together. Now you can create a pretty edge, such as fluting or crimping.

Fluting with fingers: To flute the edges, use a knuckle and 2 fingers to press around the edges of the pie crust, to give it a beautiful and classic scalloped look, like this apple pie.

Crimping with fork: You can also use a fork to crimp the edges, like I do with this peach pie.

Your pie recipe might call for an egg wash on the dough and for that, use a pastry brush. And if you bake a lot of pies, this list of Best Pie Baking Tools will be helpful for you.

---

Is Pie Crust Better With Butter or Shortening?

I use BOTH shortening and butter in this pie crust because they work together to make the BEST crust. Buttery, flaky, and tender: the pie-fect trifecta.

• What does butter do? Butter adds flavor and flakiness.
• What does shortening do? Shortening helps the dough stay pliable, which is helpful when you’re rolling and shaping it. Plus, shortening’s high melting point helps the crust stay tender and maintain its shape as it bakes. Have you ever had a butter pie crust lose its shape completely? Shortening is “shape insurance.” 😉

If you don’t want to use shortening, try this all-butter pie crust instead. Let’s compare:

• Using all butter creates a lighter-textured crust and this is due to the butter’s water content. As the crust bakes, the butter’s water converts to steam, lifting up the dough and creating flaky layers. But because of all this butter, the crust doesn’t usually have a perfectly neat-edge/shape compared to the shortening and butter combination.

The Secret to Perfect Pie Crust

The refrigerator is as important as the oven when you’re making a homemade pie.

Why the emphasis on temperature? Keeping your pie dough as cold as possible helps prevent the fats from melting before the crust hits the hot oven. If the butter melts inside the dough before baking, you lose the flakiness. When the lumps of fat melt in the oven as the pie bakes, their steam helps to separate the crust into multiple flaky layers, as explained above. Warm fats will yield a hard, crunchy, greasy crust instead of a tender, flaky crust.

The colder the ingredients, the easier your pie crust is to work with, and the better it will turn out.

---