Basic Flaky Pie Crust

A great pie starts with a great crust, and this basic flaky pie crust recipe is the perfect foundation for your next dessert masterpiece. With just four ingredients and a few simple steps, you’ll be on your way to a tender, flaky, and delicious crust that’s sure to impress.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup ice water

Instructions

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together to incorporate.

Add cold butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry blender or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

Sprinkle ice water over the mixture, then use a fork to gently mix the dough until it comes together in a shaggy mass. Be careful not to overmix.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it a few times until it becomes smooth and pliable.

Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch.

Use as desired for your favorite pie recipe.

Notes

Use cold ingredients, especially the butter, as this will help to create a flaky crust.

Don’t overwork the dough, as this can lead to a tough crust.

If you don’t have a pastry blender, you can use your fingers to work the butter into the flour.

Make sure to knead the dough just until it becomes smooth and pliable, as overkneading can cause the crust to become tough.

If you’re not using the dough right away, you can refrigerate it for up to 2 hours or even freeze it for up to 3 months.

Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator before rolling it out.

Nutrional Value

• Calories: 120
• Total Fat: 6g
• Saturated Fat: 3.5g
• Sodium: 50mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 16g
• Dietary Fiber: 0g
• Sugars: 0g
• Protein: 2g