Pastry crust can be intimidating for many new bakers but this recipe is mostly done in a food processor and couldn’t be easier! I’ve included lots of tips and tricks in the notes to help you be successful. Make it several times (you’ll be sure to have lots of willing taste-testers) to really get the feel of great pastry dough and you’ll be making the very best pies in no time!
Buttery, Flaky Pie Crust
2
pie shells20
minutes45
minutesIngredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes and chilled
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup chilled water
Directions
- In a food processor, combine flour and sugar and pulse once or twice.
(*Directions for mixing by hand in the notes below.) - Add the chilled butter and shortening and pulse again, about 5-6 times, just until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
- Add the vinegar and chilled water and pulse again, just until the dough comes together. About 4-5 times.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, form into a ball. Divide in two and flatten each half lightly into a disc. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- For double crust pies, follow your pie recipe.
For partially and fully baked single shells: Roll the dough out and fit tightly into a pie plate or tart pan, letting the dough hang over the sides. For pie shell, fold edges over and crimp. For tart pan, cut around the edge to remove excess dough. Prick the base of the shell all over with a fork, then line with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Freeze for 15 minutes before baking. - Preheat the oven to 425° F. Pour pie weights into the shell to prevent slumping dough and bubbles forming while baking.
- For partially baked shells, bake for 18-20 minutes, then remove parchment or foil. Shell will still be pale, but it should not look like raw dough.
For fully baked shells, bake for 20 minutes, remove parchment or foil and pie weights, continue baking for another 5-10 minutes. The shell should be a medium golden color.
Notes
- *If you don’t have a food processor, simply use a pastry cutter to cut the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients quickly and don’t overhandle.
- Use butter-flavored shortening for better flavor.
- Working quickly to keep everything as cold as possible makes the dough tender and flaky.
- I keep a couple of jars of Williams-Sonoma pie weights around but if you don’t have any, no worries. Just substitute rice or beans and then reuse as pie weights as needed.
- I love to use the Pampered Chef Pastry Mat with a damp paper towel underneath to prevent slipping. Super easy to use with measurement rings and markings along the edges, plus, it makes clean-up super easy.
- The Stainless Steel Pastry Scraper from Williams-Sonoma is my go-to for dividing dough, picking up fragile dough, and scraping the pastry mat when I’m done. Use with pie crust, cinnamon roll dough, etc. One of my favorite baking tools.
Tested and true. Best pie crust hands down.
Thanks! Pies are my passion and you have to start with a good crust!
I have some dough left over from my last pie. I want to bake it with some cinnamon and sugar. What temperature should I do this at?
Bake it at the same temperature as you would for a pie. Also, before you add the cinnamon and sugar, try brushing on some melted butter. It will be crispy and delicious!
Does it matter what kind of butter I use? Salted or unsalted?
You can use unsalted butter since the vinegar replaces the salt in a pie crust traditional recipe – but salted butter is fine as well.