Making pie crust from scratch is easier than you may think. This recipe makes two crusts. This is a palm oil free pie crust that calls for butter instead of shortening or lard. It's ideal for pie or quiche.
Course Brunch, Dessert, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword easy pie crust recipe, homemade pie crust, palm oil free pie crust, pie crust, pie crust from scratch, pie crust recipe, pie crust without palm oil
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 0 minutesminutes
Chill time 1 hourhour5 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Author Dawn Head
Ingredients
2 ½cupspastry flour or all purpose flour
1teaspoonsalt
1tablespoonsugar
1cup2 sticks unsalted butter, very cold, cut into ½ inch cubes
4 to 8tablespoonsice water
Instructions
Making the Pie Crust Dough
Combine 1 ½ cups flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse 2 - 3 until combined.
Add the butter cubes. Process for about 15 seconds until it forms a paste or dough. All flour should be coated.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and make sure the flour-butter dough is evenly distributed.
Add remaining 1 cup of flour. Pulse the food processor 4 or 5 times until the flour is blended into the dough. The dough should look crumbly.
Put the dough into a medium bowl. Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of ice water. If you need more as you go along, you can add it.
Use a rubber spatula to press the dough into itself. Continue pressing until the dough comes together, forming large clusters. Pinch the dough. If it holds, it is ready. If it crumbles, add more water.
Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Work it until it forms a ball. Divide the dough evenly into halves. Form each half into a disc. Wrap the discs separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour before using. The dough will last in the refrigerator for about 2 days and in the freezer for about 3 months.
Using the Pie Crust Dough
When you are ready to use the dough, let it thaw in the refrigerator (if frozen) or remove from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Dust work surface, the rolling pin, and the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the dough using rolling pin. Be sure it isn’t sticking to your work surface. If it is, add some flour.
You want about a 12 inch circle that is around 1/8 inch thick. You can check the size of your dough round by placing an inverted pie pan on the round. There should be about an inch or so of dough all around the pie pan.
Start at one end of your dough round and gently roll it over the rolling pin. Unroll the crust over your pie pan.
Press the dough gently into the pie pan, making sure that it lines the sides and bottom of the pan. Don't stretch or pull the dough.
Trim dough with a pair of kitchen scissors or knife. You want it to be within about ½ inch of the edge of the pie pan.
Fold the dough edge underneath itself so that the crust is thicker and forms a nice border that’s about ¼ inch thick, resting on the lip of the pie pan. Use a fork to crimp the crust or use your fingers. Don't crimp if you are adding a top crust.
If you are making a double crust, set the top crust dough on top of the filling. Then you can trim the edges and crimp.
Refrigerate the pie crust for about 20 minutes or freeze it for about 5 minutes before filling and baking.