Butter Flaky Pie Crust

This flaky pie crust recipe is perfect for beginner bakers and seasoned professionals — it'll quickly become a staple in your recipe box.

Pie Crust Ingredients

You'll need just four ingredients for this top-rated flaky pie crust recipe:

• Flour: This flaky pie crust recipe starts with all-purpose flour.
• Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the flavor and promotes a tender, moist crust.
• Butter: Cold butter adds rich flavor and creates steam as it melts, ensuring a perfectly flaky finished product.
• Water: Cold water acts as a binding agent which holds the dry ingredients together. It also contributes to the flakiness of the crust as it evaporates.

What Makes a Pie Crust Flaky?

When it comes to making a flaky pie crust, it's all about the fat (in this case, butter). The fat works in two ways:

1. It coats the flour, preventing it from absorbing the liquid and creating gluten. Too much gluten produces a dense, chewy crust.
2. As the fat melts during baking, it leaves air pockets in the dough. The pockets fill with steam and expand, creating layers of flaky pastry crust.

For the flakiest crust, make sure your ingredients are as cold as possible to prevent the fat from melting before it makes it to the oven. It also helps to work with cold hands and, if possible, a marble rolling pin and cutting board.

How to Make a Flaky Pie Crust

If you're intimidated by making homemade pie dough, you've come to the right place. You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this pie crust:

1. Combine the flour and salt.
2. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Roll the dough into a circle, then press it into a pie plate. Trim the excess and flute the edges.

How to Use Pie Crust

Ready to use your favorite new tender, flaky, and buttery pie crust? You're in the right place. Try one of these top-rated recipes that start with a homemade pastry crust:

• Apple Pie by Grandma Ople
• Blueberry Pie
• Pecan Pie
• Chicken Pot Pie
• Chocolate Cream Pie

Explore our entire collection of Pie Recipes.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"This was my first time ever making a pie crust and it turned out great (and beautiful)," raves Evan. "No more store-bought for me. There really is a difference!"

"Finally! After 39 years of looking for a pie crust that rolls out easily and can transfer to a pie dish without falling apart," says Jals. The dough is like elastic. I stumbled upon this recipe on Thanksgiving morning. I made it in my food processor. It is also very tasty!"

"I made a chicken pot pie with this crust and the crust was better than the filling," according to Lanae Reynolds. "I love this recipe and will continue to use it for any pie and cobbler."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams