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This homemade pie crust is absolutely ridiculous. It’s the flakiest, butteriest, most tender pie dough I’ve ever had! Not only does this recipe only have 5 ingredients, but it’s also easy, foolproof, and quick to make. Also, you can make it by hand or in a food processor if you’re short on time.

The best pie crust in a metal pie plate on a wood board next to pie tools and ingredients in front of a white wall.

This post is essentially just a love letter to pie dough. It didn’t always used to be this way. Trust me, I was on Team Store-Bought for quite some time. But then, I actually made it by hand when I was in pastry school and I was like…

“Ok, why haven’t I been doing this the whole time?”

And that’s basically the whole story. Riveting. But true life, making your own pie dough is a real game-changer. Like, I won’t lie and say that I don’t use store-bought pie dough from time-to-time. But usually, it’s homemade or bust. If you’re going to take the time to make mini apple hand pies or spiced pumpkin pie cups, it is 1,000% worth it to take the extra time to whip up this dough!

And yes, I know that making homemade dough can be a bit overwhelming. Like, I feel you. But once you try it, you won’t go back. Because I kid you not, it can be made in under 15 minutes, especially if you have a food processor on hand.

Good butter is a must

Ingredients for homemade pie dough in white and grey bowls on a white marble counter.

Let me pull an Ina real quick, because you’ll need good unsalted butter and lots of it. Since it’s the main flavor component in this dough, I highly recommend choosing a high-quality butter like unsalted Kerrygold or another European butter.

And remember the whole five ingredients thing? Yeah, there’s no “secret” ingredients that you have to track down. All you’ll need is all purpose flour, granulated sugar, Kosher salt, and apple cider vinegar.

The apple cider vinegar adds a nice flavor, keeps the dough from oxidizing and turning grey, and can keep you from overworking the dough!

Make the dough by hand

Hands rubbing butter into a white bowl of flour.
First, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter cubes and use your fingers to “rub” the butter into the flour until you have a mix of larger shaggy pieces and smaller pea-sized pieces.
A hand pouring cold water into a white bowl of flour and butter.
Combine the apple cider vinegar with a bit of ice water. Drizzle the mixture over the flour and use your hands to form a shaggy dough. Work quickly so the butter doesn’t melt!
Hands kneading the best pie crust on a marble counter.
Tip the dough on a floured surface and quickly knead until it comes together. Lastly, pat the dough into two discs. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.

I cannot stress this enough, the butter must stay as cold as possible! If it starts to melt, the crust will end up tough and will be a mess to roll out. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Just work quickly and confidently – you got this!

Food processor directions

A food processor of flour and butter.
Mix the flour, sugar, salt, & butter in the bowl of a food processor. Then, pulse the food processor until you have a mix of marble and pea-sized chunks.
A food processor of the best pie crust on a tan counter.
Next, combine the apple cider vinegar with ice water. Drizzle over the flour-butter mixture and pulse the mixture a few times just until the dough comes together.
Two discs of the best pie crust on a tan counter.
Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead until it’s smooth. Then, pat the dough into two discs, wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Storing & freezing dough

To store the dough, just wrap it well in plastic wrap or a zipper bag. Then, store it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Let it sit at room-temperature for 15 before rolling. If you want to freeze the dough, wrap it well in a plastic wrap or re-usable zipper bag. Place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost it slowly in the refrigerator overnight.

The best pie crust rolled out on a wood board next to baking tools and ingredients with a grey background.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

The best pie crust in a metal pan on a wood board with a white background.
5 from 2 votes

The Best Damn Pie Crust of Your Life

Yield: 2 9-inch pie crusts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Refrigeration Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
This is by far the best pie crust I've ever had! The dough is surprisingly simple to make and always comes out tender, flaky, and buttery. I promise, it's worth the extra 15 minutes to take your pies from good to absolutely amazing!
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Ingredients

  • 270 grams all purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
  • 26 grams granulated sugar (2 Tablespoons)
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 226 grams unsalted butter, very cold + cut into cubes (1 cup)
  • 15 milliliters apple cider vinegar (1 Tablespoon)
  • 45 milliliters ice water (3 Tablespoons)

Equipment

  • Food processor (optional)

Instructions 

By Hand

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, and Kosher salt. Toss the butter cubes in the flour to coat. Using your fingers, "rub" the butter into the flour until you have a mix of long, shaggy pieces and pea-sized chunks. Work quickly to avoid melting the butter.
  • Combine the apple cider vinegar and ice water in a small measuring cup. Slowly drizzle the vinegar-water over the flour mixture, running your fingers through the flour to make sure everything is incorporated. Knead everything together just until you have a dry, shaggy dough.
  • Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead a few more times, just until the dough is smooth and there are no more dry spots. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Pat each piece into a 1-inch thick disc and wrap in plastic wrap or a reusable zipper bag.
  • Refrigerate the dough for at least two hours, preferably overnight. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Food Processor

  • Combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, and Kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to combine. Add the butter cubes to the flour and toss to coat with a fork. Pulse the mixture about 8-12 times, just until the butter is a mix of larger marble-sized and smaller pea-sized chunks.
  • Combine the apple cider vinegar and ice water in a small measuring cup. While the food processor is running, drizzle the vinegar-water over the flour mixture. Pulse a few times, just until the dough starts to clump together.
  • Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead it a few times, just until the dough is smooth and there are no more dry spots. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Pat each piece into a 1-inch thick disc and wrap in plastic wrap or a reusable zipper bag. Refrigerate the dough for at least two hours, preferably overnight.

Notes

The trick to flaky pie crust is keeping that butter very cold. If it’s warm in your kitchen, freeze the butter for about 5 minutes before you make the pie dough to keep it cold.
The dough may feel dry but resist the urge to add more water. Too much water will make the crust dense. Keep kneading, it’ll come together eventually! (If you absolutely need more water, add it 1/2 Tablespoon (7ml) at a time).
Avoid over-mixing the dough or it will come out dense. Knead the dough just until it’s smooth!
Brush the crust with egg wash for shine! If you’re making a single-crust pie, you can just brush the edges and bottom with egg wash. If you’re baking a double-crust pie, brush the edges and top.
If you’d like to freeze the dough, wrap the discs well in plastic wrap or a reusable zipper bag and place them in an airtight container before storing them in the freezer.
This recipe makes two nine-inch crusts. This is either one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies. If you’re making a single-crust pie, you can freeze the other round of dough for later.
Cuisine: American
Course: Bread & Dough
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 19-inch pie dough, Calories: 1372kcal, Carbohydrates: 119.5g, Protein: 15.5g, Fat: 93.4g, Saturated Fat: 58.5g, Cholesterol: 244mg, Sodium: 1820mg, Potassium: 184mg, Fiber: 3.8g, Sugar: 12.5g, Calcium: 50mg, Iron: 7mg
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