Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional, for sweet pies)
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup ice water

Make the Dough

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar (if using) in a large bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

In a small bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar and ice water. Drizzle about half of this mixture over the flour and butter. Use a fork to gently toss the ingredients together. Add more of the water mixture, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just comes together when you squeeze it.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a disk. Don’t knead it. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Roll and Shape the Crust

Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to make it easier to roll. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a circle that’s about 12 inches in diameter.

Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Gently press it into the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Trim the excess dough, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang under and crimp the edges.

Dock the bottom of the crust with a fork a few times and chill the shaped crust in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Blind Bake the Crust at 425F

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Line the chilled pie shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Make sure the weights are filled all the way to the top of the crust to support the sides.

Bake for ~15-18 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Carefully remove the parchment paper and weights.

For a par-baked crust (for fillings that will be baked further), return the crust to the oven and bake for another ~5-7 minutes, until the bottom looks dry.

For a fully baked crust (for no-bake fillings), bake for another ~10-12 minutes, until the entire crust is golden brown. Let it cool completely before filling.

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Flaky Pie Crust

This is an all-butter pie crust that is flaky and tender. The recipe uses a few specific techniques, like keeping the ingredients very cold and not overworking the dough, to get the right texture. It’s suitable for both sweet and savory pies.

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Chill Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar optional, for sweet pies
• ▢ 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 10 tablespoons, cold and cubed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1/4 cup ice water

Instructions

• Mix flour, salt, and sugar in large bowl.
• Cut in cold butter until mixture has pea-sized pieces.
• Combine vinegar and ice water, gradually add to flour mixture until dough just holds together.
• Form into disk, wrap in plastic, refrigerate 2 hours.
• Let dough rest 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Roll into 12-inch circle on floured surface.
• Transfer to 9-inch pie plate, trim leaving 1-inch overhang.
• Fold edges under and crimp.
• Pierce bottom with fork, refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Line crust with parchment, fill with pie weights.
• Bake 15-18 minutes until edges are golden.
• Remove weights and parchment.
• Bake 10-12 minutes more until fully golden.
• Cool completely before filling.

Notes

For par-baked crust, only bake 5-7 minutes after removing weights.