Pie making is a foolproof with this all butter pie crust! This 3 ingredient pie crust comes together quickly by hand or food processor for the best flaky, tender and buttery crust.
Once you master this pie crust with butter, try my easy pie crust recipe and then use either one to make a lattice pie crust.
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3-Ingredients Pie Crust
If you follow my easy step-by-step instructions, you can enjoy an all butter pie crust with very little effort and in no time at all. Then use it for all kinds of fillings including banana cream pie, peach pie, or Dutch apple pie.
You can also use this golden buttery 3 ingredient pie crust for savory pie favorites like breakfast pie, quiche lorraine recipe or homemade pot pie!
Why All-Butter Makes Pie Crust Flaky
Nothing beats biting into a buttery flaky crust! It is what every baker strives for and using butter instead of Crisco shortening yields the best flavorful crust.
When making the dough, there are a couple of rules to follow: 1) start with cold butter, and 2) don’t overwork the dough. The butter needs to be cold so that it doesn’t melt completely into the dough before it even reaches the oven.
The heat from the oven will melt the cold pieces of butter which creates steam that will make little pockets of air in the dough. Once the dough cools, it settles down into those delicious flaky layers we all love.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this 3-ingredient pie crust! Ok, 4 if you count the water :)
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- All-purpose flour: Make sure to accurately measure the flour because adding too much will make it tough.
- Sea salt: To enhance the flavor.
- Ice water: I can’t stress this enough – your butter and water should be very cold when you start. This is the key to getting a flaky crust!
- Unsalted butter: I prefer using unsalted butter so I can control the salt.
How to Make 3-Ingredient All Butter Pie Crust
This recipe makes enough for one single crust, so if you’re making a double crust pie, simply double the recipe.
- Cut in the butter. Stir together the flour and salt. Add the butter pieces and use a pastry cutter or pastry blender to work them into the flour. You are looking for pea-sized crumbles. You can also use a food processor for this step.
- Add water. Add the chilled water a little at a time and stir your dough until it comes together and forms a ball. Once it comes together, stop adding water! You don’t want to end up with sticky dough.
- Chill. Wrap homemade pie dough in plastic wrap and press it into a disc shape. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour or leave it overnight.
- Roll. Now you’re ready to roll out your dough! On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Transfer rolled dough to your pie plate, trim the excess dough and pinch the trim around the edges. Bake according to your recipe directions.
Recipe Tips
- Work quickly. You want to keep the butter as cold as possible, so bringing everything together as quickly as you can is your goal.
- Dough too dry? Dip your hand in cold water and continue to work the dough.
- Dough too soft? Place it in the fridge for 15 minutes to let the butter firm up a bit.
- Flour for rolling. Use only a dusting of flour on your rolling surface to prevent the dough from sticking. Using too much flour can make your crust dry and tough.
- Blind bake. Use a fork to pierce tiny holes all over the bottom of dough in a 9-inch pie plate. Cover with aluminum foil and add ¼ cup of pie weights or dried beans and freeze for 5 minutes. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights and brush with an egg wash. Bake for 10 more minutes until golden.
- Other crusts: If the thought of making homemade pie crust from scratch still intimidates you, everyone always loves this pretzel crust for pie!
Looking for ways to this 3-ingredient pie crust recipe? A homemade peach pie filling, cherry pie filling or apple pie filling are easy and delicious options!
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All Butter Pie Crust
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (163 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter , chilled and cubed
- 4-5 Tablespoons ice cold water , add 1 Tablespoon at a time
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/4 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut 1/2 cup cold butter into the flour until it forms pea-sized crumbles. You'll want to work fast so the butter doesn't have time to warm up. You may also use a food processor for this step, if preferred.
- Adding 1 Tablespoon water at a time, stir until the dough comes together to form a ball. Stop adding water when this happens or you will end up with sticky dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. I like to press it into a 1-inch disk so it's easier to roll out. Chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Once the dough is chilled, let sit at room temperature for a few minutes. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thick (big enough to fit a 9-inch pie pan). I like to start rolling from the center and then roll out. Turn dough a 1/4 turn and continue rolling from the center out. Try to handle the dough as little as possible.
- Fold the dough in half and then carefully transfer to a pie pan. Make the crust edges using your thumb and index finger. You can also cut off the extra dough around the edges or press it down with a fork. Proceed with baking the pie crust per the pie recipe you are making.
Baking Instructions, if needed
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a baking sheet on the middle rack.
- Pierce the bottom of the pie crust with a fork. Cover the base with foil and then place 1/4 cup pie weights or dried beans inside. Freeze 5 minutes before baking.
- Place pie dish on baking sheet in oven. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans and brush edges with an egg wash (see notes) if desired. Cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until crust is golden.
- Remove pie crust from oven and place baking dish on a cooling rack. Let cool completely before filling.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
The colder the dough the more flaky pie crust results! To keep pie dough cold, use ice water, very cold butter (partially frozen butter works, too), chill your dough at least one hour (two is best), and you could even chill your flour and mixing bowl!
Oh, the heartbreak of a tough pie crust! Usually, the reason is that the dough has been overworked. Use a light touch when bringing your dough together. You still want to see some chunks of butter in the dough when you roll it out.
You can protect it from over-browning by using a pie shield. I use a large piece of foil with a hole cut out in the center about the size of the area of the filling. Then I fold the foil around the outside of the pie plate.
Don’t be tempted to skip the resting time in the fridge! This time lets the gluten relax which means your dough won’t be as elastic and less likely to spring back down your pie plate.
Yes, make the recipe then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It can stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To keep the dough even longer, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in a zip-top bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out.
Categorized as: 5 Ingredients Or Less, American, Christmas, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Nut-Free, Pies + Tarts, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Wow this was such a great recipe. I waited the 4 hrs for it to refrigerate. My apple pie was so good with the buttery flakey crisp crust. My husband said it was the best crust i’ve ever made.
My new go-to recipe! Love that I always have these ingredients on hand and it turns out perfect every time.
Glad you have enjoyed this recipe, Abby. Pie crust can complicated, but hopefully this makes it easy.
I was shocked how easy this was to make! I made a quiche but I am going to use it for my holiday pies!
Glad to hear it worked for your quiche, Paula. This is great for any pie really, savory or sweet!
Very easy to follow and turned our really good! Thank you for sharing this amazing butter pie crust recipe, it’s really helpful! Loved it!
I am glad you had success, Allyssa. Pie crusts can be tricky, but this one turns out great every time!