Pie season is just around the corner, so I thought I’d share with you the only homemade pie crust recipe you’ll ever need! Made with an unexpected ingredient and made in the food processor, you can have a perfect pie crust chilling in your refrigerator in a matter of minutes!
This easy homemade pie crust recipe is essentially foolproof and comes out perfectly buttery and flakey every single time! This recipe has been my family’s go-to for over a decade and it’s what I use to make my chocolate pie. Be sure to check out the video at the bottom of the post walking you step-by-step through the recipe!
This is it, pie-loving friends. The only pie crust recipe I ever use, one that my mom has been making exclusively for over a decade.
You might have caught this easy pie crust recipe before on my website. I shared it with my apple turnovers and also my turkey pot pie, but it’s about time that this recipe gets its own post.
While it may be a little bit more effort than my graham cracker crust recipe, it’s one of the easiest pie crusts I’ve ever made and only one that has never failed for me. It has a classic pie crust taste, a buttery, flaky texture, and it comes together in a food processor (no obnoxious pastry cutters!) and uses a perhaps unexpected ingredient…
Sour cream!
Instead of worrying over adding exact amount of ice water, you’re going to simply add sour cream to this recipe. This ingredients yields one of the flakiest, best tasting pie crusts of your life. Unlike those ice water recipes, this easy pie crust recipe turns out for me perfectly, every time. And in case you’re worried, it does not taste like sour cream! Nobody is going to be able to tell that you used sour cream in this recipe.
How To Make Homemade Pie Crust
You’ll make everything in a food processor, combining your dry ingredients first and pulsing them until they’re combined. Next, add very cold butter that you’ve first chopped into pieces.
Pulse until your mixture resembles coarse, sandy crumbs.
Next, add your sour cream and pulse again until your dough just begins to clump together. It should look like this when it’s finished 👇🏼 (don’t overdo it!).
Next, transfer your dough to a clean, lightly floured surface where you’ll use your hands to gently knead the dough together.
Once it’s formed into a smooth, round ball, use your palms to lightly flatten the dough. Wrap your pie dough tightly with clear wrap and place it in your refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. If you chill the dough for longer, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before rolling it out, as the colder it is the stiffer and more difficult to work with it will be.
Roll your dough out onto a lightly floured surface into a 12″ circle. I like to roll my dough out slightly larger, and then use a pizza cutter to trim up the edges to that they are neat and even. If yours aren’t, you can always just fold them underneath for a prettier looking edge to your pie crust.
If you’re using this easy pie crust as part of another recipe, it’s likely that the recipe will have instructions for filling and baking the crust. However, some recipes, especially those with no-bake fillings, will require a pre-baked pie crust, so I’ve provided instructions in the recipe for blind baking.
How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust
Blind baking simply means baking a pie crust without filling it first. In the past, I’ve blind baked pie crusts by filling with beans or pie weights, but this method from Serious Eats using sugar has quickly become my favorite method.
- Arrange your rolled out pie dough into your pie plate as desired and place in the freezer while your oven is preheating
- After chilling, line your chilled pie crust with a large piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper. Be sure to use a piece large enough that it hangs over the edge of the pie plate so you can simply grab each end and and lift it out of the pie once it has finished baking.
- Fill the foil or parchment paper with sugar (pie weights or dry beans will work, but I really like using sugar). The sugar should evenly distribute its weight against the pie crust, holding it in shape as it bakes.
- Bake 50 minutes or until pie crust is baked through and lightly golden brown.
- Allow to cool completely (otherwise it may shrink!).
Once you are finished baking, allow your sugar to cool before lifting the parchment or foil from the pie crust. You can either re-use the sugar in your baking or you can save it separately to use for all of your future blind baking.
Making your own homemade pie crust is as simple as that. Try this recipe out for yourself and let me know what you think!
The BEST Easy Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cut into 12 pieces (85g)
- 1/4 cup sour cream (60g)
Instructions
- Make the crust first by combining flour, sugar, and salt in the canister of a food processor. Pulse to combine.
- Sprinkle butter pieces over the mixture and pulse again until coarse crumbs form.
- Add sour cream and pulse again until mixture begins to clump together.
- Carefully (remove the blade first!) remove the dough from the food processor and use your hands to shape it into a ball. Flatten slightly into a disc and wrap in cling wrap. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove chilled pie dough from refrigerator and transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface. Allow dough to sit for about 5 minutes and then roll dough out into a 12" circle and place in a 9" or 10" glass pie dish.
- Gently lay the pie crust into a 10" pie pan, folding under the excess dough beneath itself and crimping with a fork.
- If pie crust is to be used with a baked filling, follow that recipe's instructions for filling and baking.
For Blind Baking
- If baking pie crust alone (or "blind baking"), transfer your prepared pie dish to the freezer and preheat your oven to 350F.
- Once oven is preheated, retrieve your pie dough and gently line it with aluminum foil or parchment paper*, being sure that the aluminum is molded to the sides of the pie crust, especially (you want to make sure they don't collapse or sag while baking) -- make sure the edges are covered so that they do not over-brown/burn.
- Fill the aluminum with sugar** and place pie pan on an aluminum cookie sheet.
- Transfer to oven and bake on 350F for 45-55 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before lifting out the aluminum foil and sugar**( and finishing with desired filling.
Notes
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase anything through these links I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please view the disclosure policy for more information.
Tools used in this Pie Crust Recipe
- Pyrex 9 1/2″ pie plate (3 pack): I literally have 5 of these pie plates, they’re simple and easy to store and I love them!
- Wooden rolling pin: A classic for every kitchen, this is what I’m using in the video
- 8 cup food processor: I LOVE this food processor! I read hundreds of reviews before picking this one and have had no regrets.
Treat yourself to a FREE E-BOOK!
Originally published 09/18/17
Jerry wilson says
The best pie crust I have ever made. Myself binging a widower have to make my favorites all by myself.
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it Jerry! 🙂
Emily P says
Hi!
I was wondering if I can make the crust and then refrigerate overnight? I was also wondering if using all purpose should I substitute 1tbsp per cup of flour for cornstarch to make it a pastry flour?
Thank you!
Sam says
Hi Emily! You can store this in the refrigerator for several days if you need to just make sure to wrap it tightly. There is no need to use that substitution here. 🙂
Emily says
Thank you so much!
Anna says
I doubted this recipe but thought I’d give it a shot anyways, it turned out great! The dough is soft and absolutely perfect for rolling out and transferring to the pie pan. The end result is light, flakey, and has good flavor. I had never heard of sour cream in pie dough but I sure do like it.
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so glad that it turned out perfectly for you, Anna! Thank you for trying my recipe. 🙂
Yvonne Moore says
Loved this recipe, tasty, flaky and easy. I doubled the recipe with no problems and used it for fresh blueberry hand pies. YUMMY
Sugar Spun Run says
Your blueberry hand pies sound amazing, Yvonne! I am so glad that the crust worked perfectly for you and that you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Melissa says
Hey Sam,
I used this pie crust recipe for your awesome apple turnovers and Empanadas! So good with the empanada filling! Definitely a repeat! Thank you Sam!!!
Sam says
You’re very welcome, Melissa, I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thank you for commenting! 🙂
Liz says
Hi Sam!
What do you recommend about making enough pie crusts to save for future recipes so they’re ready to go? 1) Can I freeze these? 2) If yes, how long are they good in the freezer for? 3) If yes to my first two questions, what are the instructions for thawing? Would I have to defrost in the fridge and then let it sit at room temperature? I have sour cream that’s about to expire and figured I could make some crusts for future use now 🙂 Thanks in advance!
Sam says
Hi Liz! I have never tried freezing the crusts but I imagine you wouldn’t have an issue doing so. I would say they are good for a couple of months in the freezer. To thaw I would just transfer to the refrigerator until they are thawed enough to roll out and use. 🙂
Lynn says
I have been making pie crusts probably longer than the age you are😉. My husband was into tarts and bought me the Martha Stewart Tart and Pie cookbook that I’m afraid to say is over 30 years old! You should see how young Martha is on the picture!!! I have always been known for my pie crusts. I just make them well.
Even though I’m a seasoned baker, I am always open to new ideas. I hv been following u, as you hv some good recipes. And you are very good with your instructions:)
I love the idea of using sugar for blind baking!!! I hv been using beans. Can I do for my individual tarts as well?
My question is the pie crust. Sour Cream?? I hv never heard of using that. I’m a straight butter, flour, dash of salt, sugar and ice water gal. I never use shortening in anything. Can you tell me why you use Sour Cream and what it does to the pie crust?
Thanks so much.
Sam says
Thank you so much, Lynn! You can use the sugar for your tart crusts too. For the sour cream, without getting too far in depth, it mostly has to do with water and fat molecules and how they are combined, but essentially it makes the crust more tender. 🙂
Sarah Snyder says
Love this super easy and great recipe in combination with your banana cream pie recipe!
Sam says
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Sarah!! Thank you for commenting 🙂
Susan says
I’m very intrigued by this recipe that’s a really high butter to flour ratio.
Sam says
Hi Susan! I think you are going to LOVE it! 🙂
Margret Kelly says
this is an amazing recipe! I made turnovers with this recipe and they turned out so well! The pie crust was so buttery and flaky. it was the perfect pairing for the fruit filling. I would 100% make this again!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed the pie crust, Margret! 🙂
Ashton says
Hi Sam,
I made your pie crust the other day and it stuck to the pie dish. I’ve made this pie crust many times and never had this problem. Any idea of what I did wrong? This was the first time I blind baked the crust before adding the filling. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. I LOVE ALL YOUR RECIPES!!!!
Sam says
Oh no! That’s very frustrating, Ashton, and I’m sorry to hear it. Did any of the filling leak through? Or if the pie crust was still a little under-baked on the bottom or if the filling is a particularly watery one that can sometimes cause this as well. I was doing some reading trying to figure out why this might have happened to you and some people have said they have solved this problem by lightly dusting the bottom of their pie crust with flour before placing it in the pie tin. My pie dough usually has a fair bit of flour on the bottom so maybe this is why this hasn’t happened to me before?
I’m happy to try and help troubleshoot further and I really appreciate you using my recipes!
Georgia says
Can this be made without a food processor ?
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Georgia! A food processor makes the process simple, however, you can also use a pastry cutter instead. 🙂
Maria says
Hello!! Do you happen to have a recipe that doesn’t include sour cream? Unfortunately, where I live sour cream is usually really expensive.
Sugar Spun Run says
Hello, Maria! I have had others substitute greek yogurt and have had success. I hope that this easy to find where you live. If you are looking for another kind of pie crust, I have a graham cracker crust recipe as well. 🙂
Nada says
can I add some cocoa powder to make it chocolate flavored pastry??if doing that,do I need to reduce the flour by 1 tablespoon and add cocoa instead or just add 1 tablespoon cocoa and the flour amount remains the same?
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Nada! I have not tried making the pie crust chocolate-flavored so unfortunately, I can not advise. If you try it, I’d love to know how it works for you. 🙂
Nada says
Anyway,I have to say that this is the best pie crust recipe I’ve ever made..I gave it a go yesterday and it came out amazingly flaky&tender..I made a salted caramel chocolate tart and it was an amazing recipe…thank you dear for sharing this recipe&by the way I’m only 19 year old and loved that the people asked for the recipe as if i was a professional chef :))
Sugar Spun Run says
What an amazing compliment to receive, Nada! I am so happy to hear that the pie crust was such a hit. Thanks for trying my recipe. I can’t wait to hear what you try next! 🙂