The BEST Pie Crust Recipe
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My easy, homemade pie crust recipe is buttery, flaky, exceptionally flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make! A secret ingredient (sour cream!) gives the crust incredible depth of flavor and makes the dough easier to work with than other recipes. Just 5 ingredients, no fussing with ice water, and reliable (and delicious) results every time. Recipe includes step-by-step photos and a how-to video tutorial!
The Only Pie Dough Recipe You Need
This is my go-to pie crust recipe, and has been for most of my life. My mom first discovered the original version in a magazine over 20 years ago (!) and we’ve been tweaking and perfecting it ever since.
It’s hands-down the easiest pie crust I’ve ever made, and the flavor is absolutely incredible (honestly, it’s good enough to eat on its own… and it makes the best pie crust cookies!). A “secret”, unexpected ingredient makes the dough easy to work with and yelds rich, buttery flavor. I can’t wait for you to try it in your own kitchen!
What to Know About This Recipe
- Incredible flavor. Butter gives the crust rich flavor, while sour cream (my secret ingredient!) adds extra depth that makes it delicious enough to eat on its own. It elevates absolutely any pie filling.
- Perfectly flaky texture. Keeping the butter cold and using a food processor (if you have one) creates irresistible flaky layers as the crust bakes.
- Easier than your standard pie dough. Sour cream provides moisture without the guesswork of adding ice water (or vodka) a splash at a time. A food processor makes the process even easier.
- Versatile and sturdy. This recipe makes enough dough for a 9- or 10-inch pie crust without fussing with a paper-thin sheet of pie dough. It can easily be doubled if you need a double crust. Use it for savory recipes like chicken pot pie, or keep it sweet with hand pies, apple dumplings, and so much more.
Ingredients
You don’t need anything fancy or complicated to make my easy pie crust recipe! We’re using five common ingredients you probably already have.
- COLD sour cream. Yep, sour cream! (Cold) sour cream is the secret ingredient in my pie dough recipe (and in my sour cream pound cake, among others!). It gives the pie dough amazing depth of flavor that is not overwhelming or obvious (you’d never know it’s sour cream), but adds an extra special subtle touch to the finished product. Besides the flavor, I also love it because it makes this recipe so easy–no fussing with ice water! If you don’t have sour cream, full-fat Greek yogurt will also work in a pinch, though I don’t think it adds as much of a deep, rich flavor.
- COLD butter. For the best flavor (and beautiful, flaky layers) use very cold unsalted butter. For an even more flavorful crust, splurge for European-style butter!
- Flour. All-purpose flour is best. Be sure to measure it properly (ideally with a kitchen scale) since too much flour can make the dough dry and difficult to work with.
- Sugar. A small bit of sugar in this recipe can technically be eliminated, but it adds a subtle flavor that I love. I still add it even when I’m using this pie dough recipe for savory pies.
- Salt. Essential for enhancing the flavor of the crust. If you opt for salted butter instead of unsalted, you can omit the salt entirely (or leave it in for a slightly saltier crust).
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Sam’s Tip
Make sure your ingredients are COLD! This is so important for flaky results! The butter in particular should be ice cold (I place mine in the freezer for up to 30 minutes before beginning). Cold butter = flaky, tender pie crust. Warm butter could even leak out of the dough, and the dough will be much more difficult to manage.
How to Make Pie Crust (Step-by-Step)
This recipe makes a single pie crust; however, if you need a double crust, you can easily fit a double batch in a standard food processor.
- Cut in the butter. Pulse the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Add cubed cold butter and pulse a few times until your mixture resembles coarse crumbs, but note that you should still have distinguishable pieces of butter remaining in the food processor. Aim for chocolate-chip-sized bits!
- Add the sour cream and pulse a few more times until mixture is beginning to cling together. Do not simply blend the dough nonstop; pulse in 1-second intervals, otherwise you’ll end up with an overworked dough that is tough. You should still be able to see some butter pieces remaining in the dough (again, for flaky results!).
- Chill. Transfer dough onto a clean surface and gently, quickly work into a ball before flattening into a smooth disk (smooth the edges too–this helps when rolling!). Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 45-60 minutes.
- Roll & use as desired! Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll it out into an even 12-inch circle. Arrange in pie plate and crimp/flute the edges before blind baking or filling. Hint: The easiest way, I’ve found, to transfer the pie dough to the pie plate is to gently wrap/roll it around the rolling pin then carefully unfurl it into the pie dish.
This recipe is great for blind baking. Perfect for pies that need a precooked crust before adding a filling, like chocolate pie or my pumpkin pie recipe.
Sam’s Tip
To prevent sticking, use a spatula to loosen the dough from the counter periodically while rolling. I’ll often lift the dough off the counter with the spatula, add a bit more flour underneath, and then proceed with rolling.
No Food Processor? No Problem!
This easy pie crust recipe can be made by hand, no problem. Simply combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or grater. Stir in the sour cream, then proceed with the forming, chilling, and rolling as directed.
One thing to note: If you are making the dough by hand, you may need to add a small bit of ice water after the sour cream. If I ever need to, it’s usually only a teaspoon or two just to help the dough cling together.
Easy peasy! 🙌
Pie Crust Troubleshooting
While this pie dough recipe is super easy, I still want to make sure you have every resource you need in case you run into issues. Here are the most common issues (and how to avoid them)!
- My dough is too dry and crumbly. First, it’s important to make sure you’ve measured your flour correctly before you get to this point (I highly recommend a kitchen scale). The dough should still appear somewhat crumbly, but no dry flour should remain and it should easily hold together when pinched between your fingers. If it doesn’t, try pulsing it a few more times. If it’s still too dry, you can add ice water, just a teaspoon at a time, until it holds together. Don’t add more than is absolutely needed!
- My pie dough cracks when I roll it. The dough may just be too cold! Let it rest at room temperature for 5 minutes, then try again. I also recommend smoothing the edges of your dough into a neat, rounded disk before chilling; this helps prevent cracks when rolling it out.
- My pie dough sticks to the counter. First, keep your dough well-chilled, this is super important and warm dough is more likely to stick. Make sure your work surface and rolling pin are lightly floured, and you can lightly flour the surface of the pie dough, too, if needed. As you roll it out, it will naturally warm and become prone to sticking to the counter surface. If it sticks, slide a thin spatula beneath it and add a little more flour. If the dough becomes too warm, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
- My pie crust shrinks when baking. This can happen if the dough has been stretched to fit the pie plate or if the gluten hasn’t had enough time to relax. Roll the dough large enough to fit comfortably into the plate without needing to pull/stretch it further, and anchor the crust firmly to the pie plate by crimping or forming to the edge of the pie plate. If you’re blind baking, be sure to use enough pie weights to support the side of the crust when baking, too, and make sure to chill the dough again (after shaping into the pie plate) before baking.
- My pie crust isn’t flaky. Cold butter is key! You should still see small pieces of butter (think chocolate chip-sized) throughout the dough before chilling. If you process the dough too long or let the butter become too warm, you can lose those beautiful flaky layers. A food processor is especially helpful for keeping the dough buttery and flaky. Handle the dough as little as possible, and keep it as cold as you can.
- I don’t know how to neatly transfer my pie dough to the pie plate. Gently and loosely roll the dough over your rolling pin, then unroll it into your pie plate. This is far easier than trying to lift the entire round of dough with your hand (which often misshapes it, too). I demonstrate this technique in my video (in the recipe card).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry blender, knife, or a grater to cut the butter into your dough, and then stir in the sour cream (a wooden spoon works well for this).
If you have one, I strongly recommend a food processor though–it will make your baking so much easier and less messy! And it’s helpful for so many recipes, like scones or cheese crackers.
Yes! Just make sure your pie dough is tightly wrapped before freezing. It will keep for several months in the freezer. When you’re ready to use it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Absolutely! This pie crust recipe is great for making in advance. Prepare the dough as directed in the recipe, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to a few months. When you’re ready to use thaw it overnight in the refrigerator (if frozen) and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes (or until soft enough to roll without cracking).
Put Your Pie Crust to Use!
If you ever have leftover pie dough that you don’t want to waste, use it to make my pie crust cookies! 🍪
Enjoy!
Did you know this is one of my personal all-time favorite recipes? I even included it in my new dessert cookbook!
Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, optional
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 8 Tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream
Instructions
- Note: This recipe makes ONE (1) pie crust. If you need a double crust, simply double all of the ingredients.1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon table salt
- Combine flour, sugar (if using), and salt in the canister of a food processor and pulse briefly to combine.
- Scatter butter pieces over the top of the flour mixture and pulse again until butter is mostly combined and mixture resembles coarse crumbs (there should still be discernible pieces of butter remaining in the mixture, some as large as a chocolate chip).8 Tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter
- Add sour cream and pulse again until mixture just begins to cling together (about 15 1-second pulses, though this can vary). The dough may still look slightly crumbly, but there should be no dry flour streaks remaining and it should hold if you pinch it between your fingers. Don't overdo it!¼ cup (60 g) sour cream
- Transfer dough to a clean surface and work into a ball (try not to over-handle the dough, you want it to stay as cold as possible to keep the butter from melting and your hands are very warm!). Flatten into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 45-60 minutes before proceeding/using as desired.
- If arranging into a pie plate, remove the dough from the refrigerator once it has chilled and transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll into a 12” circle (add flour as needed and be sure to lift the pie dough and add flour beneath it while rolling to keep from sticking, if needed) and arrange into a pie plate, crimping or fluting the edges (I provide a visual on fluting the edges in my video above).
- Transfer to pie plate and use according to your pie filling recipe’s instructions, or see my detailed tutorial on how to blind bake pie crust.
Notes
Sour cream
Full-fat sour cream is your best bet for this recipe, but in a pinch you could substitute full-fat plain Greek yogurt.Making without a food processor
If you do not have a food processor you may use a pastry cutter, grater (freeze the butter for 20 minutes then grate it into the flour mixture), or even a knife to cut the butter into the flour mixture before stirring in the sour cream.Blind baking
To blind bake this pie crust (that is, partially or fully bake it before adding your filling), see my detailed tutorial on how to blind bake a pie crust.Lattice crust
I have a detailed tutorial on exactly how to do a lattice pie crust. You will need to double this recipe in order to do so.Making in advance
This pie dough may be made up to 5 days in advance of rolling out and using. Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. If chilling for this long, you will likely need to let the dough soften on the counter at room temperature for 15 minutes or possibly longer to make it soft enough to roll without cracking.Freezing
This pie dough may be frozen and will keep for several months in the freezer if tightly wrapped. To use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then use as desired.Gluten-free note
I have not tried it myself, but others have successfully made this recipe with Cup4Cup gluten-free flour.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I originally published this recipe in September of 2017. I’ve since updated the post to include helpful tips and hints, step-by-step photos, and a new video. The recipe remains the same!
I’d like to make a fruit pie for Thanksgiving and am wondering if the quality of the crust will be the same if I bake it the day before?
Hello, Sonny! Yes, it should be fine. I would just wrap it or store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. Enjoy! 🙂
I’m excited to try this recipe. Can you specify of this is for a single crust, or a double crust? In other words, should I double the recipe for a pie with a top?
Thanks!
Hi Valerie! This is a single pie crust, so you would want to double for a crust and a top layer. It doubles well! I hope you love the recipe!
Thank you Sam for all these recipes I can make
Thank you for following my blog, Sarah! I hope that you enjoy the pie recipes! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
OMG!! Just baked this today and this pie is AMAZING! I’ve never been a pie baker because the crust always intimidated me. No more! I can’t wait to start baking for Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much, Deb! Congrats on baking your perfect pie crust. I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe and found it easy to follow. Stay tuned next week, I will be doing a thanksgiving pie round-up for ideas. 🙂
I have always had trouble with pie crusts so i tried yours. It is easy to make, rolls out like a dream and is delicious! My only problem is that it shrunk. I used foil and sugar when i blind baked. Help what did i do wrong!
Oh no! Shrinking like that is a common and annoying problem with blind baking, it’s actually the reason I love using the sugar because it distributes the weight so evenly and I usually don’t have that problem. Was the sugar filled up almost all the way, so that it was weighted against the sides of the crust, too? Usually that is enough for me to keep the crust from shrinking.
I am a first-timer (and rather terrified – no Stepford in my kitchen, just rescued Mastiffs) & love the clear , simple instructions. There’s a chance I might not screw this up.
What types of pies call for blind baking? I’m going in the Granny Smith direction from your recipes.. The weirdest thing about the apples that is our most recently adopted blonde boy, a 230 pounder, LOVES apples. It is hard to work around him & his very effective road blocks. Watermelon & cantaloupe? Forget it!
– Marti
Hi Marti! Typically custard based pies like my chocolate pie call for blind baking. Thats a big puppy! My shepherd lovvveess to be in the middle of the kitchen floor when I’m baking. Gotta love em. 🙂
I saw your GS love in the “about me” bit & dug you even more. My first dog, when I thought I was an adult, was a German Shepherd. Also there are many photos of me hugging & petting my aunt & uncle’s GS when I was about 2 or 3. When my husband, Luc, first came to meet in person he told me he was TERRIFIED of dogs, including my first German Shepherd. DEAL BREAKER ALERT! I told him I loved the dog longer that I’d known him. Buh-bye. Clearly Luc got over it as I type this 20 years later. He’s taught our Stay Puft Marshmallow Man to use a sofa as a stepstool to get into bed.
#1 German Shepherd was friendly, outgoing, and could be anywhere in public, letting anyone pet him or throw balls/Frisbees. He converted Luc, who insisted my – wait…OUR baby be at our rehearsal dinner. It was a BBQ at my parent’s. He became Luc’s baby too & who never put a limit on what we would do for him, including custom wheels for his back end months later.
Off topic my teeny 8 lb rescue cat – she had chutzpah, ‘tude but was very friendly – used to grab the dog’s face & groom him. Odd but really cute. I love my smoothcoat black kitty girls.
OK. Reeling it in, not my strong suit. Last night I made, with Luc’s help because I started way late, our first apple pie FROM SCRATCH, top to BOTTOM. CRUST! Let me say that again. CRUST! You weren’t kidding about your foolproof crust recipe. So easy. Sooooo easy. Can the discs be frozen & if so, what are does & don’ts?I’m admitting my shame in a public internet post: I have store bought crusts in my freezer. No more. Our son has autism and deficits in fine motor skills. I might give the frozen ones to him & tell him to look up and make a pie recipe. Eli tried the Granny Smith with Sour Cream pie and mumbled happy sounds. Really? After 12 years of speech therapy and being in Honors English? This on top of cis male teendom?. Oy vey!
Much gratitude, even from my cellulite,
Marti
Thank you so much Marti! This comment really made my day. Dogs really are the best things on earth! I will always have a German Shepherd. Mine is so dopey but so loving. She is the exact same as your #1. She loves people and loves going out in public. I am so glad you enjoyed the crust so much. I hope you enjoy it for years to come. 🙂
Rustic pies aka Galettes are heaven! Ive struggled for years with perfecting pies, Galettes to the rescue! Love the carefree look of them with the same amazing taste. Ill be trying your crust for my savory and sweet galettes!
I love Galettes! I hope that you enjoy the pie crust recipe and it works perfectly for you! 🙂
I used the recipe to make pie dough for turnovers. They turned out really crispy and flaky. Perfect really. The sour cream was a very nice change. I’m going to make them in big batches for holiday parties. Nice job on the recipe and thank you.
Thank you so much! I am so glad that you enjoyed the pie crust. 🙂
My mom gave me the same apple dumpling recipe from the same Betty Crocker cookbook! In fact I still have that cook book. Great women think alike I guess. I wanted to see how you made your crust. I’ve only made a few pie crust but I never heard of using sour cream just butter. So will you explain to me why you use sour cream? Can you taste the sour cream in the crust? Does it make rolling it easier? Have you ever seen a recipe that has vanilla extract or vanilla paste in the crust? I’m thinking about trying it out on just one of the apple dumplings. I love vanilla. I just wanted to know what you might recommend. That’s enough questions for today! Thanks, Janet
Ah that’s so cool! It’s been a family favorite here for… forever!
I use sour cream because it yields a tender but nice and flakey crust. It’s (in my opinion) much easier and less fussy to make than many traditional pie crusts (the food processor also helps with that!), but no it does not taste like sour cream. I don’t know that I’d say rolling it is easier, the rolling part is probably about the same with this recipe as with one that doesn’t use sour cream.
I’ve never used vanilla extract/paste in the crust, but I’m sure it could be done. Usually the crust doesn’t need much flavor of its own as that comes from the filling, but if you wanted to add some I’d mix it in with the sour cream. I think you’ll get more of a vanilla flavor from using it elsewhere, though. Maybe stir a teaspoon or so into the syrup after cooking it on the stovetop? I hope that helps, Janet! 🙂
Hi just letting you know I did this recipe with my homemade butter from my beautiful jersey girls. And used cream instead of sour cream. Turns out perfect every time!!!
Thanks so much for the feedback, Ann! 🙂
Within the coming weeks, I am going to be doing dry runs of pies and stuff to prepare for the holidays (first time I am being the host and very excited). This seems simple enough and would rather attempt this instead of doing a store brought crust. As of now I do not have a food processor. Can this be done another way or am I just out of luck until I eventually do get a food processor?
Hello, Megan! If you don’t have a food processor you can use a pastry cutter instead. Let me know if I can provide you with any specific pie recipes you may be looking to bake. 🙂
Thanks Sam! Out of luck on the pastry cutter as well! LOL I’m not going to do any dry run of pies just yet, few weeks away, but thought MAYBE if I felt up to it this weekend I was going to try the coconut cream pie. I’m going to wait until I do get the food processor.(BTW, thanks for linking to the one you use as that is the same one I have been looking at on Amazon so maybe it it’s a sign! LOL) For holidays I am planning coconut cream and apple pie, possibly pecan as well. I have made pies before, but not doing my own crust. So definitely wanting the whole thing from scratch. I made your homemade whip cream recipe a few weeks back for some chocolate ice cream shakes, so I know I am set with that. Looking forward to your pie recipes and pie crust. One other question, I have seen the coconut cream pie, by any chance do you have a coconut custard pie recipe?
Hi
Gonna make apple pie turnovers from ur recipe… N for that I’m making pie crust… but don’t hav sour cream…so can i substitute cold water or something instead?
Hello, Sarah! I have had others substitute greek yogurt and have had success. Let me know how your pie crust turns out! 🙂
I too am not a great baker, but this pie crust was wonderful. I will admit trying to roll it out in a circle and get it in the pie plate took several tries, but practice makes perfect. I took the left over bits of crust and baked them with a little sugar and cinnamon….YUMMY!!! I was going to save some to share with my husband, but took one for the team and ate them all. LOL!! Thank you for making baking a success for all of us novices. BTW, I made a pear pie like my grandmother used to make, she used sand pears off her tree. Haven’t tried it yet, but if smells count, it will be heavenly. Thank you again. On to my next baking project!
Thank you so much, Shirley! I am so glad you enjoyed the pie crust. I would love to make a pear pie. Happy baking! 🙂
5 stars for taste and because this is probably as easy to make as a pie crust could be.
However, I have decided that making pies is an art for which I am not gifted and lack the patience to try. The whole rolling out and fitting into the pan is too frustrating.
I made little cookies out of the remaining scraps of crust that I sprinkled with sugar. So I can say for sure that the crust is flaky, buttery, and utterly delicious.
Hello, Mary! I am so happy that you loved the pie crust, despite fitting it into the pan. After a few attempts, you will be a pro! 🙂
How about a rustic pie? No pan used, simply roll out and fold up the crust around the filling. (Even the edges can be left alone.) I have used this when I didn’t feel like fussing with a pie pan.
Sounds interesting, Roberta! I have never tried it this way. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
I am not a baker but had some apples so decided to make an apple pie and I used this pie dough recipe. I shared my pie with some friends and got a thumbs up and some great comments on the flavor and how flaky the crust came was. I took a picture of my pie and posted it on Facebook and everyone thought it looked delicious. I’ve also been asked to share your recipe!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful pie dough recipe!! It’s a keeper!!
I am so glad that everyone enjoyed the pie crust, Dianne!