This is the only pie crust recipe you’ll ever need! Buttery, flaky, and foolproof, my easy homemade recipe is perfect every single time, thanks to a key secret ingredient. No messy pastry cutter needed! Recipe includes a video tutorial.
Why You NEED to Make This Pie Crust Recipe This Year
- It’s easy. No heavy lifting with this recipe as a food processor makes quick work of the dough, no pastry cutter needed (and I’ve include notes in case you don’t have a pastry cutter).
- It’s flavorful. And flaky, and buttery, and I could go on…. My secret ingredient (sour cream, trust me on this) adds beautiful depth of flavor to the pie, without revealing its origin to the taster. This pie crust is truly tasty enough to eat on its own.
- It makes enough. This recipe will fit easily in a 9″ or a 10″ pie plate. It makes enough that you won’t have to worry about fussing with a paper-thin, fragile sheet of pie dough. It folds under itself on the edge of the plate for a sturdy, substantial crust (which you’re going to want, once you taste it). I’ve been using this recipe for over a decade, but several years ago bumped up the ratios a bit to make sure I had plenty to work with, without it being too much excess to handle, either.
- Great for blind baking, too. Or making a lattice pie crust, or pie crust cookies, or just using anywhere you need a pie crust. Oh, and did I mention it doubles like a dream?
This shockingly simple pie dough works perfectly for blind baking (great for making apple pie or pecan pie), and can easily be doubled for two-crust pies or a lattice pie crust.
What You Need
You don’t need anything fancy or complicated to make my homemade pie crust recipe–just five common ingredients you probably already have:
- Flour. Use all-purpose flour, and make sure you’re measuring your flour properly, or you may end up with a dry, crumbly crust.
- Sugar. The small bit of sugar in this recipe can be eliminated, but I like that it adds a subtle flavor to the end result.
- Salt. Just a little salt flavors this homemade pie crust without making it salty.
- Butter. Your butter should be very cold when you drop it into your dry ingredients. You can pop it in the freezer for a few minutes before you are ready to start making your crust to make sure it’s cold enough. Use unsalted butter since we are adding salt ourselves. For an even more flavorful crust, splurge for European-style butter.
- Sour cream. Yep, sour cream! Sour cream is the secret ingredient in my pie crust recipe (and in my sour cream pound cake, among others!). Using sour cream takes a lot of the guesswork out of this recipe and there’s no fussing with various amounts of ice water. It gives this homemade pie crust a lovely depth of flavor that is not overwhelming or obvious, but does add an extra special subtle touch to the finished product. Mostly, though, I just love it because it makes this recipe so easy! If you don’t have sour cream, full-fat Greek yogurt will also work, but try to use sour cream if you can!
SAM’S TIP: That’s right, you don’t need ice water to make my pie crust recipe! I use an exact amount of sour cream instead. No more guessing how much ice water to use or worrying if your water is cold enough.
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!
How to Make Homemade Pie Crust
- Pulse dry ingredients together in the bowl of a food processor. Add cubed cold butter and pulse a few times until your mixture is combined and 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 sour cream, and pulse a few more times until mixture is still crumbly but beginning to cling together.
- Transfer dough onto a clean surface and gently, quickly work into a ball before flattening into a disk. Wrap disk in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 45-60 minutes.
- Remove dough from fridge and roll out to a 12″ circle. Arrange in pie plate and crimp/flute the edges before blind baking or filling.
SAM’S TIP: Making a pumpkin pie or a chocolate pie? You’ll need a blind-baked crust! While I share some notes on blind-baking in this recipe, I will be sharing an entire post dedicated to blind-baking very soon. Stay tuned!
Tips for Success
While this recipe is designed to be straightforward, here are a few things you can do to guarantee your success:
- Make sure your ingredients are cold. This is so important, the butter should be ice cold (I place mine in the fridge for up to 30 minutes before beginning). Cold butter = flaky, tender pie crust. Warm butter could even leak out of the dough.
- Don’t overdo it. Don’t overwork the dough. The food processor is a boon to the pie making process but can quickly overdo it if you’re not careful. You want to have some pieces of butter remaining, go just until the dough will cling together. If it’s overdone, the crust could be too tough or it won’t be flaky.
- Pulse means pulse. Do not simply blend the dough nonstop. Pulse in 1-second intervals, otherwise you’ll end up with a wet, overworked dough.
- Don’t let it stick. As you roll your dough, it will warm and becomes prone to sticing to the counter surface. To avoid this, generously flour your surface before beginning and, periodically, turn the dough. If it sticks, slide a thin spatula to pry it free and add more flour beneath the crust.
- Move it carefully. This is a sturdy crust, but kitchens get warm, especially if your ovens are blazing cooking Thanksgiving side dishes and whatnot. Take care when transferring your dough, gently wrap it up around the rolling pin and use that to carry it to the pie plate and gently unroll it (I demonstrate this in the video).
- Chill the dough. Again, cold dough is key to perfect pie crust. However, if yours is cracking as you try to roll it, it may be too cold. Let it rest at room temperature for 5 minutes, then try again.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry blender, knife, or a grater to cut your butter into your dough.
I highly recommend investing in a food processor though–it will make your baking so much easier and less messy!
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, let it thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
I know it seems like an unusual pastry ingredient, but I’ve found that sour cream yields an exceptionally tender, flaky, and shockingly flavorful (it’s delicious even on its own, or as pie crust cookies) crust. Plus, using sour cream means this pie crust recipe is much easier and less fussy to make than many traditional recipes. Worried about the flavor? Don’t! Sour cream adds flavor without making your crust taste like sour cream (no one will be able to tell what the secret ingredient actually is).
If you’re looking for pie crust alternatives, try my graham cracker crust or puff pastry.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter and make sure to follow along on YouTube where I have over 500 free video tutorials! 💜
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
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine flour, sugar (if using), and salt in the canister of a food processor and pulse briefly to combine.1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 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. The mixture may still seem dry, but if you pinch it between your thumb and forefinger and it clings together, you’re ready to move on — 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, bake it completely without any filling so it can be cooled and filled with a filling that does not need to be baked), 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.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Marcy
Hi Sam, this pie recipe looks fantastic! Do I need wax paper for the dough, or can I use plastic wrap?
Sam
Plastic wrap is totally fine. Enjoy! 🙂
Tracy
Love this pie crust for my pecan pie – always a success.
Any suggestions on how to tell when it is completely baked when blind baking. I made it for your chocolate pie and let it back the full 55 min. It looks great all except about a 4 in circle in the bottom. Doesn’t look fully baked after cooling and removing the sugar.
Thanks for any suggestions you may have.
Sam
Hi Tracy! Are you using a clear pie plate? A lot of the times I just look at the bottom of the pie plate to see if it’s done. 🙂
Tracy
Yes I am. Actually I think I have the exact same pie plate that you used. Inherited them from my mother-in-law. I thought of doing that, but could see sugar ending up everywhere – LOL. Will give a few extra min next time and try looking at the bottom. Thanks😊
Angie Swinehart
I have had great results with this recipe, thank you. I have several pies I need to make next week, so I’m wondering if you have frozen the crust for future use.
Sam
Hi Angie! I have not frozen it myself, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work. 🙂
Sarah
Can i make this without a food processor?
Sam
Hi Sarah! You can cut the crust together by hand. 🙂
Blair
I made the pie crust by hand, it is really easy! I cut the butter into the dough with a large fork.
Margaret
Can you use this pie crust to make fried hand pies?
Sam
Hi Margaret! This crust will work well for hand pies. 🙂
Liza
This was so tasty and easy! I’ve never made an ice water pie crust so I can’t compare it, but I don’t feel the need to try it! It’s was easy to make bigger batches to save for later too. And thank you for including weight measurements, especially for things like sour cream. I love using a food scale to bake, everyting turns out better.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Liza! 🙂
Karen Jones
Hi, sam
I usually love all your recipes i have used quite a few, this pie crust recipe just didnt work for me.. it was entirely toooo soft. kept it in the fridge longer than the time and it came togeather well , I am an avid baker i made this for a pot pie and had to end up making the one i always use. didnt care for this at all.
Sam
I’m so sad to hear this, Karen! I use this for my pot pie too and haven’t ever had this issue, I’m sorry you experienced this!
Janet Reed
Hi, I used your pie crust recipe and your buttermilk pie recipe. Just took the pie out of the oven. The pie crust shrank a little but more importantly it’s bubbling around the outside of the crust. I can’t tell if the filling broke through or if it’s moisture from the crust itself. I accidently left a pan of water in the oven from when I baked some bread so that may have messed it up. I’m excited to try it and hopefully it will taste better than it looks. I’ve never been very good at piecrust so I’m trying to practice. Do you find that your crust shrinks more when using a glass pie pan?
Sam
Hi Janet! I think the water in the oven would be the issue, too much moisture. A little bit of shrinking isn’t uncommon with any pie crust, but I don’t find that I have much shrinking with this one any more in a glass pan than a metal one (honestly it doesn’t really shrink much at all unless I blind bake and don’t fill it well). I hope that helps!
Sofia Bernal
Hi! I wanted to know: should I grease the pie dish?
Sam
Hi Sofia! There shouldn’t be any need here. 🙂
Blair
Your pie crust is delicious and super easy! I doubled the recipe and used the crust to make an empanada type pastry with meat filling. So yummy! It was my first time ever making pie crust and your instructions were so helpful, thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Blair! 🙂
Cobugi
This is indeed the best pie crust recipe! This is e fourth pie I make this month and all previous 3 failed, including one called “the foolproof pie crust” recipe.
I doubled this recipe for a turkey pot pie today and it’s not only a success but it’s indeed the best pie crust ever. Say what you want but I’m a fan of Pillsbury pie crust, and this surpasses it! It’s flakier and more flavorful (thank you sour cream).
Thank you SSo much for sharing this family recipe with us!
I will mention is that I had a hard time rolling it. It got too soft and I had to give up and remake it into a disc and refrigerate it and try again- and it still came out just amazing. I feel like this pie crust “melts” quite quickly, but I know practice will fix this issue.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! It does tend to warm up rather quickly. It will be a little more difficult if it’s really warm where you are baking, but you’ll get the hang of it. 🙂
Tasha
I tried making this but I tripled the recipe. I needed it for a pumpkin pie and an apple pie for Thanksgiving. I followed all the directions and used my large food processor with the dough blade. However, the crusts crumbled and fell apart. I could barely transfer them to the pie dishes. And cooked the crusts looks horrible. It’s quite embarrassing to have to take them to my family’s Thanksgiving meal.
Sam
Hi Tasha! Unfortunately it sounds like one of the ingredients were accidentally mis-measured in the conversion 🙁
From what you describe I would guess that there was too much flour used, but if the butter or sour cream wasn’t scaled up properly that could also result in the crumbly crust. Disappointed to hear this happened for you, the good thing about this recipe is it’s very quick and easy to make if you want to give it another shot!
Amber
Hi Sam!!
I’m looking to make this crust to use in your apple turnover recipe, but i don’t have a food processor. any recommendations for a substitute?
Sam
Hi Amber! You can cut it together by hand. You can use a pastry cutter to do it. 🙂
Aurora
If you don’t have sour cream can you use plain yogurt? I want to make a pumpkin pie but don’t have sour cream. Also do you need to prebake crust for a pumpkin pie? Thanks so much.
Sam
Plain whole yogurt should work. I would refer to the pumpkin pie recipe regarding whether to prebake or not, it should indicate there and I am hesitant to recommend one way or another as recipes vary.
Pat K
Thank you for sharing your family’s amazingly easy pie crust. It is perfection. I’ll never use another again.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Pat! 🙂
Elizabeth J
Does anyone know how long this pie crust lasts in the fridge once it’s made?
Sam
Hi Elizabeth! If it is wrapped tightly it should be good for about a week. 🙂
Elizabeth
Thank you so much Sam! I can’t wait to make this later this week! I love all of the recipes I’ve made from you so far!
Sam
I think you’re going to love this one too! 🙂
Diana
I have been trying to learn to make pie crust for ages. My husband would always say he liked Pillsbury pie crust better than what I made. But this time he said he liked this one. He even asked me to use it this Thanksgiving to make his cherry pie. Thank you for sharing!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Diana! 🙂