Description
Grandma’s Pie Crust is a classic, flaky, and tender crust recipe made with simple ingredients such as all-purpose flour, cold butter, and a touch of ice water. Perfect for both single blind-baked crusts and double-crust pies, this versatile recipe delivers a buttery, golden crust that crisps beautifully in the oven. Whether you’re making fruit pies or savory quiches, this traditional pie crust is easy to prepare and yields delicious results every time.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup ice water, plus 1–2 tablespoons more as needed
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Optional
- Additional all-purpose flour, for rolling and dusting
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk the all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar together in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined.
- Incorporate Butter: Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture and cut it in using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips. Continue until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
- Add Ice Water: Sprinkle in about half of the ice water, then toss the mixture with a fork. Add additional water one tablespoon at a time just until the dough holds together when pressed. The dough should look shaggy, not wet.
- Form and Chill Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently press it together. Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each into a flat disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Roll and Fit Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit it into a 9-inch pie plate, gently easing it into the corners without stretching. Trim the overhang to about 1 inch.
- Prepare Double Crust or Blind Bake: For double-crust pies, add your prepared filling, roll out the second disc into another 12-inch circle, and lay it over the pie. Trim, tuck edges together, and crimp decoratively. For a blind-baked crust, prick the bottom with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Apply Egg Wash: Whisk the egg and milk together in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the top crust or exposed edges to promote browning.
- Bake: For blind-baked crusts, bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove the weights and parchment if further baking is required. For filled pies, bake according to your specific filling recipe’s directions until the crust is deeply golden and crisp.
Notes
- Keep the butter and ice water very cold to ensure a flaky crust.
- Do not overwork the dough; handle it gently to avoid toughening the crust.
- Use pie weights or dried beans to keep the crust from puffing up during blind baking.
- The egg wash is optional but helps achieve a golden, shiny finish.
- If you do not use all the dough at once, the second disc can be wrapped and frozen for later use.
