Easy Pie Crust Recipe – Great for beginners and turns out perfect every time! Flaky, crisp crust on the outside and soft in the center. This easy pie dough recipe tastes amazing with just about any pie filling!
This is my go-to pie crust recipe when baking. It’s easy, quick and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. I love to make all types of pies with this easy pie crust, but a few of my favorites are coconut cream pie, pumpkin pie and chicken pot pie.
Easy pie crust
I really love a good, flaky pie crust! This easy pie crust recipe has a great flaky crust that turns out a little crisp on the outside but soft in the center. It’s so yummy and perfect with just about any pie filling.
It’s also a lot easier than you think to make your own pie crust…especially if you have a food processor. It will cut the time (and stress) in half! Plus, there aren’t a ton of ingredients needed to make this easy pie dough recipe. Only 6 to be exact! Simple and delicious!
What are the ingredients for pie crust?
This easy pie dough recipe only takes 6 simple ingredients and is quick to make. Check out the ingredients below to get started. I love to use both butter and shortening in my pie crust…it makes it nice and flaky!
- Flour (all-purpose)
- Sugar
- Butter (salted)
- Shortening (butter flavored)
- Vinegar
- Water (ice cold)
Why do you put vinegar in pie crust?
It may seem strange to add vinegar to the pie crust recipe, but it’s definitely the secret ingredient! It’s important to add vinegar because it tenderizes the pie crust and makes a softer dough. The vinegar helps to prevent the development of gluten, which creates a tougher crust. So be sure to add the vinegar so that your pie crust develops the perfect, soft texture! 
How to make pie crust
Scroll down for the printable pie crust recipe.
To make dough for pie crust:
- Add flour and sugar to a food processor and pulse a few times to get any air out of the flour.
- Cube butter and shortening, then add to food processor immediately. Pulse until the mixture has turned crumbly, about 10-12 times.
- Next add vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of water. Pulse and then add another Tablespoon of water. Add one more Tablespoon of water and then pulse until the dough begins to form into a ball. The consistency should be similar to play dough.
- Cut pie dough in half and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes.
To roll pie crust:
- Once pie dough has chilled, roll out on a floured surface.
- Then carefully place dough in pie pan. Make the crust edges using your thumb and index finger.
- You can also cut off the extra dough around the edges and press it down.
To bake pie crust:
- Place filling in pie crust and bake according to recipe.
- For most typical pie recipes, I bake at 425ºF with foil for 15-20 minutes and then 3-5 minutes without foil.
Before baking my pies, I also like to pre-cook the pie crust a little. A trick to help the pie crust not get brown or bubbly is to place foil over the crust. I like to also place pie beads (dried beans work great too) in the center to help weigh the pie down and not bubble. If you don’t have foil, parchment paper will work too.
Favorite pies to make with pie crust
This easy pie crust tastes amazing with just about any pie filling. Below are a few of my favorite pies to make with the easy pie dough recipe. Nothing like a piece of homemade pie!
- Coconut cream pie
- Pumpkin pie
- Brown bag apple pie
- Apple cheesecake pie
- Fresh strawberry pie
- Chocolate silk pie
- Banana cream pie
- Razzleberry pie
Easy Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 12 Tablespoons salted butter (cold)
- 6 Tablespoons butter flavored shortening (cold)
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
- ice cold water (add a Tablespoon at a time)
Instructions
- Add the flour and sugar to a food processor and pulse a few times to get any air out of the flour. Cube the butter and shortening, then add to the food processor immediately. Pulse 10-12 times until the mixture has turned crumbly. Add the vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of water. Pulse and then add another Tablespoon of water. Add one more Tablespoon of water and then pulse until the dough begins to form a ball. It should have the consistency similar to play dough.
- Cut the dough in half and then wrap it with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Once dough is chilled, roll out on a floured surface and then carefully place in pie pan. Then make the crust edges using your thumb and index finger. You can also cut off the extra dough around the edges and press it down.
- Place filling in and bake according to recipe. For most typical pie recipes, I bake at 425ºF with foil for 15-20 minutes and then 3-5 minutes without foil.
Nutrition
I make pie dough all the time, and you’re right, the food processor makes it so easy. I love that pie dough is so versatile– it can be used for pies, tarts, empanadas, pot pies, and more! Haha, can you tell I love pie ;-)
I love pie too! All the recipes you listed sound amazing! :)
Before your photo with the foil and pie weights, you say you like to pre-bake your crusts “a little” for all of your pies. How much time is “a little?” I like the idea because I like a browned crust and sometimes, the filling is cooked before the crust is fully ready. How long do you pre-bake your crust? Thanks!
Hi Jill! I bake mine for 5-7 minutes with the foil and pie beads on top. :)
Thanks for the tutorial! I have never made pie crust before…I may just have to give it a try!
I have this in the fridge chilling right now! I am making the Razzleberry pie recipe today. I had never heard of it before, and can’t wait to taste it. When I was making the dough for this crust I was just a little confused. In the Ingredients it has 8-12 Tablespoons of ice water. In the Directions it tells us to add 3 Tablespoons of water. I was worried that only adding the 3 wouldn’t be enough compared to the 8-12. I found that after the 2nd Tablespoon of water the dough looked like your picture, but I added another Tablespoon of water, per the directions. It made the dough thinner than I expected. Is it possible it wasn’t cold enough? Or should I just omit the third Tablespoon of water next time? I am hoping that once the dough is chilled it will be okay. Thanks!!
Thanks for the lessons on making a homemade pie crust. This will be my
first time that I will making my own crust.
curious do you need to bake crust first before using or filling?
Depends on that type of pie you’re baking! If it’s something where the whole thing gets cooked, like apple pie, you don’t need to bake ahead. But if you’re making a custard pie, like French Silk, then yes – you do need to bake before filling. :)
where can i get pie beads from
Most kitchen stores have pie beads available. Or, you can use dried beans (kidney, black, whatever you have). If you use dried beans, you can reuse them multiple times – but don’t try to make a meal with with them. All that time in the oven dries them out and makes them starchy. :)
Recipe sounds great. Can’t wait to try it.
Can I make this pie crust with a Kitchen Aid mixer? I don’t have a food processor.
Do you have a pastery cutter? I’ve done it by hand many times and it works just as well! :)
With this easy crust I am going to be a pie making machine!
Have fun making pies! :)
I love homemade pies. I need to try your pie crust recipe!
You make it sound so easy! Can’t wait to try this one. I like this! Thank you for a great recipe!
Homemade pie crust is the way to go for holiday baking! Yours looks perfect!
Thank you! It’s definitely easier than you would think too! :)
Your pie dough sounds sooooo easy. I will follow that recipe on my next endeavor to make my own pie crust.
Hope you enjoy as much as we do! :)
Saving this for the pie season! Thanks for sharing!
Is this recipe for a 2 crust pie? I didn’t see that information anywhere in the recipe.
Yes it is for 2 pie crusts!
why use vinegar in making a pie crust from scratch?
It may seem strange to add vinegar to the pie crust recipe, but it’s definitely the secret ingredient! It’s important to add vinegar because it tenderizes the pie crust and makes a softer dough. The vinegar helps to prevent the development of gluten, which creates a tougher crust. So be sure to add the vinegar so that your pie crust develops the perfect, soft texture!
What if you don’t have a food processer?
You can also do it by hand using a pastry cutter or 2 knives! :)
I am new at this, my husband did all the baking and now it’s up to me. I live alone and would love to learn how to bake.
I hope you enjoy this pie crust recipe! :)