Okay, this crust is my absolute favorite! It is my go-to crust for any sweet or savory recipe. I have even ventured out and tried other crusts to test my theory. I’ve tried using crusts with shortening, half butter-half shortening, and even frozen olive oil, but in my opinion, none of those crusts have the flavor or flakiness of an all-butter crust. So I went back to my favorite, and I’m sure glad I did! I’ve made quiches, pot pies, pie bars, hand pies, dessert pies, and much more using this recipe. I hope you find it as great and versatile as I do.

Here is the recipe below.

My Favorite All Butter Pie Crust

If making a savory recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) of cold butter
• 1/2 cup of Ice water
• Egg wash: 1 large egg & a tablespoon of water
• Optional: 1 teaspoon of dried or fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary

If making a sweet recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) of cold butter
• 1/2 cup of Ice water
• Egg wash: 1 large egg & a tablespoon of water
• Optional: 1 teaspoon of spices such as cinnamon or cardamom

Get the recipe here 

Instructions: 

This recipe makes a double crust.

First, make sure your butter is really cold. This makes for a much better crust. You can cut the butter into cubes and refrigerate until ready to use or an easier way is to grate your cold butter with a cheese grater.  Either method will help the butter blend into the flour mixture easily.

Whisk all dry ingredients in a medium bowl until fully combined. Add the cold butter and blend with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can use a food processor if you’d like, but I prefer the consistency of a good old-fashioned pastry blender. Plus, there are fewer dishes this way, and that’s always a plus in my house.

This is what cubing the butter will look like

This is what grating the butter will look like

This is what you’re looking for, crumbly pea-sized butter bits.

Once the mixture is at the correct consistency, add ice-cold water a little at a time until the dough starts to come together when squeezed with your hand. You don’t want the dough to be too wet or too dry. If it’s too dry, add a little more water.

Gather the dough and lightly flatten it into two disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or you can freeze for 20 minutes if you’re running short on time. If you only need a single crust. Use one disk and freeze the other until you’re ready to use it.

When you’re ready to use the crust, roll out each disk onto a lightly floured surface about 1/4 of an inch thick. Use one disk for the bottom layer crust and the other for the top layer crust. Decorate as you like by crimping the edges or using a fun braid design. Cut into strips to make a lattice, or you can just lay the 2nd layer over the top and cut a small slit in the middle to let out steam. To make it extra fancy, decorate using pie crust cutters.

Lastly, brush your crust with the egg wash; this will ensure a nice golden brown crust. If using a sweet filling, top it with turbinado sugar. Cook time will vary by filling; you’ll know the crust is done when it is golden brown. If making a fruit or custard pie, don’t forget to par-bake your bottom crust!