MARTHASTEWART.COM

Our Favorite Pie Crust

The pastry blender is a useful tool to evenly incorporate ice water into the flour-and-butter mixture. Adding just a little ice water at a time ensures that the dough attains the right texture.
Everyday Food, May 2007
  • Prep Time 40 minutes
  • Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield Makes 1 crust
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling dough
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 tablespoons ice water, plus 2 more, if needed

Directions

  1. In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar several times to combine. Add butter. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces remaining.
  2. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed with fingers (if needed, add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overprocess.
  3. Turn dough out onto a work surface; form dough into a 3/4-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
  4. Before baking, unwrap dough; place on a large piece of floured waxed paper. Roll dough to a 14-inch round. Using paper, lift and wrap dough around rolling pin (discarding paper); carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate.
  5. Trim overhang to 1 inch; fold overhang under itself. Pinch between thumb and forefinger to make a uniform edge around the rim. Crimp edge; refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Cook's Note

Always start with chilled dough and a well-floured work surface. Chilled dough does not soften as quickly as warmer dough; flour absorbs any moisture and prevents sticking.

Recipe Reviews

Reviews (19)

  • Rana Checralla
    18 Apr, 2013

    I made this pie crust, and it was the most delicious and fluffiest pie crust ever. I recommend it very much!!!

  • Delia Yeung
    8 Jan, 2013

    I just made roasted cabbage and it is fabulous. I added different spices, but anyways - delicious...thanks for recipe.thai women for marriage

  • Peggy Pomeroy
    31 Dec, 2012

    good lace to find stuff

  • Amber Johnson
    22 Nov, 2012

    How long and at what temp do you cook this crust at???

  • AlisonMN
    20 Nov, 2012

    This recipe has never failed me! I agree though, is there a WW flour version? Also, please clarify the yield. Is it one crust for the top and bottom of covered pie or just one layer. Thanks.

  • beaunappetit
    9 Apr, 2012

    What am I doing wrong? Can the dough become too chilled in the frig?
    When I rolled it out, the edges cracked and when I put in the pie plate it was still very dry on the outer edges. After baking, it broke at the slightest touch.

  • UrbanMarilyn
    17 Nov, 2011

    i made an apple pie today, best pie i ever made in my life. It was her apple pie recipe too (the one she did on the Today show with meredith viera/bake off show), I used this crust and that apple pie recipe. Martha Stewart is a goddess.

  • TheGreenMama
    26 Apr, 2011

    All I can say is...where have you been all these years pie crust?!

  • ChefGreen00
    5 Jan, 2011

    I doubled the recipe and made a pumpkin pie and a chocolate meringue pie, I made the dough in my 14-cup food processor and it couldn't have been easier. This is the best tasting crust I have ever had, it has lots of buttery flavor. This is my new go-to crust recipe.

  • irishbaker18
    26 Nov, 2010

    Thanks for this recipe! I used to for our pumpkin pies and it turned out perfectly. The crust came out flaky and with a touch of sweetness, and the dough was very easy to work with.

    Just a heads up, I doubled the recipe and only needed 7 T of cold water, so just make sure to mix throughly before adding more water because depending on your house temp and humidity you may need more or less.

  • ajuliagulia
    25 Nov, 2010

    It would've been nice if you suggested what temperature to bake it at and for how long. The recipe seems incomplete.

  • saunasisua
    6 Sep, 2010

    nice if you added a metric conversion button

  • smilinggreenmom
    13 Jun, 2010

    This sounds really great but I just wish it had whole wheat flour. Do you have a good recipe for this? We use Kamut Wheat because it bakes up so well and has awesome nutrients in it...would love to find a healthy pie crust!! Thanks :)

  • cynditurtle
    24 Mar, 2009

    Just a little typo: 1 stick of butter is actually 8 tablespoons, not teaspoons.

  • cynditurtle
    24 Mar, 2009

    Just a little typo: 1 stick of butter is actually 8 tablespoons, not teaspoons.

  • cynditurtle
    24 Mar, 2009

    Just a little typo: 1 stick of butter is actually 8 tablespoons, not teaspoons.

  • dumplingrose
    26 Jan, 2009

    sorry - left out "water" after 3 tablespoons

  • dumplingrose
    26 Jan, 2009

    This recipe is very similar to Craig Claiborne's recipe which uses egg yolks, lemon jucie, 3 tablespoons of cold and more sugar besides the butter and flou. The crust can be used immediately or refrigerated and brought to room temp if used later

  • LittleMissBaker
    18 Nov, 2008

    The best pie crust I have ever had no more frozen pie crust for me.