Easy Pie Crust

Rating: 3.17 stars
1210 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 203
  • 4 star values: 230
  • 3 star values: 429
  • 2 star values: 262
  • 1 star values: 86

Prep now and enjoy wonderful pies all season. Make the crust and topping in advance and keep them in the freezer for up to three months, then defrost fully before using.

Everyday Food, July/August 2003

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Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

prep:
40 mins
total:
1 hr 40 mins
Yield:
Makes 2
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Ingredients

Directions

  • To make the dough for the pie crust, mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Cut 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter into pieces. With a pastry blender, cut in butter, working until mixture resembles coarse meal.

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  • Add 4 tablespoons ice water; work with hands until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time (up to 4 more tablespoons). Do not overwork.

  • Divide dough in half, and flatten halves into disks. Wrap disks separately in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour.

  • To form the pie shell, roll the dough on a floured surface into a 14-inch round. Wrap around rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate.

  • Fit gently into bottom and side of plate. Use kitchen shears to trim dough to a 1-inch overhang; fold under, and seal to form a rim.

  • Crimp rim with fingertips and knuckle. Repeat with remaining dough; wrap each with plastic, stack, and freeze.

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Reviews (40)

1210 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 203
  • 4 star values: 230
  • 3 star values: 429
  • 2 star values: 262
  • 1 star values: 86
Anonymous
Rating: 5.0 stars
12/08/2020
very nice pie crust
Anonymous
Rating: 5 stars
11/21/2018
Love this recipe, I've used it for years. It's always turned out great for me. To keep your pie crust in better shape you can always put it back in the fridge after shaping it for the butter to harden before cooking.
Anonymous
Rating: 5 stars
11/09/2018
Ok I have to admit that this is the first time that I have tried this. I looked thru some comments and saw to pulse it in a food processor before kneeding it by hand - I feel that this was a huge time saver. Also, because this is my first time, I don’t have a rolling pin. FYI: a wine bottle works lovely for this! Hahaha! Honestly though, it was easy; but not easier than buying a roll out pie crust from the grocer.
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Anonymous
Rating: 5 stars
11/06/2018
Flour is such a difficult thing to measure. How about adding weights (in grams) for us expats.
Anonymous
Rating: 5 stars
10/17/2018
I'm madly in love with this pastry! It's so easy and delicious (and I disliked pastry previously). After cutting my butter into cubes, I froze it before pulsing it. Also, I used salted butter. I used it for various tarts at Christmas time. I rolled, cut and re-rolled over and over and this dough never became tough. It's amazing. Thank you for a lovely recipe.
Anonymous
Rating: 5 stars
11/05/2017
Love this pie crust i will use this recipe forever
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Anonymous
Rating: 1 stars
10/28/2017
The dough was crumbly... I think I faulty did the steps*.
Anonymous
Rating: 5 stars
05/18/2017
Love this pie crust!!! Will use this as my pie crusts for now on!!!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
02/11/2017
Does this recipe include the top?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
01/17/2017
Can this be done over night?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/26/2015
So what do you do with the lentils after you've used them to help with the crust? I'm new to cooking and am quite the amateur...
Anonymous
Rating: 5 stars
12/31/2014
I made a couple of pumpkin pies for Christmas with this recipe. I've never had much luck making pie crusts, but this worked great. My daughter-in-law even commented that she usually doesn't eat the rim of the pie crust, but this one was great. I give this recipe 5 stars!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
10/23/2014
Video calls for 1 T sugar but recipe is 1 teaspoon. Which is correct?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/10/2013
Great video. I understand more why the bits of butter make the crusts flaky. I'm a little confused about the freezing. The video seemed to say to freeze them as disks, while the directions say to freeze them in the pie plate. How do you freeze a two crust pie in the pie plate? Do you add the filling? Thanks.
Anonymous
Rating: 5 stars
02/02/2013
I am converted!!!! I have been using a pie crust recipe handed down to me from my mother-in-law since I got married. It used lard, so that's all I knew and all I used. Until today when I didn't have any lard and was not feeling up to going to the store. Tried this recipe, and I'll admit I was a little hesitant with all that butter, seemed like a LOT. But oh my, OH MY, tasty, flaky, crispy on the outside and tender inside! Even the bottom crust was delish!! Thank you, Martha, LOVE IT!!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/14/2012
This pie crust is awesome! Fantastic! Martha makes it in a food processor which is super easy.You just have to make sure you put the entire 1/2 cup ice water in the dough. Put it in slowly and pulse lightly as you go. I think it is better chilled for 1/2 hour instead of an hour. It gets too hard otherwise. I LOVE this recipe and always use it.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/10/2012
Your website isn't working. I couldn't save nor e-mail the recipe although I'm a subscriber and have an on-line account.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/08/2012
This recipe was a major disappointment & I'll not use it again. I followed the ingred./steps in the magazine version. 2 sticks of butter is WAY too much! The crust came out hard instead of flaky. Butter actually pooled onto the baking sheet under the pie. Yes, I followed the recipe precisely & yes I have successfully made great crust before. Just wanted to try Martha's version.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
07/21/2012
The hand in the picture looks like that of a cadaver! I wouldn't eat the pie that had been touch by those hands.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/11/2010
The missing ingredients is now fixed.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/04/2010
How much ice water? I don't see it listed with the ingredients.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/03/2010
When I use the frozen dough for a pre-bake crust pie, it shrinks eventhou when ' I put the beans as weight. What am I doing wrong?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/03/2010
You don't have to thaw the crust before filling it. I take the crusts directly from the freezer, fill them and bake. If you are adding a top crust you may want to thaw it a litle so you can crimp the two crusts togetner. However, I find that by the time you add the filling and are ready to put on the second crust the bottom crust is thawed sufficiently.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/02/2010
I freeze the disks. I do not put them in a pie pan. to freeze. I have not enough room in my freezer. Then when i am ready to use them I do thaw them in room temp till it is thawed, then they are ready to roll out to go into your pie pate or pan
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/02/2010
Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the flour-butter mixture, and blend. Repeat with an additional 2 tablespoons water. At this point, you may have to add more water: When a handful of dough squeezed together just holds its shape, you?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/02/2010
To Rockytopfan, Start with 3 tbsp of water, mix, if still crumbly add more water 1 tbsp at a time until the dough starts to stick together. You should be able to take a little in yours hands and squeeze it and have it just start to stick together.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/02/2010
The amount of ice water is not listed because it varies with how dry the flour is. The dryness of the flour is determined by what the weather is like when you are making the dough. Just use enough water so the dough comes together. Too much water will make the dough tough.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/02/2010
In the recipe I am looking at, it lists all the ingredients except how much water??? It says I can add up to 4 more, but 4 more than how many to start with
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/02/2010
Do you have to thaw the crusts before adding filling and baking later?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/02/2010
How much ice water to begin with. It is not listed in the recipe
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
08/30/2008
She does have the butter amt. correct. 2 sticks of butter is equal to 1 cup. Atleast Land o Lakes butter is 1/2 cup-per stick.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
06/10/2008
I found this recipe on RecipeZaar and it called for 1 cup butter.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
03/20/2008
Hi there, I was just re reading the recipe and noticed that they don't mention de amount of butter. About the Barefoot Contesa, I like her way of doing things, and about her PIE CRUSTwhat if I don't have a food processor' I have tried several recipes for pie crusts, they come out well, but still I haven't find one that I woud say. THIS IS THE ONE.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
03/20/2008
i agree with cynthiamills incorrect butter ingrdients
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
02/08/2008
Honeyhouston8 Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, has the pie recipe you are looking for. She uses part butter and part shortening. It is made in a food processor and is completely foolproof and easy. I use it all the time. It really is flaky and delicious. I add sugar when I want a sweeter crust and it does not change the consistency at all.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
02/08/2008
The butter in the ingredient list does not say how much butter to use for the crust. I am assuming it means 2 sticks, but they should correct this.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/16/2007
I used to have a pie crust recipe which used shortening instead of butter. Does anyone out there have that recipe? It always came out great! HELP!!!!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/15/2007
The water needs to be very cold, but not frozen. Put some water into the coldest part of your refrigerator for a while until very cold, then use it. I use cold water on my crusts all the time and it does a great job!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/15/2007
I want to know if you wait and thaw the frozen pie crust before baking a pie
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/14/2007
For the pie do the water have to be frosen?
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