Basic Pie Dough for Apple Pie

92 Ratings
  • 5 29
  • 4 28
  • 3 14
  • 2 13
  • 1 8

When you need a basic pie dough, turn to this recipe. It’s an all-butter crust that’s flaky and light. The recipe makes enough pastry for one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies. We like to use this pie dough for apple pie.

Everyday Food, November 2006

Gallery

Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

Yield:
Makes 2 disks
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Ingredients

Directions

  • In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.

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  • Sprinkle with 1/4 cup ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed with fingers (if necessary, add up to 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time). To help ensure a flaky crust, do not overprocess.

  • Transfer half of dough (still crumbly) onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form dough into a disk 3/4 inch thick; wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (and up to 3 days). Repeat with remaining dough. Makes 2 disks.

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Reviews (11)

92 Ratings
  • 5 29
  • 4 28
  • 3 14
  • 2 13
  • 1 8
Martha Stewart Member
12/12/2020
Love this recipe. The only time I have had trouble is when I wasn’t paying attention and did not add enough water. It was a bit crumbly and harder to work with. Yes, it does get pretty hard in the fridge, but let it sit out for no more than five minutes, and it will become nicely pliable. To the snarky commenter, the amount of flour is perfect. Why anyone would want a crust thicker than what this produces is beyond me. Thick pie crust is hard, tough and unpleasant to eat. Why would you want to have to eat a piece of pie with a fork AND a knife?
Martha Stewart Member
09/30/2020
I’ve made this dough for a blueberry pie with crumb topping and it came out fantastic! Will be making an apple pie today. Reminds me of my Polish mother’s recipe (she used shortening instead of butter). Smazne!
Martha Stewart Member
09/27/2020
This recipe is ass..if you want a paper thin crust great..cmon maaann! Add another cup of flour at minimum
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Martha Stewart Member
07/26/2019
This recipe is fool proof, easy to follow and you get perfect pastry!
Martha Stewart Member
12/24/2017
Everything works perfectly. I might not make the ice water such a wide range - 1/4 to 1/2 cup is pretty wide. I once used 1/2 cup ice water and it was pretty mushy. BUT the key thing is to do exactly as the recipe says - make the discs, they MUST sit in the fridge for at elast 1 hours (allows the magic to happen between the gluten strands. Don't over work the dough. Roll it out cold. And you will have an incredible ie crust everytime.
Martha Stewart Member
11/24/2016
This pie crust is DEvine! Absolutely DElicious and the best pie crust recipe I've ever used. Flaky, flavorful, and a huge hit with the family this past Thanksgiving. So happy I found this recipe :)
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Martha Stewart Member
11/24/2016
This is my go-to pie crust recipe. It never disappoints!
Martha Stewart Member
11/20/2016
I have attempted this crust for 3 years with no success. When I take it out of the fridge, it is like a rock and in trying to roll it it splits every which way.Rolls nothing like you show on TV. Any suggestions??
Martha Stewart Member
09/13/2015
how much of the ingredients should you use if you only want to make one ball of dough?
Martha Stewart Member
06/16/2015
I have a question. Why add salt when you have gone to extra trouble to buy unsalted butter?
Martha Stewart Member
10/10/2011
Amazing pie crust! It was flaky, flavorful and delicious! I doubled the recipe and used the crust for an apple pie, pecan and pumpkin. Thanksgiving was brilliant at our house this year!
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