Learn how to make buttery, flaky homemade pie crust using simple ingredients (no shortening!) and no special equipment. Using just your hands, you’ll create a tender crust with a rich buttery flavor—perfect for both sweet and savory pies.
I’ve included my best tips, step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tricks so you’ll feel like a pro, even if it’s your first time making pie dough from scratch. Skip the freezer aisle and let’s get baking!
As a mom of four, I’m all about store-bought shortcuts (hello, refrigerated pie crusts for my mini pecan pies and strawberry slab pies!). But sometimes, only a homemade pie crust will do. Enter my go-to recipe for buttery, flaky pie dough that’s as easy as it is foolproof. And of course, it has a secret ingredient: sour cream!
This recipe is as low stress as it gets. There’s no ice water baths, no guesswork and no fancy tools needed. I repeat, no special equipment required! As in no food processor, no pastry cutter. Just a bowl, your hands and a trusty ol’ rolling pin.
Fun fact: this recipe first made its debut on my site way back in 2012 with my apple hand pies. Finally, 12 years later, this homemade pie crust recipe is getting the spotlight it deserves!
Ingredients
You’ll need just five simple ingredients to make buttery flaky pie crust:
- All-purpose flour: The base of our crust, providing structure. Just make sure to measure it correctly (spoon and level, don’t scoop!), so you don’t end up with a dry or crumbly dough.
- Kosher salt: Enhances the flavor.
- Baking powder: While traditional pie crust recipes often rely on the fat (like butter or shortening) and the technique of cutting it into the flour for flakiness, this recipe adds a small amount of baking powder for added lift and lightness. It also makes this dough easier to work with and a bit more forgiving.
- Butter: Adds that irresistible buttery flavor and flaky texture. I like to pop my butter in the freezer for a few minutes before starting, so it’s extra cold.
- Sour cream: My secret ingredient! By using sour cream instead of ice water, the pie crust becomes extra tender and flaky and is surprisingly easy to work with, eliminating the need for the tricky ice water step. Plus, the tanginess of sour cream enhances the flavor, adding a subtle depth that you can’t get with just butter and flour. Once you try it, you’ll understand why this is my go-to pie crust recipe!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Homemade Pie Crust
Now that you’ve got your ingredients, it’s time to bring this simple dough together! Making pie crust from scratch might seem intimidating, but I’ll break down each step to make it as easy and foolproof as possible, even if it’s your first time.
- Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and use your fingers to mix it into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs, with pea-sized bits of butter scattered throughout.
- Stir in the cold sour cream. The dough will be very wet, but don’t worry, it’s supposed to be!
- Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface, and knead it a few times until it comes together. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Roll it into an 8×10-inch rectangle and dust both sides lightly with flour.
- Fold the pie dough into thirds as if you were folding a letter, then rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again. Repeat the fold once more. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) before rolling it out.
Baker’s Tip: Chill before baking. Pop the pie crust back in the fridge for 20 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes before baking. This final chill helps prevent shrinking and keeps the crust nice and flaky.
How to Roll and Transfer Pie Dough
First things first, you’ll want your dough chilled but not rock-hard straight from the fridge. Too cold, and the dough will crack as you roll. Too warm, and you’ll end up with a sticky mess. So, if you’ve chilled it longer than 30 minutes, let it warm a bit at room temp until it’s softened enough to roll but still cold to the touch.
You’ll need a rolling pin, a cool surface (such as a marble pastry board) and some flour. Lightly flour your work surface, rolling pin, and your hands, and sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Start from the center of the dough and roll outward in every direction (think spokes on a wheel). This helps keep the dough even and prevents any thick spots in the center. As you roll out the dough, rotate it frequently and even flip it over to make sure it isn’t sticking to the surface. Sprinkle a little more flour if it’s starting to stick.
Roll the dough into a thin 11- or 12-inch circle (depending on the lip of your pie plate).
Pro Tip: To gauge how large of a crust you’ll need, invert your pie pan and place it over the dough. You should have about a 2-inch border around the edge of the pie plate, giving you enough crust to run up the sides, plus a little extra for creating a cleanly crimped edge. If you’re coming up short, gently roll a bit more from the center out.
Once your pie crust edges are perfectly crimped or fluted, it’s ready to bake! Depending on the recipe you’re following, you may need to fully bake the crust or you might need a partially baked crust (known as blind-baking).
And don’t forget that final touch of shine! For an extra-glossy appearance, whisk one egg with one tablespoon of water, then use a pastry brush to brush it on your top crust and around the edges of your pie. A final sprinkle of sanding sugar provides added shimmer and a sweet crunch to every slice.
Troubleshooting Pie Crust
Even the most experienced pie bakers have issues from time to time, so if you’re getting cracks, shrinkage or a less than flaky texture I’ve got you covered!
- Cracks in the dough: If you notice cracks in your dough, it’s usually a sign that it’s too cold. Just let it sit at room temp for a few minutes to soften up, and then roll it out again. If cracks show up again, gently press them back together and add a tiny bit of water if needed.
- Not enough pie crust: Double the recipe below if you’d like to make a top crust or lattice to decorate your pie.
- Pie dough is too wet: Add a small amount of flour, one teaspoon at a time, gently working it in until the dough reaches the right consistency. You want it to hold together without being sticky.
- Dough sticking to the rolling pin or surface: This can happen when the dough is too warm or if there isn’t enough flour on the surface. If this is the case, pop the dough in the fridge for a bit, and make sure your work surface and rolling pin have a light dusting of flour. As you roll it out, give the dough a little turn and sprinkle some flour to help it along.
- Crust shrinks while baking: Shrinking often happens if the dough was overworked or if it didn’t get enough chilling time. To avoid this, make sure to chill the dough well before rolling it out and again after placing it in the pie pan.
- Crust is tough or dense: If your crust turns out tough, it’s likely due to handling it too much or using too much flour. When mixing and rolling, keep it gentle and only add enough flour to keep it from sticking.
- Soggy bottom crust: Nothing ruins a warm slice a pie like a soggy crust, and most of the time, fresh berries and fruit are the key culprits in the mess. Avoid a limp crust by adding enough flour or cornstarch to your fruit filling, which will help soak us excess liquid and result in a pie that’s much easier to slice and serve.
Blind Baking Pie Crust
Some pie recipes need a fully baked or par-baked pie crust before adding the filling. To blind bake your pie crust, start by placing a piece of parchment paper in the center so that hangs over the edges, then fill it with pie weights or dried beans to keep it in place and prevent puffing. Bake until the crust is pale golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. After this, carefully remove the weights, add your pie filling, and pop it back into the oven to finish baking.
For a fully blind baked crust (for a fully cooked or no-bake filling) follow the same steps but after 15 minutes remove the weights and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the crust is evenly golden brown.
What Can I Use Instead of Pie Weights?
Without pie weights the dough will puff up and then shrink down the sides. No pie weights? No problem! Use dry beans or uncooked rice to keep the crust from puffing up during baking.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Keep everything cold! Cold butter and sour cream are key. If the butter warms up too much, you’ll lose some of that flakiness in the crust.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Over-mixing can lead to a tough crust. Work just until the dough comes together.
- Embrace those specks of fat in your pie dough! Those little bits of butter are what make the crust flaky and tender. When you bake the pie, the fat melts and makes steam, which separates the layers of dough and gives you that texture. If you mix the fat too much and it disappears, the crust can end up being dense instead of light and flaky.
- Chill, chill, chill. For the flakiest layers, chill your dough after each step—before rolling, after shaping and before baking. This helps solidify the butter, creating those irresistible flaky layers when baked.
Can I Freeze Pie Dough?
Absolutely! Freezing pie dough is a great way to get ahead and save time, especially during the holiday season. Once your dough is mixed, shape it into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer-safe bag. It will keep for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to use it, just move it to the fridge and let it thaw overnight. Once thawed, let it sit at room temp for a few minutes to soften slightly then roll it out as usual. Freezing pie dough won’t hurt the texture or flavor – if anything it will give you an even flakier crust!
Easy Pie Recipes You’ll Love
Now that you’ve mastered the ultimate easy pie crust, here are some delicious pies to try next:
Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes, meal plans and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Servings 9 -inch pie crust
-
Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
-
Add the cubed butter to the bowl and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture is the consistency of wet sand.
-
Stir in the sour cream (the dough will be very wet), and then turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface.
-
Knead the dough a few times until it comes together, adding more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, if the dough is too sticky to handle. Roll the dough into an 8×10-inch rectangle and dust both sides with flour before folding it into thirds as if you were folding a letter.
-
Rotate the dough 90º and roll it out again into an 8×10-inch rectangle. Fold the dough again into thirds then shape it roughly into a disk. Wrap it securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
-
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
-
Flour your work surface then unwrap the dough and roll it into an 11- or 12-inch circle (depending on the lip of your pie plate).
-
Transfer the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp the sides into your desired design.
-
Refrigerate the pie crust for 20 minutes or place in freezer for 5 minutes before baking.
-
Proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions. If your dough requires par-baking, see my notes below.
- To blind bake the pie crust: Place a piece of parchment paper in the center so that it hangs over all edges then fill the pie with pie weights or dry beans. Bake the crust until it is pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes then remove it from the oven, discard the pie weights and add your pie filling. Return it to the oven and continue baking until the filling is set.
- To fully blind bake the pie crust (and then add a fully cooked or no-cook filling): Follow the steps above but remove the pie weights at the 15-minute mark and continue baking until the crust is evenly golden brown, an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
- Freezing:Once your dough is mixed, shape it into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer-safe bag. It will keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, just move it to the fridge and let it thaw overnight. Once thawed, let it sit at room temp for a few minutes to soften slightly then roll it out as usual.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Calories: 346kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 180mg, Potassium: 58mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 799IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 1mg
This post may contain affiliate links.
