If pie crust has ever made you nervous, come on in. We are going to make a flaky, tender, totally dependable pie crust from scratch using butter for flavor and shortening for easy flake and forgiveness. This is the crust I reach for when I want a stress-free roll-out and a crisp, golden bake, even on a weeknight.
My promise: If you can keep your fat cold and resist the urge to overwork the dough, you can make an incredible crust. Today is butter’s day.
The idea
Why This Recipe Works
Butter tastes amazing, but it melts quickly. Shortening has a higher melting point, which helps the crust hold its shape and stay flaky, especially if your kitchen runs warm or you are new to rolling dough.
- Butter: flavor and those gorgeous golden browned notes.
- Shortening: tenderness, flake, and easier handling.
- Cold water: brings the dough together without melting the fat.
Shopping
Ingredient Notes
This amount is designed for a standard-depth 9-inch pie plate. If you are using an extra-deep dish, you may want to scale up by about 25%.
- Sugar: optional, but lovely for most sweet pies.
- Ice water: usually 8 tablespoons is the sweet spot, but add just enough for the dough to hold when squeezed.
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice: optional, for extra forgiveness. A little acid can slightly inhibit gluten formation, which can make the dough more tender and a bit more forgiving to handle. You will not taste it.
- Cold fat: if your butter is bending, it is too warm. You want it firm and cold.
Get set up
Equipment You Will Need
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry cutter, fork, or clean fingers
- Measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale)
- Plastic wrap
- Rolling pin
- 9-inch pie plate
Non-negotiables: keep everything cold, and stop mixing the moment the dough holds together.
Technique
Tips for Getting It Right
- Chill first: Pop your butter cubes and shortening in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. If your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowl too.
- Leave bigger pieces: When cutting in the fat, aim for some pea-size pieces, some 1/2-inch pieces (about nickel-size), and a bit of sandy flour. Those larger pieces are the future flakes.
- Pause if warm: If the bowl starts feeling warm, chill it for 10 minutes. There is no prize for speed.
- Add liquid gradually: The dough should look shaggy in the bowl, not smooth. Smooth usually means overmixed.
- Think “toss,” not “stir”: Gentle mixing keeps it tender.
- Chill between steps: When in doubt, chill.
- Patch with confidence: If it tears, patch it. Pinch a little dough over the tear and move on.
Flexibility
Substitutes That Work
- No food processor needed: Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips. Work quickly so the fats stay cold.
- All-butter option: You can use all butter instead, and it will be delicious, but it will be fussier to roll and more sensitive to warmth. The butter and shortening combo is a go-to for confidence.
Make it yours
Variations to Try
- Sweet vs. not: Include the optional sugar for most sweet pies, or omit it when you prefer a less-sweet crust.
- Extra forgiveness: Add the optional 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (you will not taste it).
On the table
What to Serve It With
Use this crust for:
- Custard pies, cream pies, and no-bake fillings: blind bake the crust first.
- Pies that bake with filling: follow your pie recipe for temperature and time.
For pies baked with filling, these small moves help almost every pie:
- Use a preheated sheet pan: Set a rimmed baking sheet in the oven while it preheats, then bake the pie on that hot pan for a crispier bottom.
- Consider an egg wash: Brush the top crust with beaten egg (or egg plus a splash of water) for shine and color.
- Shield the rim if needed: If the edges brown too fast, cover them with foil partway through baking.
Later
Storage, Freezing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Wrap each disc tightly. Refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze up to 3 months.
- To thaw: Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
Helpful chilling timelines:
- 10 to 15 minutes: chill butter and shortening before mixing
- 1 to 2 hours: chill dough discs before rolling
- 15 to 30 minutes: chill shaped crust in the pie plate before baking (highly recommended)
Watch out
Common Mistakes to Avoid
My dough is too crumbly
- Cause: not enough water.
- Fix: sprinkle 1 tablespoon ice water at a time and toss gently. Stop as soon as it holds when squeezed.
My dough is sticky
- Cause: too warm or too much water.
- Fix: chill 20 to 30 minutes, then flour the counter lightly. If it is very wet, sprinkle a little flour while rolling, not while mixing.
It cracks when I roll it
- Cause: dough is too cold or too dry.
- Fix: let it rest 5 to 10 minutes, then roll with gentle pressure. You can also pinch cracks together as you go.
My crust shrank
- Cause: stretched dough, not enough chill time, or overworked gluten.
- Fix: never stretch to fit the pan, chill shaped crust before baking, and mix less next time.
My crust is tough
- Cause: too much water or overmixing.
- Fix: handle less, keep visible butter bits, and add water slowly.
My bottom crust is soggy
- Cause: wet fillings or underbaking.
- Fix: bake on a lower rack, use a preheated sheet pan under the pie, and consider brushing the bottom crust with egg white before filling for extra insurance.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this crust without a food processor?
Absolutely. I actually love the control of a pastry cutter or your fingertips. Just work quickly so the fats stay cold.
Can I use all butter instead?
You can, and it will be delicious. It will also be a bit fussier to roll and more sensitive to warmth. If you are new to pie, this butter and shortening combo is my go-to for confidence.
How do I know I added enough water?
Squeeze a handful of dough. If it holds together and the bowl looks mostly dry with some shaggy bits, you are there. If it crumbles apart, add 1 more tablespoon ice water.
What is the best way to store pie dough?
Wrap each disc tightly. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
Why add vinegar?
A little acid can slightly inhibit gluten formation, which can make the dough more tender and a bit more forgiving to handle. You will not taste it.
The recipe
Flaky Pie Crust (Butter + Shortening)
A flaky, tender, dependable pie crust made with butter for flavor and shortening for easy flake and forgiveness. Makes one standard 9-inch double crust (or two single crusts).
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional, but lovely for most sweet pies)
- 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup (96g) vegetable shortening, very cold
- 6 to 10 tablespoons ice water (usually 8 is the sweet spot)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (optional, for extra forgiveness)
Instructions
- Chill first. Pop the butter cubes and shortening in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. If your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowl too.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar (if using).
- Cut in the butter and shortening. Add the cold butter and cold shortening. Use a pastry cutter (or your fingertips) until you have some pea-size pieces, some 1/2-inch pieces (about nickel-size), and a bit of sandy flour. If the bowl starts feeling warm, pause and chill it for 10 minutes.
- Add ice water gradually. Stir the vinegar (if using) into the ice water. Drizzle in 6 tablespoons total liquid (that is 5 tablespoons ice water + 1 tablespoon vinegar, or all water if skipping vinegar) and toss gently with a fork. Add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough looks shaggy and holds together when you squeeze a handful.
- Form discs (do not knead). Turn the shaggy dough onto the counter. Divide into two equal portions for a double crust. Press each into a 1-inch-thick disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
- Chill the dough. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. For best texture, 2 hours is even better.
- Roll (when ready to use). Let one disc sit 5 to 10 minutes so it is rollable but still cold. Lightly flour the counter and rolling pin. Roll from the center out, rotating a quarter turn every few rolls, aiming for a circle about 12 inches wide for a 9-inch pie plate. Transfer by rolling around the pin and unrolling over the plate, easing into corners without stretching. Patch any tears by pinching a little dough over the tear.
- Finish the edges. Trim overhang to about 1 inch. Tuck the overhang under itself to create a thicker rim. Crimp with fingers or press with a fork.
- Optional: Chill shaped crust. Chill the shaped crust in the pie plate for 15 to 30 minutes before baking (highly recommended).
- Optional: Blind bake (for custard, cream, and no-bake fillings). Preheat the oven to 400 to 425°F. Line crust with parchment paper (or foil) and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges look set and are just starting to take on color. Remove weights and parchment, dock the bottom with a fork, then bake 5 to 10 minutes more until the bottom looks dry and lightly golden. For a fully baked crust, continue baking another 5 to 10 minutes, watching closely, until evenly golden.
Recipe notes
- Target texture: The dough should look shaggy in the bowl and hold together when squeezed. Do not aim for smooth.
- Chunky butter is good: Leave some larger pieces (up to 1/2-inch). Those become flaky layers.
- Scaling: For an extra-deep 9-inch dish, consider scaling up by about 25%.
- Chilling checkpoints: 10 to 15 minutes for the fats before mixing, 1 to 2 hours for the dough discs, and 15 to 30 minutes for the shaped crust before baking.
Nutrition (per serving, approximate)
- Calories: ~220
- Fat: ~14g
- Carbs: ~21g
- Protein: ~3g
- Fiber: ~1g
- Sugar: ~1g
- Sodium: ~150mg
Approximate values per serving, assuming 12 servings per double crust.