The Best Homemade Pie Crust

The Best Homemade Pie Crust

I honestly don’t know why it’s taken me this long to make and share my own homemade pie crust recipe—probably because I’ve always been a little intimidated by pie dough. For years, I convinced myself that homemade pie crust was difficult or that I’d never be able to create one that was flaky, buttery, and reliable every single time.

But after several attempts (and plenty of testing!), I can finally say that I think I’ve perfected it. And I truly believe this is the one.

This pie crust is everything I want in a homemade crust: buttery, flaky, tender, and surprisingly easy to work with. It rolls out beautifully, bakes up golden and crisp, and is the perfect base for everything from summer fruit pies to cozy holiday favorites. Once you taste the difference a homemade crust makes, you’ll never want to go back to store-bought.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Perfectly buttery and flaky.
• Easy to make with simple ingredients.
• Uses a touch of vodka for extra tender layers (or substitute with more ice water).
• Rolls out beautifully and is easy to work with.
• Great for fruit pies, galettes, quiche, and savory pies.
• Can be made ahead and frozen.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You can find the full measurements in the recipe card below, but here’s what you’ll need:

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• Cold unsalted butter
• Ice water
• Chilled vodka (optional)
• Egg
• Water

Why Add Vodka to Pie Dough?

One of my favorite tricks for achieving an incredibly flaky pie crust is adding a little chilled vodka. Since alcohol evaporates during baking, it helps create tender layers without developing too much gluten. Don’t worry—if you don’t have vodka on hand, simply replace it with additional ice water and your crust will still turn out beautifully.

Tips for the Flakiest Pie Crust

Keep Everything Cold

Cold ingredients are the secret to a flaky pie crust. I recommend using very cold butter and ice water to help create those beautiful layers.

Don’t Overwork the Dough

The dough should just come together. Small pieces of butter throughout the dough are exactly what you want—they melt in the oven and create those irresistible flaky pockets.

Chill Before Rolling

Allowing the dough to rest in the refrigerator gives the gluten time to relax and makes rolling much easier.

Let the Dough Sit at Room Temperature

Before rolling, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for about 30 minutes. This helps prevent cracking and makes the dough easier to handle.

Storage

Refrigerator

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Freezer

Wrap each disk well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Recipe

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons ice water
• 2 tablespoons chilled vodka (or substitute with 4 tablespoons ice water)

Egg Wash

• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse a few times to combine.
   
2. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

1. Add the ice water and vodka and pulse until the dough just begins to come together. If necessary, add an additional tablespoon of ice water.

1. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into two equal portions.

1. Shape each portion into a 1-inch-thick disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

1. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
2. When ready to use, remove the dough from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before rolling.
3. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface and transfer it to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

1. Trim the edges, leaving about ½ inch of overhang. Crimp the edges as desired.

1. Fill and bake according to your favorite pie recipe.

Notes

• Makes enough dough for one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies.
• If you don’t have vodka, simply replace it with additional ice water.
• For the flakiest crust, keep your ingredients cold and avoid overworking the dough.
• Dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.