The Best Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

Flaky layers in a pastry crust

The fat in the pie crust is a key factor in creating a flaky pie crust. In this recipe, cold chunks of butter are cut into the dough until it's broken into coarse breadcrumb pieces with a few pea-sized butter pieces in there too.

When the pastry hits the oven, the water in the butter evaporates and creates air pockets in the pastry.

Here are some top tips for achieving the perfect flaky crust:

Keep the butter cold

Keeping the butter cold at all times is essential. Using cold yogurt will help with that too. If the butter melts into the dough, you won't get the reaction of the water evaporating in the oven, and won't be flaky. The pastry is easiest to make on a cool day. If your room temperature is warm, place your pastry into the freezer or fridge each time you feel the cold butter warming up and softening.

Consider shortening

If you are in a hot environment, you may want to swap half the butter for shortening. While butter makes a flakier crust with more flavor, shortening is easier to work with as it has a higher melting point than butter.

Make the pie crust dough by hand.

A food processor might save time, but cutting the butter by hand makes a superior crust. There is the risk of cutting the butter too small when using a food processor, which won't make it as flaky. I use a handheld pastry cutter, and it's great to control the butter size.

Handle the dough gently

Bring the dough together with just enough liquid without working it too much. Once a dough forms, roll it into a rectangle, then fold it into layers like a pamphlet. This process is similar to lamination in inverted puff pastry and makes a flakier crust. It will make it smoother without developing the gluten as much as kneading.

Don't add too little or too much water

Dough hydration is essential. Too much water and you'll get gluten formation that'll make your crust tough. Not enough water or too much flour will make your dough crumbly and impossible to roll out. Find that perfect balance where the dough stays together when pressed but isn't sticky or dry.

Rest the dough

And speaking of balance, don't forget to give your dough some rest time. Two hours is ideal for relaxing the gluten and making your crust tender and delicious. And if you're not ready to bake just yet, freeze that dough for future use!

Bake the pie crust properly

Properly baking the pie crust is essential to achieving a flaky texture. You want it to be nice, crisp, and flaky, so follow the recipe and bake it perfectly. And voila! You'll have a pie crust that's flaky, delicious, and ready to be filled with all your favorite goodies.

Method

Begin by chopping the butter into cubes. Add the cubes to a bowl and place them in the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes to ensure it's cold.

Whisk the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the cold butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture into coarse crumbs.

You want a few pea-size pieces of butter in there.

Add the natural yogurt to the bowl and stir until the dough comes together.

Use a fork or your hands to combine the dough into a shaggy ball, and add in as much chilled water as needed, ½ a tablespoon at a time.

It should hold together easily when pressed but not be sticky. If the dough is crumbly, add a bit more water.

If the butter has softened or the dough is warm, place it in the fridge for 30 minutes before continuing with the next step.

Roll the dough Into a 10-inch/25-cm rectangle using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface.

It doesn't need to be perfect, just lengthen it to around that size.

Laminating

Fold the top ⅓ of the dough down to the middle, then fold the bottom ⅓ of the dough up to make a pamphlet shape.

Turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat this roll and fold process once more.

Once finished rolling, cut the dough into two and use your cupped hands to shape each piece into a round disc gently.

Wrap the dough discs up tightly using plastic wrap or place them in a fitted airtight container. Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days before using it. Alternatively, it can be frozen for up to three months.

Yield

This homemade pie crust recipe makes enough for a double 9-inch pie or two single 9-inch pies.

Rolling a pie crust

Lightly dust your work surface with flour.

Place the chilled pie dough on the floured surface and evenly sprinkle some flour on top. Press down gently with a rolling pin, starting from the center of the dough and working your way out.

Rotate the dough 90 degrees after each pass to ensure an even, circular shape. Continue this process until you achieve a crust thickness of about ⅛-inch and a diameter of about 2 inches larger than your pie dish for a single-crust pie. Make it around 3 inches larger than the pie dish for a double-crust pie.

Once the dough is rolled out, gently place it into the pie dish, ensuring it is centered. Press the dough lightly against the bottom and sides of the pie pan.

Trim any excess dough hanging over the edge, leaving about a ½-inch overhang. Tuck the overhang under itself, creating a thicker edge.

To flute the dough, use your thumb and index finger to create a V-shape on the outer edge while pressing your other index finger from the inside of the crust to form a U-shape between the V.

Continue this pattern around the entire crust.

Par-baking

Some pie crusts require par-baking before filling to ensure the crust's texture remains crisp and flaky. The specific baking method depends on the type of pie and its filling. This involves blind baking the crust until it's partially cooked.

It is often used for a single-crust pie recipe with a pie filling with a shorter baking time than the crust.

How to partially blind bake a crust

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Using a fork, gently prick the bottom and sides of the pie crust to prevent puffing during baking. This flaky pie crust recipe likes to puff a lot! Line the crust with parchment paper. Fill the parchment-lined crust with pie weights, rice, or dried beans, spreading them out.

Bake it for approximately 10-15 minutes until the edges of the pie crust are lightly browned. Remove it from the oven and lift off the parchment paper and weights. Place the crust back in the oven for another 2-3 minutes until the bottom stops looking wet. 

Full Baking

Sometimes, the pie crust must be fully baked before adding the filling. This method is used when the filling doesn't require baking or is pre-cooked. Fully baking the crust ensures it remains crisp and flaky, even after adding the filling.

How to fully bake a pie crust

To fully bake a pie crust, blind-bake it as described above up to the step when removing the pie weights and parchment paper. Lower the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and place the pie crust back in the oven for 15-20 minutes until it's nicely golden brown and baked through.

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