No matter which pie dough recipe you use, the principles of making it will be the same: keep the ingredients cold, cold, cold. Let’s review:
Homemade Pie Dough
Purists will say that making a pie dough in the food processor is a no-no, but I find it works very well—so does Martha Stewart!—and if you are making a lot of dough, using a processor will save you a lot of time. (If you don’t have one, don’t worry: there are instructions below for making it without.)
The French Trick to Foolproof Pie Dough
Ten years ago I took a cooking class at Antoine’s Cafe in San Clemente, California during which the French instructor, Caroline Cazaumayou, wowed the audience with a tea towel.
After pulsing a few ingredients together in the food processor, she dumped the crumbly dough into the center of a tea towel. She then pulled up the corners of the towel and twisted it into a beggar’s purse. When she opened it up, the audience gasped: the crumbles had united to form a perfect round of dough.
This tea towel trick achieves two things:
- A tender crust, because the crumbly dough ensures it has not been over worked.
- A perfectly round shape, the ideal starting point for many a pie and/or tart.
This video demonstrates the process:
A few things to keep in mind:
- To start the pie-dough making process, cut your butter into smallish slices or cubes, place them in a bowl, and stick them in the fridge. Fill a large liquid measuring cup with ice and water. Set aside.
- If you want to make several batches of dough, rather than multiply the recipe and load up your food processor, make separate batches consecutively. No need to clean the processor in between batches.
- When I make the dough and plan on using it shortly thereafter, I prefer rolling it out immediately, fitting it into the pie plate, then chilling the dough-fitted pie plate in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
- When you are rolling out your dough, try to keep tools and ingredients cold — my aunt uses a marble rolling pin that she keeps in the freezer. (I never remember to freeze my rolling pins, but it’s something to keep in mind.)
This video shows how to roll out pie dough and make a simple fluted edge:
How to Make Foolproof Pie Dough
-
- Measure your ingredients.
- First pulse the flour, sugar and salt together.
- Add the butter and pulse 10 times (about).
- The butter should be the size of peas (about).
- Add ice water.
- Pulse again about 10 to 15 times or until the dough is still crumbly, but holds together when pinched.
- Divide dough between two clean tea towels. I love these tea towels by Now Designs.
- Gather towel into a beggar’s purse, and squeeze to form a round.
- Transfer one to the freezer for a future use.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining round into a circle about 12- to 13-inches in diameter.
- Fold dough into quarters to easily transfer to a pie plate or tart pan. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
- Measure your ingredients.
This 1-minute video sums up the above process:
5 Recipes to Use Foolproof Pie Dough In
Bourbon Pecan Pie (No Corn Syrup)
Ronnie Hollingsworth’s Most Excellent Squash Pie
Foolproof All-Purpose Pie Dough
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 nine-inch rounds
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This is the pie dough I use for everything: galettes, tarts, etc.
Dough can be made up to three days in advance and stored in the fridge or made weeks in advance and stored in the freezer. To thaw, place dough in the fridge overnight before baking.
To make a double batch: do not load your food processor with double quantities. Make the dough in separate batches — no need to wash the food processor in between batches.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups (320g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 16 tablespoons (227g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (142g) ice water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and salt together. Add the chilled, cubed butter. Pulse at 1-second intervals until butter is the size of peas — should be about 10 quick pulses. Add the ice water and pulse again about 10 times until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pinched. (To make without a food processor: In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar and salt together. Add the butter to the flour mixture, and using the back of a fork or a pastry cutter, incorporate it until it is in small pieces. Add ice water and continue to stir with fork until mixture it crumbly but holds together when pinched.)
- Lay two clean tea towels on a work surface. Dump half of the crumbly dough mixture into the center of each. Grab the four corners of the towel together and twist to create a beggar’s purse, pressing the dough into a round. Use your hands to pack and flatten the round. Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper, place in ziplock or other airtight bag/vessel, and stash in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for months.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pastry, foolproof, dessert, food processor
Linda says
Would it be possible to omit the sugar so that the dough can be used for avoury purposes?
Linda says
Sorry! savoury purposes.
alexandra says
Yes, absolutely! I also love this crust recipe for savory applications: Tomato and Gruyère Galette But, if you want to keep things simple, definitely omit the sugar (or leave it or reduce it … the sweet-savory combo is good, too :))
Cheryl Smith says
Another question…, if I put the dough disks in the freezer do you have any direction on thawing so that I work with them? Thanks so much.
alexandra says
I would stick the dough in the fridge the day before you plan on baking. If when you wake up, they still feel a little frozen, let them sit at room temperature. Let me know if there is anything else!
Lauren says
Very excited to try this! Do you have any insight on pie dough for my gluten free guests?
alexandra says
Hi Lauren! Sorry for the delay here. I do not have any personal advice, but I remember hearing Stella Parks on a Serious Eats podcast mention she had made a gluten-free pie crust and no one could taste the difference. Here’s the post/recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/07/how-to-make-the-best-gluten-free-pie-crust.html
dawn says
I always make my crusts ahead for thanksgiving but instead of leaving them in a disc I roll them out cover with parchment paper and fold into quarters. Then wrap and put into freezer. Then I can just fit them into pie plate. No need to get out flour and all that again. I am a messy baker and it works best for me!
alexandra says
SMART!!! I still haven’t made my dough, but I’m thinking I might make it Wednesday, do your trick, but stick it in the fridge instead … this is exciting 🙂 🙂 🙂
Shelley says
did this work for you Ali?
alexandra says
Shelley, I never tried that trick, but I have been rolling out the dough, fitting it into a pie plate or tart pan, trimming/fluting the edge, and freezing it wrapped in plastic wrap. Freezing the pie plate takes up a bit more space, so if space is an issue, I would try the trick above. I would be sure to thaw the folded dough in the fridge overnight before baking to ensure it doesn’t crack when you are ready to unfold and fit in your pie plate.
Carol says
Baked your Apple-Frangipane Galette last Thanksgiving eve kind of as an “extra” after the pies were baked. Well, it never made it to Thanksgiving dinner…husband & I dove into it that evening and finished it off for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning! Wow, it was that good! Pastry is outstanding and I look forward to using it for all the pies this year! Happy Thanksgiving!
alexandra says
So happy to hear all of this, Carol! I love the apple-frangipane galette for breakfast … so good with coffee … all that buttery flakiness. We’ve been treating ourselves to little nibbles every morning with the post-Thanksgiving pie remains. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
Megan Elliott says
I used this for a potato leek galette tonight and it worked really great. Def the most flakey and easiest crust I’ve ever made. I omitted 1tbs of sugar and it worked just fine. I so appreciated using the tea towels and food processor for the dough, it was so simple and very little fuss and muss. I have been making galettes for years as well as trying out various themes on crusts and this was a nice buttery flakey alternative. I will be keeping this one. Thank you.
★★★★★
alexandra says
So happy to hear this!
donna c says
I’d love to try again, but I hate the epic fail of making bad pie dough. Maybe this could work. Thanks for sharing!
alexandra says
Oh please do!!
Mary T. says
I will try this today… love the towel trick!!! I also like the suggestion of rolling immediately and folding for storing when ready to use! Thanks, and enjoy your holiday baking, everyone!
★★★★★
alexandra says
Wonderful, Mary! And you as well 🙂 🙂 🙂
Inge says
Thanks for the excellent vid. Do you have any suggestions for a vegan fat substitute? I guessI could try vegan butter, but wondering if it would work with olive oil (I’d prefer that). Thank you.
alexandra says
Hi Inge! I think olive oil will make for a problematic dough when it comes to rolling out … I think it will be too soft. You could try a mix of vegan butter and olive oil, but I do worry about the rolling process. Wish I could offer more guidance!
Irene Giannakis says
Super 👌👌👌👌🌟
★★★★★
alexandra says
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Alma Dee says
I have been baking for many years…fabulous cakes, spectacular cheesecakes, candies, etc. I have never been able to make a pie unless I bought a “store packaged” pie shell (bad, bad, bad!!!)The inside of the pies were perfection, but a store bought pie shell??? Thus, I avoided making pies, for the most part. I came upon your blog and have been engrossed in…everything! When I saw how you made the all butter pie crust using a food processor, I was had! I made my Coconut Custard Pie and made the crust with your recipe and it turned out…FABULOUS!!! I’m so excited I’ve been purely giddy! Thank you sooo much! Love. Your. Blog!!!
Alma Dee
★★★★★
alexandra says
Alma!! I am so excited to hear this!! Isn’t it funny the things that trip us up? Thanks so much for writing. So happy this worked out 🙂 🙂 🙂
Lisa See says
Autumn Greeting Ali!
So, the key is to keep everything cold? Do you think using the old fashion method of using a dough cutter would get the same results? ( ie I don’t have a food processor)
How do you think lard would work in place of the butter?
I’ve had buttermilk pie & it’s deliciously sinful. What’s you take on using buttermilk in squash/pumpkin pies etc?
On the lighter side, I bet making this outside when the temperature is frigid would be good. Providing you’ve a outdoor kitchen. =]
alexandra says
Hi Lisa!
Yes! And yes to using a dough cutter. I made pie crust by hand for years before discovering the food processor method.
I think buttermilk sounds amazing! I would be so curious as to how it turns out. I would compare some recipes and just see if they use a mix of buttermilk and cream or if they use 100% buttermilk.
Renee Skoglund says
Trying to save this recioe
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