Carolyn's Homemade Pie Crust Recipe
Learn to make this easy homemade pie crust recipe with just four simple ingredients: flour, butter, sugar and salt. You’ll never reach for another pie crust recipe again.
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Servings: 2 crusts
Equipment
- Food Processor optional
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar can add up to one tablespoon for added sweetness.
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup lard can use all butter
- 1/2 cup ice water may not use it all
- splash vinegar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles a coarse meal (about 8-10 seconds). Homesteading Hack: If mixing by hand, use a pastry cutter to cut the butter in until the dough resembles a coarse meal.
- With the machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube.
- Pulse until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together. If it is crumbly, add more ice water, one tablespoon at a time. If it holds together, it’s just right.
- Divide the dough into two equal balls, flatten into disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least one hour before rolling out.
Notes
Tips for the Best Pie Crust
- Half Lard, Half Butter – For the best pie crust, use half lard and half butter. Rendering your own lard is worth it, just for the incredible pie crusts and pastries!
- Fat to flour to water ratio – In many recipes you’ll see a 3:2:1 ratio, but I like to reduce the flour just a bit for an extra flaky pie crust.
- Keep your ingredients COLD – As the fat (butter or lard) melts during the baking process, it leaves behind air pockets, which we all know and love as a flaky pie crust.
- Add vinegar (or vodka) – Add a splash of distilled white vinegar (or vodka) to the ice water before mixing it into your dough. Don’t ask me why this works, it just does!
- Don’t overwork the dough – You only want to mix until the dough just starts coming together. It’s OK if it’s still a little bit crumbly. As the dough rests in the refrigerator, it will continue to hold together.
- Don’t use your hands – Many professional bakers will tell you not to use your hands for mixing the dough. This is because the heat of your hands will melt the butter (or lard). But we also work in real homestead kitchens, so if using your hands gets the job done, don’t get too fussy about it.
- Egg Wash – That’s right, egg wash the bottom of the pie crust before filling it. To make an egg wash, whisk together one egg with one tablespoon of water. Once you’ve rolled your pie crust out and placed it in your pie pan, brush some egg wash over the entire bottom and place it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes. The egg wash will harden and create a barrier between the crust and the filling, keeping the bottom of the pie crust from getting soggy.
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