It is pie season, and there is nothing better than that freshly baked pie smell. With Thanksgiving right around the corner here is a super easy all-butter pie crust recipe for you to try.

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Butter, Shortening, or Vinegar?

Why an all-butter crust? An all-butter crust provides your pie with that delicious and flaky crust that is hard to achieve with vegetable shortening or vinegar and egg pie crust. I have tried several methods but I keep coming back to this one. While it is all a matter of preference the flavor from an all-butter pie crust remains unmatched in my opinion. Not only is it better tasting with the latest discoveries about the potential harmful effects of some seed oils like vegetable shortening butter in my opinion has become a healthier option.

How to Avoid a Crumbly Crust

As you know, the best kind of pie crust is a flaky one. I still remember my first attempt at making one. I had no idea what I was doing and ended up with a goopy mess that turned into crumbs when baked. Why? For starters, it was not an all-butter pie crust, but I think the biggest mistake was not keeping my ingredients cold.

When it comes to making a flaky pie crust cold ingredients are your allies. The reason you need to keep the butter from melting before you bake the crust. The butter pieces are what create the flakes if the butter gets too soft it will make your dough goopy and sticky which will prevent the flakes from forming.

Tools

One of the reasons I love this pie crust is that you need no fancy equipment. You most likely already have everything in your kitchen.

• Large bowl
• Cheese grater
• Measuring cups
• Liquid Measuring cup
• Saran Wrap

Ingredients

This crust has just five simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 sticks of frozen butter
• 1 tsp salt (I like using real salt in all my recipes you can find it here)
• 2 tbsp sugar (I like using unrefined cane sugar like this one)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of iced water

How to Make All-Butter Crust Start by sifting your flour.

Start by sifting the flour.

Next, add the salt and sugar.

Mix and set aside while you use the cheese shredder to shred the butter.

I love using this method because it keeps the butter cold and it makes it easier to cut into the flour without overworking it. Once you are done shredding the butter add it to the flour and mix it in by hand. Work quickly and kind of press it together. You want to coat all the butter with flour.

You will be left with some chunks just make sure they are not too big if they are use your hands to break them apart more.

Add the iced water slowly, you want the dough to come together but you do not want it to be sticky.

Once it comes together stop kneading. Remember you do not want to overwork the butter.

Divide your dough into two five-inch discs. I doubled my recipe here so I have four.

Now, wrap your discs in saran wrap and chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours.

How to use All-Butter Pie Crust

To use this pie dough just follow the pie recipe you are using. Remember to dust the surface with flour when it is time to roll it out.

Blind-Baking the Crust

If you need to blind-bake this crust I recommend using pie weights or you can use parchment paper and dried beans as shown here. Bake in a preheated oven at 375F for 10 minutes.

Take the crust out and remove the parchment paper and pie weights or beans carefully. Bake for an additional 8 minutes.

Continue to follow the directions of the pie recipe you are using.

Make Ahead

This recipe is perfect to make ahead of time. Usually, as soon as pie season aka fall comes around I make a couple of batches to keep on hand. I like to keep some in the freezer and pull them out as needed. I use these not just for fruit or berry pies but also for Scottish Meat Pies and Chicken Pot Pies. They will keep in the fridge for about two weeks and in the freezer for up to three months.

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