I found this recipe to be a fantastic way to create a perfect Pie Crust From Scratch. With just a handful of ingredients like all-purpose flour, salt, cold butter, vegetable shortening, and a touch of ice water, you’ll have a flaky, crisp foundation ready for your favorite Thanksgiving or holiday pies.

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I never thought making pie crust at home could be so straightforward until I tried this recipe! At first, I was a bit nervous about mixing the right balance of ingredients like 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt with cold unsalted butter and vegetable shortening, both cubed finely.

Then I added 4 to 5 tablespoons of ice water and it just started coming together perfectly. I mean, I’ve seen recipes for Best Pie Crust For Apple Pie and even ones labeled as the Easiest Apple Pie Recipe, but nothing compared to how little work this one took.

Every step felt intuitive and easy to follow. If you’re a fan of anything from pumpkin pie crust to a basic apple pie, you gotta try this.

I bet your pies will taste even better knowing you made the crust all by yourself from scratch.

Why I Like this Recipe

I like this recipe for a few reasons:
1. I really enjoy how simple it is to put together. Even if im not a pro at baking, the step-by-step instructions make it easy for me to get a decent pie crust every time.
2. I love the mix of cold butter and shortening because it gives the dough this cool, flaky texture that always makes my pies taste homemade.
3. I appreciate that it doesn’t need a lot of complicated ingredients or techniques, which means I can whip it up even when im in a crunch for time.
4. I like that it’s super versatile. I can use it for pumpkin, apple, or any other pie I wanna try out during the holidays or any time of the year.

Ingredients

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Ingredient Quantities

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/3 cup cold vegetable shortening, cubed

4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

How to Make this

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1. In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour with the salt.

2. Add the cold butter and vegetable shortening cubes into the bowl.

3. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, blend the fats into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.

4. Slowly pour in the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring gently until the dough just starts to come together.

5. Don’t overmix the dough, it’s important to stop once it forms a loose ball.

6. Lightly knead the dough on a floured surface just a few times to smooth out any big lumps.

7. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

8. Roll the chilled dough out into a circle and it is now ready to use in your favorite pie recipe.

Equipment Needed

1. A large mixing bowl for combining the flour, salt, and fats
2. Measuring cups and spoons to accurately portion the ingredients
3. A pastry cutter (or you can use your fingers) to blend the butter and shortening with the flour
4. A flat work surface that you can dust with flour for kneading and rolling the dough
5. A rolling pin to roll out the chilled dough
6. Plastic wrap to cover the dough during its chill in the fridge
7. A refrigerator to cool the dough before using it

FAQ

Can I use just butter instead of a mix of butter and shortening?

Yes you can, but the crust might be a bit less flaky. The mix helps keep it tender and flaky.

Why is it so important to use ice water?

The ice water helps keep the fat cold so it creates those yummy flaky layers in your crust. It really matters.

Can I mix the dough by hand instead of using a food processor?

Sure thing, you can mix it by hand. Just be careful not to overwork it cause that can make the crust tough.

How do I know when I’ve mixed the dough enough?

Look for small pea-sized chunks of butter and shortening in the dough. If you dont see them, you might have over mixed it.

How can I store any leftover dough?

Wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a couple of days, or you can freeze it if you need to store it longer.

Easy Homemade Pie Crust From Scratch Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All-purpose flour: You can swap it out for whole wheat pastry flour if ya want a slightly nuttier flavor or even a gluten-free blend if that’s your thing
Unsalted butter: If you don’t have unsalted butter handy, go ahead and use salted butter but cut back a bit on any extra salt
Vegetable shortening: Some folks use lard or even more butter in place of shortening; it’ll give the crust a richer taste
Ice water: Instead of ice water, you might try using club soda which can help make your crust extra flaky

Pro Tips

• Keep your fats super cold. If your butter or shortening starts to melt, your dough may turn gummy instead of flaky. Chill everything in the fridge before you start.

• Be gentle with the dough. Overworking it can make the crust tough, so mix and knead just enough that the dough holds together.

• Add the ice water slowly. It’s better to add too little at first than too much at once since extra water can mess up the texture.

• Let it rest. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten and keep your crust tender when baking.