I’m not the savviest of bakers so when I say this all-butter pie crust is foolproof, I mean it. It’s buttery, tender, flaky and it comes together quickly! What more could you ask for?
To start, you will need some butter of course! It should be super cold from the fridge. I cube mine up like so and then stick it back in the refrigerator to keep cold while I get the rest of my ingredients measured out.
How to make pie crust without a food processor
My cousin recently messaged me saying she was following a recipe for pie dough but it called for a food processor and asked me if it was possible to make it without one. Of course! I don’t have a food processor either and I don’t plan to anytime soon.
Using either a dough blender (pictured above) or a sturdy fork, cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are small, about pea-sized or smaller. Alternatively, you could freeze the full sticks of butter and then use a cheese grater to grate it into the flour, tossing in between additions.
How much water to add to an all-butter pie crust
The amount of water you use in yours will be different from mine thanks to the flour and the humidity variables. After the butter is worked into the flour, get a glass of ice water (you won’t use all of it). Drizzle in a tablespoon of water at a time, mixing in between each addition. You should be able to pinch the dough together with your hands when it is hydrated enough. If it is dry and crumbly or if pieces break off, it needs more water. Over hydrated dough is better than under-hydrated dough.
Once the dough comes together, you need to cut it in half, form them into flat disks, and wrap them individually in plastic wrap. They then need to rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour to allow the gluten to relax and the butter to get cold again. After that, they are ready to roll out! This recipe makes 2 single pie crusts or 1 double crust.
All-Butter Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 345 grams flour (about 2¾ cups)
- 230 grams cold butter (1 cup)
- 1 tsp salt (use 1/2 tsp if using salted butter)
- ice-cold water
- additional flour for rolling
Instructions
- Cut your butter into small cubes and set in the refrigerator while you prep the rest of your ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and mix together.
- Using either a dough blender or a sturdy fork, work the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are pea-sized or smaller.
- Grab your glass of ice water and drizzle in a tablespoon of water at a time, stirring into the flour in between each addition. Keep doing this until you can pinch the dough into a cohesive ball. If it is dry and crumbly or if pieces break off, it needs more water. For reference, I used roughly 6 tablespoons.
- Bring the dough into a ball and cut it evenly in half. Flatten each piece into a round flat disk and wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour before using.
If you like this recipe, be sure to let me know. Leave a comment & rating and if you share a photo on Instagram, tag @DUCKSOUPKITCHEN so I can see it. Thanks, guys!
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