Source: Serious Eats, author: Kenji; Yield: 2 – 9-inch crusts
Foolproof dough that’s easy to work with and bakes up beautifully. For savory applications, leave out the sugar.
Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
Ingredients
- 2-3/4 C (12.5 oz, 350 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 Tbs (25 g) sugar
- 1-1/2 tsp (5 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use same by weight or half by volume
- 2-1/2 sticks (10 oz; 280 g) unsalted butter. Cut into 1/4” thick slices
- 6 Tbs (3 oz; 85 mL) cold water
Directions
- Combine two-thirds of flour with sugar and salt in bowl of a food processor. Pulse twice to incorporate. Spread butter slices evenly over the surface. Pulse until no dry flour remains and dough just begins to collect in clumps, about 25 short pulses. Use a rubber spatula to spread the dough evenly around the bowl of the food processor. Sprinkle with remaining flour and pulse until dough is just barely broken up, about 5 short pulses. Transfer dough to a large bowl.
- Sprinkle with water. Then, using a rubber spatula, fold and press dough until it comes together into a ball. Divide ball in half. Form each half into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before rolling and baking.
- When ready to shape the dough, pull out one ball, set it on a well-floured work surface, and sprinkle with more flour. Use a tapered rolling pin to roll dough into a circle. Finished dough should overhang pie plate by an inch or two.
- Pick up dough by carefully rolling it around your rolling pin, using bench scraper to help lift it off the work surface. Unroll dough over pie plate. Gently lift and fit dough into the pie plate, pushing into the corners. [Reddit tip: push dough from the outside in towards the center.]
- Flute the edges of the pie crust. Single crust pie is ready to be blind-baked or filled. For a double-crusted pie, brush with an egg white, sprinkle with sugar, and cut vent holes in top with a sharp knife before baking.
Special equipment
Food processor; rolling pin (I prefer a tapered French style)
Notes
For a slightly more tender crust, replace up to 6 Tbs butter with shortening. Pie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator before rolling and baking.
