Want to learn how to make pie pastry? Step by step photos to guide you through each step to make a tender, flakey crust that is perfect for pies, tarts, galettes and more!

Ingredients for Pie Pastry

all purpose flour
butter
salt
ice water

How to Make Pie Pastry

An overhead view of the ingredients to make pie pastry.

A photo of how make pie pastry but cutting butter into the flour with a pastry cutter.

Gather ingredients, combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into flour with pastry cutter (or two dinner knives or a fork) until it resembles course crumbs with buttery pieces about the size of small peas. Do not over mix.

Add ice water, starting with about 7 tablespoons, mixing with fork until it starts to come together into a shaggy dough. Add additional ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture holds together. Form into a ball, divide into 2 equal parts, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap and chill.

2 portions of pie pastry wrapped in plastic wrap

You want to see dots of butter throughout your pastry. This cold butter steams in the oven to create pockets resulting in a flakey crust.

Tips For Tender Flaky Pie Pastry

Use cold butter and ice cold water
Use a pastry cutter, 2 dinner knives or a fork to cut pastry into flour.
Using a food processor is an option, but by doing it by hand larger bits of butter will remain throughout the crust resulting in a flakier, more tender crust
Don’t over work the pastry. Which, is also a risk when using a food processor
Make your pastry at least 30 minutes before you need to use it, to give it time to adequately chill

Pie dough rolled into a rough circle with a tapered rolling pin.

Now that you know how to make pie pastry, why not try my recipe for Apple and Pear Galette with an Crumble topping!

Pie Pastry

Name: Pie Pastry
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3/4 cups cold butter, cubed; 7-10 tablespoons ice water

Yield: Enough for double crust pie

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This easy pie pastry results in a tender, flakey crust perfect for pies, galettes and more.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups cold butter, cubed
7-10 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add butter and stir to coat with flour.
Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into the flour until it resembles course crumbs with pieces of butter about the size of small peas.
Add 7 tablespoons ice water and stir in with fork until it begins to resemble a shaggy dough, and no loose flour remains. Add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time as necessary just until dough comes together and can be formed into a ball. Do not over mix.
Divide into two equal pieces, flatten into discs and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to use, roll on a lightly floured surface into whatever shape your recipe calls for.

Notes

Be sure to use cold butter and ice water.

To avoid a tough, dry dough be sure that you do not over work it.

Make it a day ahead and store in the refrigerator.

You can freeze pastry dough for up to 3 months, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and inserted into an airtight freezer bag. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator.