All-Butter Pie Crust

Recipe by King Arthur Test Kitchen
130 Reviews 4.5 out of 5 stars

This flaky, tender, simple pie crust relies on butter for both its flakiness and wonderful flavor. Pair it with apple pie, mixed berry pie, or really any of your favorite pie fillings. (There's not much that butter doesn't make better!) This all-butter pie dough is a back-pocket recipe you'll want to pull out again and again.

Editor's note: In July 2026, the amount of water in this recipe was increased to make the dough more cohesive and easier to handle.

 

Prep
15 mins
Total
15 mins
Yield
2 single crusts or 1 double crust
All-Butter Pie Crust
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Instructions

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  1. Whisk together the flour, salt, and buttermilk powder.

  2. Dice the butter into small cubes, or cut it into pats. Work it into the flour until it's well-distributed, but not fully incorporated. Larger, pea-sized pieces of butter will be scattered throughout the mixture.

    A baker tossing chunks of butter in the flour mixture and flattening them in between their fingers.

  3. Tossing with a fork or your fingers, drizzle in the ice water, starting with the lesser amount (6 tablespoons or 85g). Continue adding water by the tablespoonful until the dough starts to come together. To test it, grab some of the mixture and squeeze it in your hands. If it holds together easily, without crumbling, it's ready. If it has dry spots or pieces break off easily, add a bit more water until it's totally cohesive.

  4. Gather the dough into a ball, and divide it in half. Gently pat/shape each half into a rough disk. Roll immediately, if desired. For better texture, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling. If dough has been refrigerated longer than 30 minutes, allow it to warm at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, until it rolls easily.

    A baker rolling the disc of dough on the countertop to smooth the edges.

  5. Use as directed in your favorite pie recipe. Store unbaked pie dough, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Let King Arthur's pastry pros show you how to bake your best pie ever: from flaky crust to perfect filling, we can help! Check out our Pie Baking Guide now.

  • Bake it better! Watch King Arthur baker/blogger Kye Ameden demonstrate two of the techniques from this recipe: How to Make Pie Crust and How to Crimp Pie Crust.

  • You may want to bake the crust prior to filling; this is typically done when the filling itself doesn't need to be baked (e.g., lemon meringue, chocolate cream). For details, see our blog post, Prebaking pie crust.

  • Never mind the pastry blender; did you know your stand mixer does a great job with pie crust? See the details in our blog post, How to make pie crust in your stand mixer.

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