How to Make Pie Dough by Hand
If you’re looking for a flaky all-butter pie crust that you can rely on every season, this guide is for you.
We’ll show you how to make pie dough by hand with simple tools, clear visual cues, and professional tips so your crust bakes up crisp, tender, and beautifully layered.
The secret is surprisingly simple: keep everything cold, add just enough liquid, and handle the dough as little as possible.
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Ingredients (US & Metric)
Single 9-inch crust
- 1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
- 1–2 tsp (4–8 g) sugar (optional; use for sweet pies)
- 3–5 Tbsp (45–75 ml) ice water, as needed
For a double crust: double everything.
Optional flavor/texture boosters
- 1–2 Tbsp (15–30 ml) vodka (replace part of the water; helps tenderness)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) apple cider vinegar (stabilizes gluten)
Helpful Tools (No Special Equipment Required)
- Mixing bowl (metal or glass holds the chill best)
- Bench scraper or butter knife
- Pastry blender (optional) or fingertips
- Rolling pin
- Plastic wrap or reusable wrap
- 9-inch pie pan
- Parchment + pie weights (or dried beans/rice) for blind baking
Step-by-Step: Pie Dough by Hand
1) Chill Your Ingredients
Place the butter cubes in the freezer for 10 minutes. Keep a small pitcher of ice water nearby. If your kitchen is warm, chill the bowl and rolling pin too. Starting cold is the easiest way to get a flaky all-butter pie crust.
2) Combine Dry Ingredients
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar (if using). This evenly distributes seasoning and prevents salty pockets.
3) Cut in the Butter
Add the cold butter to the flour. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut and press the butter into the flour until you see a mix of pea-sized bits and thin “nickel-sized” flakes. Aim for about 70% small pebbles and 30% flat shards—those flakes are your layers.
Visual cue: When you grab a handful and squeeze, it should form a crumbly clump that breaks apart with a nudge.
4) Add Liquid—Just Enough
Sprinkle in 3 Tbsp ice water and toss with a fork. Add additional water 1 Tbsp at a time, tossing after each addition. Stop as soon as the dough holds together when pressed; it should look a little shaggy, not wet or sticky.
Pro tip: If using vodka, replace 1–2 Tbsp of the water with it. Vodka adds moisture for easier rolling but evaporates in the oven, helping tenderness without toughness.
5) Bring It Together
Lightly press and fold the mixture in the bowl until it comes together. If there are dry patches, drizzle a few drops more water.
Turn the dough onto the counter and gently fraiser: with the heel of your hand, push small sections of dough forward once to smear the butter into thin sheets. Gather into a ball.
6) Shape, Wrap, and Chill
Press the dough into a 1-inch-thick disc (this shape chills faster and rolls easier). Wrap tightly. Chill at least 1 hour (and up to 2–3 days). This relaxes gluten and firms the butter so the crust won’t shrink or lose definition.
7) Roll the Dough
Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll from the center outward, rotating the dough a quarter-turn every few strokes to keep it circular and prevent sticking. Target a 12–13 inch (30–33 cm) circle, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick for a 9-inch pan.
If cracks emerge at the edges, pinch them together or brush with a drop of water and continue. If the dough softens, slide it onto a sheet pan and chill 5–10 minutes, then resume.
8) Pan, Trim, and Crimp
Transfer the dough to the pie pan by rolling it loosely around the pin or folding it in quarters. Ease it into the corners—don’t stretch. Trim overhang to about 1 inch, fold it under to build a rim, and crimp.
Chill the lined pan 20–30 minutes before baking. Cold dough = cleaner edges and better flake.
Why This Method Works
A great crust balances tenderness and flakiness. Cold butter leaves small, flat pockets in the dough that steam in the oven and create layers. Minimal mixing protects gluten development so the crust stays delicate, not tough.
You’ll learn how the dough should look and feel at each stage, plus a reliable plan for blind baking when you need a fully baked shell.
Blind Baking Guide (When a Prebaked Shell Is Needed)
For custard pies (like chocolate, banana cream) or no-bake fillings, blind bake the crust so it stays crisp.
- Dock (optional): Lightly prick the base with a fork to discourage puffing.
- Line and weight: Press parchment into the shell and fill to the rim with pie weights (or dried beans/rice reserved for this purpose).
- Bake (weighted): 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes on the middle rack until the edges look set.
- Bake (unweighted): Remove parchment/weights. Bake 5–10 minutes more until the bottom looks dry and barely golden for a partially baked shell.
- Fully baked shell: Continue 10–15 minutes more, until uniformly golden brown. Cool completely before filling.
Shrinkage insurance: Chill the lined, crimped crust 20–30 minutes before the oven; keep the parchment and weights snug up the sides.
Variations & Smart Swaps
- Butter + Shortening: Swap 2–4 Tbsp of the butter for vegetable shortening for a slightly softer, extra-tender bite.
- Vegan: Use plant-based butter sticks (cold and firm) or refined coconut oil (chilled). Expect to add 1–2 tsp more water; keep everything very cold.
- Whole-Wheat Blend: Replace 25–30% of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour. Add water by the teaspoon to reach the same shaggy clump stage.
- Sweet Tart Crust: Add 1–2 Tbsp sugar and a whisper of vanilla; great for fruit tarts.
- Savory Herb Crust: Add 1–2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or rosemary and a pinch of black pepper for quiche and pot pies.
Troubleshooting (Quick Fixes)
- Dough is crumbly and won’t hold: Mist with 1–2 tsp ice water and fold gently. Give it 5 minutes to hydrate, then test again.
- Dough is sticky or smearing: Dust lightly with flour; transfer to a cold sheet pan and chill 5–10 minutes before continuing.
- Edges cracking while rolling: The dough is a touch dry or too cold. Let it rest 3–5 minutes at room temp; pinch cracks together and keep rolling.
- Crust shrank in the oven: The dough was warm or stretched in the pan. Next time, avoid stretching and chill before baking; use pie weights that reach the rim.
- Soggy bottom: Preheat a metal sheet on the rack to boost bottom heat, or blind bake partially before filling juicy pies.
Storage & Make-Ahead
- Chilled disc: 2–3 days in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped.
- Frozen disc or rolled shell: Up to 3 months. Wrap in plastic, then foil.
- To use from frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge (disc) or bake a frozen lined shell straight from the freezer—add 2–4 minutes to the first blind-bake stage.
- Leftover scraps: Stack (don’t ball up), wrap, chill, and roll into cinnamon-sugar cutouts or cheese straws.
What to Bake Next
Use this pie crust recipe for apple pies, stone-fruit galettes, silky chocolate cream pies, pumpkin pies, quiches, and savory pot pies. Once you master the base, you’ll tweak the sugar, add herbs, or play with whole-grain blends to match the filling.
Enjoy Watching This Video with a Similar Recipe
Source: French Cooking Academy
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