This classic, no-fuss butter pie crust recipe comes to us from Hannah Smith, Executive Pastry Chef of Camp Lucy and Tillie’s (a Made In customer), and is the secret to leveling up any pie recipe instead of using store bought crusts.
Chef Smith used it to create the base of her Double Crust Apple Pie, but it’s perfect for any filling no matter the time of year, from blueberries in the summer to pecan in the winter. This yields enough for two single crust or one double crust pie.
Butter Pie Crust
A no-fuss crust recipe that levels up any pie.
Hannah Smith
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 230 grams) cold unsalted butter
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) granulated sugar
Cut butter into small cubes. Place flour, salt, and sugar on a clean surface; add butter. Use a bench scraper to cut butter into dry ingredients until chunks are pea-sized. Press and flatten butter chunks with thumb and forefingers to create small discs of flour-coated butter.
Once flour has turned a pale yellow color, create a well in the center and start adding cold water, 1 Tbsp. at a time. Gently incorporate with fingertips and bench scraper until a shaggy, fairly cohesive dough ball forms with visible butter chunks. If you squeeze a little bit of dough in your hand it should hold together. You will need about ½–¾ cup water total, depending on moisture content of butter and environment. Do not add too much water or overwork dough as it can result in a tough crust.
Flatten dough and cut into 2 pieces. Form each piece into a 6” round disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill side by side (do not stack) in fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.
