3 Ingredient Pie Crust is simple and foolproof. It's tender, flakey, and is prepared in no time at all. While pie crust from scratch may seem intimidating, this easy all butter crust will become your go-to recipe for all your favorite pies.
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- The Best 3 Ingredient Pie Crust
- Is Shortening Or Butter Better For Pie Crust?
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- How To Make A 3 Ingredient Pie Crust
- Expert Pie Crust Tips
- How To Store
- What Type Of Pies Are Best For This 3 Ingredient Pie Crust?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Like this easy 3 ingredient pie crust? Then try one of these recipes!
- Did you make this recipe?
- 3 Ingredient Pie Crust
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The Best 3 Ingredient Pie Crust
This 3 ingredient pie crust is simply the best out there! It's simple to make, perfectly flakey, and works so well as the base for all of your favorite pies.
You can make this all butter pie crust in just a few easy steps and it just needs 1 hour to rest as opposed to other recipes out there that all for an overnight rest.
This is an easy, foolproof recipe that even beginner bakers can master. Just give it a little bit of patience and you can impress even the toughest critic at the holiday dinner table.
Use this flakey all butter pie crust for your favorite apple pie, pumpkin pie, or go out of the box and try a brownie pie!
Is Shortening Or Butter Better For Pie Crust?
I always prefer to use butter over shortening because of personal health beliefs. I also think that butter creates a tastier and flakier pie crust, as opposed to those made with shortening.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's made with just 3 simple ingredients
- The crust is so flakey
- Makes 2- 9 inch crusts
- This is the perfect base for so many of your favorite pies
- You can make it ahead of time
Ingredients
- Flour: You want to use a good quality all purpose flour. I prefer to use King Arthur
- Butter: I prefer to use salted butter so I can skip adding salt. Also, make sure to keep your butter COLD
- Ice water: Using ice cold water is key because the cold will prevent the butter from melting leading to a flakier crust
How To Make A 3 Ingredient Pie Crust
Prepare The Ice Water
The trick to a super flakey pie crust is using very cold ingredients.
Fill a small mixing bowl with ice cubes and top it off with cold tap water. Measure directly from the bowl to ensure your water stays nice and cold.
Grate The Butter
Just like our water, we want our butter to be super cold.
Use the large holes on a box grater to grate cold butter onto a sheet pan.
Place the butter into the freezer for 10 minutes before adding to the flour
Making The Dough
In a large mixing bowl add your flour and the frozen, grated butter.
Working quickly with a pastry blender or two forks, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand.
Pour ¼ cup of ice cold water into the flour/butter mixture and use a wooden spoon to quickly mix it all together, being sure to incorporate any flour that has gathered on the bottom.
Continue to add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time and mixing after each addition until the mixture holds together when pinched between two fingers.
Resting The Dough
Use your hands to press the dough into a ball, then dump it out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.
Cut the ball in half and then press each half into a flat disk about 1 inch thick and 4 inches wide.
Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap then place into the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour or up to overnight
Rolling Out The Dough
After the crust has rested, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to soften enough to roll out.
While the dough is softening, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F if blind baking, otherwise set the temperature to 350 degrees F
Lightly flour your surface and roll your dough out from the center into a 12" round circle
Placing Into The Pie Plate
Carefully pick up your 3 ingredient pie crust and lay it onto a greased pie plate
Trim away any excess crust so you're left with a ½"-¾" overhang, then fold it under and crimp or flute the edges
Blind Baking The Crust
Not all pie require a prebaked crust, so look at your recipe before following these instructions.
Dock the bottom of the pie crust with a fork then lay a piece of parchment paper on top and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
Cold Fillings: For pies that don't require any baking, you'll need to fully bake the crust. Bake at 375 F for
Warm Fillings: Some pies require a par-baked crust that will finish baking one the filling is poured into the crust. To do this, bake at 375 F until the crust is just a pale golden color, about 14-16 minutes
Filling The Pie Crust
Take the crust out of the oven and let it cool completely before adding any no-bake fillings such as a cream or custard.
If you need this 3 ingredient pie crust to be par-baked for something like a quiche or pumpkin pie, the crust can still be warm when you add in the filling.
Expert Pie Crust Tips
- Keep all your ingredients cold
- Freeze butter before incorporating it
- Don't overmix your dough
- Resting is crucial to a tender crust
- Lightly flour your surfaces so you don't add too much extra flour
- After the crust is formed in the pie plate, let it rest in the fridge for 15 minutes if you have time
- If the edges are getting too dark while baking, wrap them in aluminum foil or use a pie shield
How To Store
Store disks of pie dough in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 6 months.
You can also keep unbaked pie crusts in the fridge for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 3 months. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store, then unwrap and let defrost overnight in the fridge when needed.
What Type Of Pies Are Best For This 3 Ingredient Pie Crust?
You can really use this all butter pie crust for most pie recipes! It's easy, simple, and tastes amazing. A few of my favorite pies to use it for are:
Frequently Asked Questions
The secret to a good pie crust is using COLD ingredients.
By keeping everything cold you allow an opening for steam to be created once the crust hits the oven. That steam "pops" in the oven and created pockets of air while baking to produce a tender, flakey, delicious pie crust.
Yes, pie dough freezes very well. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap then place each one into a freezer safe bag. Pie crust will store well up to 6 months.
When you're ready to use it, let it defrost in the fridge overnight then sit out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before rolling it out.
This 3 ingredient pie crust makes enough for 1, 9" double layer pie or 2, 9" single layer pies.
No, this recipe cannot be made with gluten free flour. If you need a gluten free pie crust try this one.
Like this easy 3 ingredient pie crust? Then try one of these recipes!
- 3 ingredient peanut butter oatmeal balls
- 3 ingredient honey shortbread cookies
- 2 ingredient peanut butter cookies
- 5 ingredient banana muffins
- Mini apple galettes
Did you make this recipe?
If you did, I would appreciate you leaving a comment and star rating down below. Also, follow me on Instagram and tag me or use #incoleskitchen so I can see what you make and share it.
Print3 Ingredient Pie Crust
3 Ingredient Pie Crust is simple and foolproof. It's tender, flakey, and is prepared in no time at all. While pie crust from scratch may seem intimidating, this easy all butter crust will become your go-to recipe for all your favorite pies.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Resting Time: 1 Hour
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 9" pie crusts 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup COLD butter
- ¾ cup ice water ( I used 11 tablespoons for my crust)
Instructions
- Grate your butter onto a sheet pan and freeze for 10 minutes
- Add flour and frozen, grated butter to a large mixing bowl and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until the texture resembles coarse, wet sand
- Pour ¼ cup of ice water into the flour mixture and begin to stir with a wooden spoon. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the dough holds together when pinched between 2 fingers (you may not need all ¾ of a cup)
- Use your hands to press the dough into a ball and turn it out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into 2 halves, press each half into a 1" thick disk that's about 4" wide
- Wrap both disks individually, tightly in plastic wrap and place into the fridge to rest for 1 hour, or up to overnight
- After your dough has rested, take one (or both if needed) out of the fridge and, with a rolling pin, roll into a 12" circle on a lightly floured surface
- Place your bottom crust into a 9" metal pie plate and trim the edges so you have a ½"-¾" overhang
- Gently tuck the overhang under so you have a thick edge and flute or crimp the edge with a fork
If Blind Baking:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and place the prepared crust in the fridge to rest while it's heating up
- Once preheated, take the pie crust out of the fridge and dock the bottom with a fork and place a piece of parchment paper on the inside and fill with pie weights or dried beans
- Bake for 14-16 minutes if par-baking or 18-22 minutes if fully baking the bottom
Notes
- Keep all your ingredients cold
- Freeze butter before incorporating it
- Don't overmix your dough
- Resting is crucial to a tender crust
- Lightly flour your surfaces so you don't add too much extra flour
- After the crust is formed in the pie plate, let it rest in the fridge for 15 minutes if you have time
- If the edges are getting too dark while baking, wrap them in aluminum foil or use a pie shield
- Store unbaked pie dough wrapped tightly in the fridge for up to 5 days
Keywords: all butter pie crust, flakey butter pie crust, pie crust with butter
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