This all butter pie crust is flaky and crisp, with a rich, buttery flavor, perfect for double-crust fruit pies, single-crust custard pies, or even savory meat pies for dinner.

A golden brown pie on a white countertop.

Key Takeaways: All Butter Pie Crust

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Additional Time: 2 hours
  • Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
  • Servings: 2 crusts
  • Cook Method: Baked in a pie pan.
  • Flavor & Texture: Buttery, salty flavor with a crisp, flaky texture.
  • Difficulty: Easy. This recipe is a simple, trusted go-to.
  • Why this Recipe? This all butter pie crust uses minimal ingredients, but produces a rich, flavorful, flaky crust perfect for any sweet or savory pie.

Homemade pie crust should be simple and achievable, eliminating the need for a store-bought roll of dough. This all butter pie crust comes together with only four ingredients and offers a delightful texture and delicious flavor. This is the recipe you want in your back pocket for holiday baking, weeknight dinners, and buttery, crispy treats.

Use this crust for scratch-made pumpkin pie, homemade apple pie, a rustic tomato pie, or a dozen grab-and-go fruit-filled hand pies. 

If you’re looking for other versions, try my sourdough pie crust, the best einkorn pie crust, or a whole wheat pie crust with butter.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe   

Simple go-to – I love the simplicity of the ingredients. Pure pantry staples make this recipe an easy choice.

Delicious, buttery flavor – Butter adds so much flavor and flakiness to this crust. It crisps up nicely, offering a good bite and rich, salty taste.

Versatile – Use this recipe for fruit pies, custard pies, or even savory pies. I even use it for my homemade pop tarts!

Ingredients

flour in a bowl, butter, water, and salt in a measuring spoon on a countertop.

All-purpose flour – I prefer to use unbleached all-purpose flour for this recipe. If you mill your own wheat at home, you may prefer my whole wheat pie crust. 

Butter – Use cold butter. Stick it in the freezer for 15 minutes before using to ensure it is nice and cold. I use unsalted butter in this recipe, but you can use salted butter if you adjust the added salt. Homemade butter allows you to control the amount of salt completely, plus it’s easy and delicious.

A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make All Butter Pie Crust

A bowl of flour with cubed butter being added by a fork.

Step 1: Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Add cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture and cut it in using a fork, pastry cutter, or food processor. Work the butter until it has broken down into the flour and developed a sandy texture.

Two hands working pie dough to help it come together in a bowl.

Step 2: Add ice water by the tablespoon and stir. I like to use a wooden spoon or dough whisk until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough in half and roll into two flat disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

A pie crust in a pie pan before baking.

Step 3: Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured work surface. Use the rolling pin to carefully position the crust over the top of your pie plate. Gently press the dough into the bottom and edges of the pan and trim the excess. The little kids love it when I give them the extra dough to roll out, and we even have mini pie plates so they can make their own little creations.

an unbaked pie with a lattice design.

Step 4: Fill the bottom crust with your prepared pie filling, top with the second crust, press the edges together, then bake according to your specific recipe.

An apple pie freshly baked with three apples in the background.

Lisa’s Expert Tips

  • I usually double the batch when making these pie crusts. With a large family, we can always use extra. I just stash them in the fridge at the beginning of the week and pull them out for quick pop tarts for breakfast, a chicken pot pie for dinner, or a high-protein cheesy zucchini quiche. People are always hungry in this house. 
  • Keep the dough cold before baking. Chilling for 2-3 hours helps achieve that signature flakiness once baked. 
  • If you are making a pie recipe that requires a blind bake of the crust, I recommend using parchment paper and pie weights to help the crust keep its shape. You can also use dried beans if you do not have weights. 
  • Make these crusts up to five days ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator to use when needed.

All Butter Pie Crust FAQs

Is pie crust better with butter?

Using all butter in a pie crust is simple and delicious. Butter is a common ingredient, adds wonderful flavor, and produces a flaky crust. 

Why is my butter pie crust so tough?

If your pie crust is tough, it is usually a sign the dough was overworked before baking. 

Should I refrigerate pie dough before rolling it out?

Refrigerating pie dough, especially an all butter pie crust, keeps the butter cold, ensuring a flaky crust. It also makes rolling easier and reduces the chance of tearing the dough. 

More Recipes from the Farmhouse

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.

All Butter Pie Crust Recipe

5 from 18 votes
This all butter pie crust is flaky and crisp, with a rich, buttery flavor, perfect for double-crust fruit pies, single-crust custard pies, or even savory meat pies for dinner.
Prep: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 2 crusts
A golden brown pie on a white countertop.

Video

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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, 350 grams
  • 1 teaspoon salt, 5 grams
  • 1 cup butter, cold and cubed, 227 grams
  • ½ cup ice water, plus more if needed to bring it together, 118 grams

Instructions 

  • Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Add cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture and cut it in using a fork, pastry cutter, or food processor. Work the butter until it has broken down into the flour and developed a sandy texture.
  • Add ice water by tablespoons and stir until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough in half and roll into two flat disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
  • Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured work surface. Use the rolling pin to carefully position the crust over the top of your pie plate. Gently press the dough into the bottom and edges of the pan and trim the excess.
  • Fill the bottom crust with your prepared pie filling, top with the second crust, press the edges together, then bake according to your specific recipe.

Notes

I usually double the batch when making these pie crusts. With a large family, we can always use extra. I just stash them in the fridge at the beginning of the week and pull them out for quick pop tarts for breakfast, a chicken pot pie for dinner, or a high-protein cheesy zucchini quiche. People are always hungry in this house. 
Keep the dough cold before baking.  Chilling for 2-3 hours helps achieve that signature flakiness once baked. 
If you are making a pie recipe that requires a blind bake of the crust, I recommend using parchment paper and pie weights to help the crust keep its shape. You can also use dried beans if you do not have weights. 
Make these crusts up to five days ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator to use when needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1crust | Calories: 1383kcal | Carbohydrates: 119g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 94g | Saturated Fat: 59g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 1899mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 2839IU | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 18 votes

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Recipe Rating




36 Comments

  1. Ashley says:

    This was the best pie crust I’ve ever made! Thank you!

  2. Jo Covington says:

    5 stars
    I am a seasoned cook, at 74, but I love your recipes! I’m, also, fairly new with pie crusts. Sure, I’ve made a number of them, but I don’t feel like they look as good as they taste. It would be nice to have both taste and looks. I am a sour dough bread baker, as well, so I do enjoy your recipes. Thank you for all your hard work and shares you provide! You are a blessing to this old cook!

  3. Mary Shanklin says:

    5 stars
    This recipe I have made a couple of times now and it is such a good crust. It’s tasty, flakes and makes my pies more special.

  4. Cassie says:

    5 stars
    Made an apple pie for a church event and decided to try this crust recipe. I froze my butter and grated it. The crust was soo flaky! Someone came up to me and said it was the best pie crust they ever had! This is my go to recipe sure. Thank you!!

  5. Nikki fruge says:

    5 stars
    Buttery and flaky!!

  6. Birger Myraas says:

    5 stars
    Topp, meget good og fantastisk GOOOOD.

  7. Carol Larson says:

    What size pie plate do you use?

    1. Lisa Bass says:

      9 inch!

  8. Christina says:

    5 stars
    This is the best pie crust recipe ever!!!! And easy to boot! Thanks, Lisa:) you rock and helped me get my start with sourdough!

  9. Diana Hansberry says:

    I do this but ours comes out hard..no idea what we are doing erong

  10. Laney says:

    5 stars
    How long can the pie dough last in the fridge? How long will it last in freezer?

    Thanks!
    Laney