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.

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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. Patricia M Schade says:

    5 stars
    My family and I absolutely love this pie crust! It is especially great for pot pies. Thank you Lisa!

  2. Sandy T Rodemacher says:

    How long do I bake a pie crust for a cream pie filling? Can I bake it too long? is 25minutes too long?

    1. Lisa Bass says:

      Between 25-30 minutes!

  3. Donna Randall says:

    5 stars
    LOVE LOVE LOVE this all butter pie crust!!!! I’ve tried other all butter pie crust recipes that just haven’t met what I was looking for, but this one has hit all the spots!! Thank you, Lisa!! This one’s a keeper for sure!! 👍

  4. Delilah Royce says:

    Can you substitute tallow instead of butter?

  5. Jaya says:

    5 stars
    We made our first ever pie crust and apple pie with this recipe and it came out incredible. No blind bake was needed and no soggy bottom. So simple and inspired us to make more pies!

  6. ELIANA says:

    Receita muito bem explicada em detalhes, fotos lindas, parabéns!

  7. Angie says:

    Can I make this the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight? Would it still be flaky?

    1. Lisa Bass says:

      I would let the dough sit over night, but not the pie itself.

  8. mary ellen mcdonough says:

    is there a recipe for making a crust with starter or discard?

  9. Jess says:

    This recipe calls for unsalted butter, right? Can I cut out the extra salt and use salted butter instead? Thank you!

    1. Lisa Bass says:

      Yes!

  10. Beverly says:

    5 stars
    Excellent! Turned out perfectly for my mini apple pies and pecan pie! Perfect flake and simply delicious!