If you’ve ever chased the dream of a pie crust that breaks into buttery flakes with every bite, this all-butter pie crust recipe is your golden ticket. No shortening, no fuss—just pure, cold butter, a whisper of vinegar for tenderness, and a method that scales like a dream. Whether you’re baking one humble single-crust pie or prepping for Thanksgiving with five crusts (hello, two double-crust pies + one single!), this recipe has your back.

I’ve been using this crust for years—quiches, galette’s fruit pies, custard pies, you name it. The flavor is rich and slightly savory thanks to salted butter, and the texture? Tender yet sturdy enough to hold a mountain of apples. Let’s dive in.

Why This All Butter Pie Crust Recipe Works

100% butter = maximum flavor and flakiness
White wine vinegar tenderizes gluten without a metallic taste
Cold everything prevents melting and ensures steam pockets (aka flakes!)
Scalable from 1 to 5 crusts without losing quality
Stand mixer option for big batches (but hand method works too!) See recipe notes.

Quadrupled All-Butter Pie Crust Recipe (Makes 5 Single Crusts)

Ideal for Thanksgiving prep: 2 double-crust pies + 1 single-crust pie.

Quadrupled Ingredients

Ingredient	Amount	Weight
Unbleached All-purpose flour	5 cups	600g
Salt	1 tsp	–
Granulated sugar	¼ cup	50g
Salted butter, cold & cubed	2 cups	460g
Ice water	6–10 Tbsp	90–150g
White wine vinegar	4 tsp (1 Tbsp + 1 tsp)	10g

Stand Mixer Method (For Quadrupled Batch)

This is how I handle big batches—faster, cooler, and less mess.

Cube & chill butter: Cut 2 cups butter into ½-inch cubes. Return to fridge.
Mix dry: In stand mixer bowl, whisk flour, salt, and sugar.
Add butter: Add the butter and using a paddle attachment, mix on medium for a couple minutes until most of the butter breaks into smaller chunks (smaller than pea size).
Switch to Hand Mixing: To prevent overworking dough, switch to using your hands and break up any stubborn butter chunks.
Add liquid: Combine vinegar with 6 Tbsp ice water. Add liquid and lightly toss together by hand until a dough forms. If dough is dry, continue to add cold water a tablespoon at a time until it holds together and forms a dough. This pie crust is better slightly wet than dry—you can always flour when rolling.
Portion: Turn dough onto plastic wrap. Divide into 4 or 5 equal disks (each ~230g for standard 9-inch pies).
Rest (no fridge needed!): Wrap each disk tightly in plastic. Let rest at least 30 minutes at room temp. (This relaxes gluten without warming the butter.)

Rolling Out the Dough (My Go-To Setup)

Bethany House pastry board + cloth (floured)
Rolling pin with sock cover (prevents sticking)
Wand flour duster (for even, light flouring)

Pro Tip: If edges crack slightly while rolling, don’t panic—it’s still workable. Patch with scraps or press cracks together. The dough is forgiving!

Roll each disk to a 14-inch circle, ⅛-inch thick. Fold in half, then quarters, and transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Unfold, ease in, trim, and crimp.

Tips for the Perfect All Butter Pie Crust

Keep it cold: Cube butter ahead. Use ice water. Work quickly.
Don’t over-mix: Visible butter chunks = flaky layers.
Vinegar is magic: Tenderizes without flavor (lemon juice works too).
Rest the dough: 30 minutes minimum. Up to 2 days in fridge or 2 months frozen.
Blind-bake like a pro: Line with foil or crumpled parchment paper, fill with beans, bake at 375°F for 20 min, remove weights, bake 10–15 more.
Fix a soggy bottom: Brush with egg white or blind-bake longer.
Make ahead: Roll, fit into pans, stack with plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 2 days.

How Many Crusts Do You Need?

Pies	Crusts Needed	Multiply Recipe By
1 single-crust pie	1	1x
1 double-crust pie	2	2x
2 double-crust + 1 single	5	4x

Each disk yields one 9-inch crust at ⅛-inch thick. Roll thinner for larger pans or decorative cutouts.

Final Thoughts

This all-butter pie crust recipe is my ride-or-die for a reason. It’s simple, scalable, and delivers that just-like-Grandma’s flakiness every time. Whether you’re making one pie or prepping a Thanksgiving pie army, you’ve got this. Your pies deserve the best crust—and now you’ve got the recipe.

Have a favorite pie filling to pair with this crust? I’d love to hear from you!

Happy Baking!

Prep Time:15

Resting Time:30

Total Time:45

Servings: (9-inch pie crust)

Ingredients

1 ¼ c. (150 g) unbleached all-purpose flour (RECOMMEND WEIGHING)
⅛ tsp salt
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
½ c. (113 g) salted butter cold & cubed
2 tbsp (30 g) ice water, initial amount added gradually + more as needed
1 tsp white wine vinegar

Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar.
1 ¼ c. (150 g) unbleached all-purpose flour (RECOMMEND WEIGHING)
⅛ tsp salt
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
Cut in Butter: Add cold cubed butter and cut in with fingertips or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces remaining.
½ c. (113 g) salted butter
Add Wet Ingredients: Stir vinegar into ice water. Drizzle over flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until dough just holds together when squeezed (you may not need all the water).
2 tbsp (30 g) ice water, initial amount added gradually
1 tsp white wine vinegar
Wrap & Rest Dough: Turn dough onto plastic wrap; press into a disk. Wrap tightly and rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or in the refrigerator if your room is warm.
Roll Pastry: On a floured pastry cloth, roll rested dough to a 14-inch circle, ⅛ inch thick. Use a rolling pin sock to prevent sticking.
Transfer to Pan: dust rolled pastry lightly with flour and gently fold dough in half, then quarters; transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Unfold and ease into dish without stretching. Trim and piece overhang to 1 inch.
For single-crust pie: Fold overhang under to form a lip; crimp edges. Proceed with blind-baking or filling as directed.

Notes

Cold Ingredients Key: Keep everything cold for maximum flakiness.
Pie Dough Cracking? Slightly cracked edges when rolling? Still workable — patch and shape.
To Scale: Double for 1 double-crust pie. Quadruple for 5 single crusts (2 double-crust + 1 single).
Time-Saver Stand mixer method (for 4x batch): Mix dry ingredients and add cubed and chilled butter. Mix on medium speed to break into mostly smaller than pea-sized pieces. Mix by hand as you add in vinegar-water. If dough is still dry add additional cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough sticks together. DO NOT overmix. Divide evenly into 4 or 5 disks. Rest 30 min at room temp (no fridge needed unless room is warm).

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Easy All-Butter Pie Crust Recipe

Why This All Butter Pie Crust Recipe Works