Easy Flaky Pie Crust Recipe Without a Food

Updated May 11, 2026

This easy pie crust recipe is the only one you will ever need. If you have a rolling pin, a pie pan, and a few simple ingredients, you can have a homemade, flaky, all-butter pie crust on the table in minutes. Apple pie, pumpkin pie, cherry pie, pot pie, this crust does it all.

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I have been making this homemade pie crust recipe for years, through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and every holiday in between. It is the same recipe I learned from the women in my family, made completely by hand with a pastry cutter, no food processor needed.

The secret to a perfectly flaky pie crust is simple: cold butter and a light hand. Keep everything cold, do not overwork the dough, and you will have the flakiest, most buttery crust every single time.

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Why You’ll Love This Pie Crust Recipe

• No food processor needed, just a bowl and a pastry cutter
• Only 4 simple ingredients you already have on hand
• Makes a full double crust, enough for a top and bottom layer
• Perfectly flaky, buttery layers every single time
• Works for sweet pies, savory pies, and pot pies alike

What Is a Homemade Pie Crust?

A homemade pie crust is a simple pastry dough made from all-purpose flour, cold butter or shortening, salt, and ice water. The fat is cut into the flour using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then cold water is added just until the dough holds together. The result is a flaky, tender, golden crust that is far better than anything you can buy at the store.

A Family Tradition of Homemade Pies

We make a lot of our family pie recipes at Thanksgiving & Christmas. Christmas is the time of year when the family gathers for many different holiday traditions.  

Our family has always been active in our Church Christmas Pageant and Vespers music program.  For both of these Christmas traditions, families provide food for a potluck or special coffee hour.  

Many years in the past, the Women’s Guild would bring out the silver tea servers.  Christmas cookies, punch, finger sandwiches, and Christmas pies were served on long tables.  I always looked forward to these services and all the delicious homemade recipes.

On most popular holidays, I like to bake pies, Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie being the favorites in our home for years.  Now, as the children are adults, Apple Pie is the pie that disappears first.

Ingredients for the Best Homemade Flaky Pie Crust

• All-purpose flour (spoon and level for accuracy)
• Kosher salt
• Unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small cubes (can also use shortening or half and half)
• Ice water, one tablespoon at a time

Ingredient tip: For a heart-healthier version, I also have a pie crust recipe made with olive oil.

• Here is the link to my post on American Homemade Apple Pie.  
• Your family may also like Fresh Homemade Cherry Pie.
• And you do not want to have a June go by without making Fresh Strawberry Pie! Yum!
• If you need the recipe for a Traditional Pumpkin Pie you will find it here.

Note this post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission, which helps keep my blog up and running but it won’t cost you a penny more)! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  Click here to read my full disclosure policy.  

Equipment Needed

• Pastry Cutter
• Rolling Pin
• Pie Pan
• Silicone Baking Pastry Dough Mat
• Large mixing bowl

How to Make Flaky Pie Crust by Hand (Step by Step)

1. Chill the butter first. Cut the unsalted butter into small cubes and put them in the freezer for 10 minutes before you start. In the summer, I do this every single time. Pro tip: Cold butter is what creates those beautiful, flaky layers in your pie crust. Do not skip this step.
2. Prepare your ice water. Fill a measuring cup with ice and pour in at least 6 tablespoons of cold water. Set it within reach before you start mixing. You want it cold the entire time you are working.
3. Mix the flour and salt. Add the all-purpose flour and salt to a large bowl and stir them together with a fork until combined.
4. Cut in the cold butter. Add the butter cubes to the flour and use the pastry cutter to work the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal with a few pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. Those small butter pieces are what make the flakiest pie crust. Pro tip: Work quickly and do not overhandle the mixture. The more you handle it, the less flaky and tougher the crust will be.
5. Add the ice water. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition. Stop as soon as the dough just starts to come together. You may need slightly more or less than 6 tablespoons depending on the humidity in your kitchen.
6. Divide the dough. Gently gather the dough and divide it into two equal halves. Each half makes one crust, so this recipe is perfect for a double-crust pie with both a top and bottom layer.
7. Roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface or silicone baking mat, flour your rolling pin and roll each half into a circle about 11 to 12 inches across, large enough to fit your pie pan with a little overhang around the edge.
8. Transfer to the pie pan. Roll the dough gently onto your rolling pin, then lift and unroll it carefully into the pie pan. Gently press it into the bottom and sides without stretching it. Pro tip: Refrigerate the crust-lined pan for 10 minutes before adding your filling to help prevent a soggy bottom crust.
9. Add your filling and top crust. Spoon your pie filling into the bottom crust, then lay the second crust gently on top. Trim any excess, seal and flute the edges, and vent the top with a few fork pokes or slits cut with a sharp knife.

How to Transfer Pie Crust to the Pie Pan

The easiest and safest way to transfer your rolled pie crust is to gently roll it loosely onto the rolling pin, then lift and unroll it directly over the pie pan. Everything about making a great pie crust is gentle and slow. Take your time, do not rush any step, and do not overwork the dough once it is rolled out.

How to Store and Freeze Pie Crust Dough

This homemade pie crust dough keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days when each disc is wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

You can also freeze it for up to one month. Shape each half into a flat disc before wrapping and freezing for the easiest thawing. To use, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator. Never thaw it on the counter since you want the butter to stay cold and firm for the flakiest results.

Variations and Substitutions

• All-shortening crust: Substitute all of the butter with vegetable shortening for a very tender, classic crust. This is the old-fashioned version many grandmothers used.
• Half butter, half shortening: Use half butter and half shortening for the best of both worlds, a crust that is both flavorful and wonderfully flaky.
• Olive oil crust: Substitute the butter with olive oil for a heart-healthier version. The texture is slightly crumblier but still delicious and simple to make.
• Salted butter: If you only have salted butter, use it and simply reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe.
• Single crust: If your recipe only needs a bottom crust, make just half of this recipe, or wrap and freeze the second half for your next pie.

What to Make With This Pie Crust

Once you have a reliable homemade pie crust recipe in your back pocket, the possibilities are endless. Here are our family’s favorites:

• American Homemade Apple Pie: The pie that disappears first at every gathering in our house
• Fresh Homemade Cherry Pie: A summer classic worth making every year
• Fresh Strawberry Pie: Do not let a June go by without making this one
• Traditional Pumpkin Pie: A holiday table is not complete without it

Susan’s Quick Tips for the Best Results

• Prep your ice water first. Have your measuring cup of ice water ready before you even touch the flour.
• Freeze the butter for 10 minutes before starting. This one step makes more difference in texture than anything else.
• Chill the bottom crust before filling. Once you press the dough into the pan, refrigerate it for at least 10 minutes while you prepare your filling. This helps keep the bottom from getting soggy.
• If you are making an apple pie, keep sliced apples in a bowl of cold water with 1/4 cup of lemon juice to prevent browning. Rinse off the lemon juice before adding the apples to the crust.
• Line a baking sheet with foil and set your pie on it before baking. This catches any drips and makes cleanup much easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

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The 10 Best Easy Family Favorite Pie Recipes + Crust