Learn how to make a flaky pie crust using just 5 ingredients.
I always shied away from making pies because I knew the key to a good pie was the crust. Don’t get me wrong- the contents of a pie are important too. But there is something about a buttery, flaky pie crust that makes the whole thing perfect. Pie crusts can be intimidating! There is an ingredient that has been a key in so many of our favorite recipes. Lard. And it’s going to make it’s appearance again in this homemade flaky pie crust recipe. You can use this crust for fruit pies, chicken pot pies, quiche and more . . . its just an all-around great crust recipe that I like to have on hand.
This pie crust recipe is quite simple as long as you have the patience to try it a few times to perfect it. Or maybe you’ll get it perfect on your first try!
Ingredients you will need:
- All purpose flour
- Cold lard
- Cold butter, grated
- Salt
- Ice water
Step by Step Instructions on How to Make a Flaky Pie Crust
Start by grating the butter and then place it in the freezer to chill while you do the next steps. Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix to combine.
Keep the mixer going at a low speed. Measure out the cold lard and add to the bowl, small spoonfuls at at time. Pull the grated butter out of the freezer and add small handfuls at a time. Keep the mixer going till the butter and lard are worked in and the lumps are the size of a pea.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Everything else is by hand from here on out. Get your ice water ready, and then add half of it-1 tablespoon at a time- to the flour. Mix it with a fork to evenly incorporate it into the flour. Dump the flour out onto a clean surface and add the rest of the ice water, tablespoons at a time. You are doing this because its so important to evenly distribute the water through the flour. You want it to all come together simultaneously, and not for there to be wet balls of dough and then big dry spots.
As soon as the flour-now a crumbly dough-can stick together, quit adding water. Try not to work the dough too much, but gently start forming it into two separate balls. Wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour before using. They can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.
When it comes time to make a pie of some sort, pull a dough ball out of the fridge and roll it out. Place into a 9″ pie pan and you’re good to go! With this kind of pie crust, you would usually blind bake it before adding the filling- whatever that may be. But be sure to see what your pie recipe says.
How long can you store this pie crust in the fridge?
A ball of this pie crust dough will easily last up to 3,4 or even 5 days in the fridge! Its a great way to meal prep. When I don’t feel like coming up with meal ideas on the spot, I often make these ahead of time so I can pull one out and make a fresh quiche for breakfast, or something like that.
Flaky Pie Crust
Learn how to make a buttery, flaky pie crust with just 5 ingredients!
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ cup ice water (approximately)
- 10 tbsp cold butter (grated)
- ¼ cup cold lard
Grate all of the butter onto a plate and place into the freezer. Let it chill while you work on the next steps
Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix to combine. (If you don't have a stand mixer, you can whisk the flour and salt and use a fork or pastry blender to cut the butter and lard into the flour.)
Keep the mixer on a low speed and add the cold lard in, little spoonfuls at a time. Take the grated butter out of the freezer and add to the bowl, little clumps at a time. Keep the mixer going until the lard and butter clumps are no bigger than or no smaller than the size of a pea. Get your ice water ready.
Take the bowl out of the mixer and add about HALF of the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Use a fork to mix the flour around and evenly distribute the water
Dump the flour onto a clean surface and spread it out so you can add the rest of the water (1 tablespoon at a time) on the flour that was towards the bottom of the bowl. See if the dough starts to stick together. Do not knead it! The goal is to work the dough as little as possible. The reason you want the water distributed so well is because you don't want big wet balls and then big dry spots. The dough won't stick together if that happens. It all needs to come together simultaneously.
Once the dough will stick together, form it into two separate balls. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling out into a pie pan. They can also stay in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
As I tried to express above, the goal here is to add water until the flour JUST starts to stick together. Also, try not to work the dough too much.
Did you enjoy this recipe? If you did, I’d be thrilled if you left a review!
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