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All butter pie crust with a crimped rim in a metal plate beside a second dough disk

All Butter Pie Crust with Grated Butter

Emily S
An unsweetened all-butter pastry made by hand with frozen grated butter. Makes two standard 9-inch single crusts or the top and bottom of one 9-inch pie. Chill the dough before rolling, then bake as directed for your filling.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Butter firming and dough chilling 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 crust portions (1/8 of a single crust)
Calories 170 kcal

Equipment

  • Box grater large holes
  • Rolling Pin for rolling the chilled dough
  • 9-inch pie plate standard depth; metal recommended for the optional blind-baking directions
  • Parchment paper and pie weights only if blind baking
  • Plastic wrap for chilling the dough disks

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 300 g; spooned and leveled, plus a little extra for rolling
  • 1 teaspoon table salt use fine table salt, not coarse kosher salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks (227 g), very cold
  • 6–12 tablespoons ice water measure without the ice; begin with 6 tablespoons and add only as needed

Instructions
 

  • Put the cold butter in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until firm enough to grate cleanly. It should make distinct shreds rather than smear against the grater. Have ice water ready and measure the water without adding ice cubes to the dough.
    1 cup unsalted butter, 6–12 tablespoons ice water
    Two chilled sticks of unsalted butter arranged with flour, fine salt and ice water
  • Stir the flour and salt together. Grate the firm butter through the large holes of a box grater into the flour, pausing to toss the shreds with flour. Keep the shreds separate and cold; do not rub the mixture into a smooth paste.
    2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon table salt, 1 cup unsalted butter
    Pale butter shreds coated in dry flour in a glass bowl beside a box grater
  • Drizzle 6 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture and toss gently with a fork. Squeeze a small handful. If it falls apart or contains dry flour pockets, add another tablespoon of water and toss again. Repeat only until a squeezed portion holds together without crumbling. The full 12 tablespoons may not be needed. Stop before the dough becomes wet or sticky.
    6–12 tablespoons ice water
    A hand holds a rough clump of hydrated dough above loose crumbs in a glass bowl
  • Gather the dough with gentle pressure, without kneading. Divide it equally and flatten into two disks. Wrap each disk tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Visible small butter flecks are expected.
    Two equal flat disks of raw pastry with butter flecks on separate sheets of plastic wrap
  • Work with one disk while the other stays chilled. If the disk is too hard to roll without cracking, let it stand for 10–15 minutes, just until workable. On a lightly floured surface, roll from the center outward, turning the dough regularly, to a circle about 12 inches across and about 1/8 inch thick. If it becomes soft or greasy, refrigerate it before continuing.
    2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    A thin round of raw pastry on a lightly floured counter with a wooden rolling pin
  • Lift the dough into a standard 9-inch pie plate. Ease it into the base and corners without pulling or stretching. Leave about 1 inch of overhang. For a single crust, fold the overhang under and crimp; for a double-crust pie, leave it uncrimped until the filling and top crust are added. Refrigerate the shaped dough for at least 30 minutes. Prepare the second disk the same way if making two single-crust pies.
    Unbaked pie crust fitted into a 9-inch pie plate with a second dough disk nearby
  • The dough is now ready for your pie recipe and must be baked before eating. For a pie baked with its filling, follow that recipe's temperature and time. For a filling that needs a partially or fully baked shell, use the blind-baking guidance in the notes. Keep the second disk wrapped and refrigerated if you are not using it immediately.
All butter pie crust with a crimped rim in a metal plate beside a second dough disk
All Butter Pie Crust with Grated Butter

Notes

Yield: Two standard 9-inch single crusts, or one 9-inch double-crust pie. The 16 portions refer to crust only: 1/8 of one single crust. Deep-dish pans and elaborate decorations may require more dough.
Timing: About 20 minutes active work plus 30 minutes to firm the butter, 2 hours to chill the disks, and 30 minutes to chill the shaped shell. Allow extra time if the butter needs longer or the dough needs softening. The total is for unbaked pastry; filling preparation, baking, and cooling are additional.
Optional blind baking: Use a standard 9-inch metal pie plate. During the final chill, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the chilled shell with parchment and fill with pie weights, supporting the sides. Bake until the rim is set and beginning to color, about 15–16 minutes. Carefully lift out the hot parchment and weights, prick the base with a fork, then bake about 7–8 minutes more for a partially baked shell, or about 14–15 minutes more for a fully baked shell with a golden, dry base. Use color and dryness as well as time; ovens and pans vary. Shield the rim with foil if needed. Cool fully before adding a no-bake filling, unless its recipe directs otherwise.
Salted butter: If using salted butter, reduce the table salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
Make ahead: Keep well-wrapped unbaked dough refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen disks overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Nutrition estimate: Approximate values per 1/8 of one single crust, calculated from the listed flour, butter, and table salt; water and extra flour for rolling are excluded. Actual values vary with brands, salt, and handling.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 14.3gProtein: 1.9gFat: 11.7gSaturated Fat: 7.3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 147mgFiber: 0.5g
Keyword all butter pie crust, grated butter pie dough, homemade pastry
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