This Sweet Dough Pie Crust is the butteriest, flakiest, and the softest pie crust I have ever tasted. The crust can make or break a good pie. Trust me when I tell you, this is a good one!
The key to making a flakey crust is the use of cold ingredients. This will ensure that the butter and shortening do not incorporate into the flour of the pastry. You want to aim to have lots of little pea sized lumps in your dough mixture. Gently folding in the water tablespoon by tablespoon will create a flour-water paste. This paste will hold all of those little lumps scattered throughout the pastry dough. These scattered lumps are the key to success.
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This recipe makes two 9" pie crusts, for either a top and bottom crust, two bottom crusts, or 12 miniature pie crusts that fit perfectly into a muffin tin! To get the perfect size for a set of muffin tin pie crusts use a circular cutter that is 5 ½"-6" in diameter. If you do not have a cutter that specific size, don't panic! I use a regular old soup bowl from my cupboard! Just get creative, think tupperware lids (If your kitchen is like mine, you should have a surplus of lids>actual containers), bowls, mugs, measuring cups, even an empty can (that has been cleaned out, of course) will work!

Freezer Storage 101
Prepared Sweet Dough Pie Crust can be stored in the freezer for up to one month. For freezer storage, tightly wrap discs in plastic wrap, and then put the discs in a freezer bag and get as much of the air out as possible, this helps prevent freezer burn. To defrost, leave discs at room temperature for 4-6 hours. Then roll out the dough on a floured surface and roll out as usual.
Savoury Pie Crust Conversion
This is not the recipe to use for savoury crust. If you want to use this pie crust for a savoury recipe adjust the sugar content way down, like to 1 teaspoon max. And increase the flour by ¼-1/2 cup
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Sweet Dough Pie Crust
Makes two pie crusts for a 9” pan (or a top and bottom crust) or 12 mini pie crusts for a muffin tin
Ingredients
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Butter, Cold
- ½ cup All Vegetable Shortening, Cold
- 8-12 Tablespoons Ice Cold Water, seperated
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl with a pastry blender, combine the flour, sugar, salt, butter, and shortening. Cut in the butter and shortening until a coarse meal has formed. This will look like pea sized lumps of butter and shortening in the flour.
- Using a spatula, slowly fold in ice cold water, just a couple tablespoons at a time. Fold gently, until dough holds together by being pinched. Form 2 discs and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Once the dough has rested, on a generously floured surface, roll out to desired thickness, or cut into smaller discs to fit into a muffin tin. To cut pie crusts that fit perfectly in a standard muffin tin, use a circular cutter that is 5 ½”-6” in diameter.
Notes
- This pie crust recipe does not need to be pre-baked.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
CookBakeLive says
This was so good, and it was so simple to make! Thank you so much for such a great recipe.
Jessica says
We are so happy that you liked the recipe! 😊
Chris says
Looks yummy
Maureen L. says
I made this sweet dough pie crust to go with the cherry rum pie filling. The dough came together easily but I did find it quite sticky. In hindsight I probably added too much water. The dough rolled out easily and baked up perfectly. I have never been a huge pastry fan but I can honestly say the pie crust tasted amazing and was so light & flaky. This recipe is now my “go to” pie dough recipe!
Anita Barron says
why no eggs
Jessica says
Eggs are not typically used in pie crust. Adding eggs would make the pie crust airy and puffy, instead of buttery and flakey.