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Master the best all-butter pie crust! This easy, Food Processor Pie Crust recipe makes the most perfect flaky layers—ideal for holiday pies and beginner bakers.
Grab this Food Processor Pie Crust recipe below or PIN IT for later!
Originally published November 2014 and updated December 2025
Growing up, every Thanksgiving, our kitchen would transform into a chaos of flour-dusted countertops and the sticky, sweet aroma of holiday pies baking in the oven.
Yes, my Mom was the designated pie baker for Thanksgiving dinner and due to my large extended family, this meant at least 8-10 made-from-scratch pies every single year.
From Chocolate Pecan Pie, using fresh local Texas pecans, to Pumpkin Pie using the infamous recipe on the back of the can of Libby’s pumpkin puree, to her famous Hershey Bar Pie – no other pie, or dessert for that matter, graced our holiday table.
And while every pie had a homemade, never canned, filling, she always took a short cut and used store bought pie crust. Specifically, a Pillsbury Flaky Pie Crust, because she said it was the best and tasted the most homemade.
Later, as an adult, when I began baking and cooking on my own, I would do as my Mom always did, and grabbed a Pillsbury Pie Crust whenever I made a pie or quiche.
That is, until I realized a homemade, all-butter pie crust was just a few simple ingredients and it could be made in just a few simple steps.
Yes, the key to an incredibly easy and flaky made from scratch pie crust is using a food processor.
Simply combine all the pie crust ingredients into a food processor, pulse, and like magic, ordinary pantry staples are transformed into a golden, tender, melt-in-your-mouth crust that makes every pie taste homemade with love.
One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions continues to be a plethora of pies, but now with that extra special homemade touch – an easy, all-butter pie crust.
Whether you’re baking a Bourbon Peach Pie, Mini Cranberry Hand Pies, or a savory Sausage and Pepper Quiche, this Food Processor Pie Crust recipe is the one you’ll reach for again and again.
Helpful Tips and Information:
Why You’ll Love This Flaky All Butter Pie Crust Recipe:
- All butter—no shortening! – Real butter not only adds rich flavor, but flaky layers.
- Beginner-friendly — This easy homemade pie dough for beginners effortlessly comes together with the help of a food processor and is very forgiving – perfect for holiday baking.
- Versatile – Works for sweet pies (apple, pecan, pumpkin) and savory dishes (quiche, pot pie).
- Make-ahead friendly – Store in the fridge or freezer to simplify busy baking days.
- No vodka – Some pie crust recipes call for vodka because the addition of vodka adds needed liquid without causing the gluten to develop. Since we don’t keep vodka in our pantry, we have developed this pie crust recipe without it.
Butter pie crust Ingredients and Substitutions:
(A full list of ingredients, plus specific measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.)
- Unbleached all-purpose flour – We do not recommend using whole wheat flour as the dough doesn’t come together as well and is quite crumbly. Note: We have not tested this recipe with a gluten free flour substitute.
- Table salt – Kosher salt can be substituted.
- Unsalted butter – Salted butter can be used, just reduce added salt to 1/8 teaspoon. Note: We have not tested this recipe with a dairy free butter alternative.
- Ice water
- Olive oil cooking spray – Helps ensure crust doesn’t stick to the pie plate or tart pan. Can use your preferred cooking spray (avocado, canola, etc.).
How to make pie crust in a food processor:
- Combine all ingredients in the food processor.
- Blend until mixture is coarse and crumbly.
- Add ice water and pulse until dough comes together.
- Shape dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
- When ready to use, roll out chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Transfer rolled dough to a pie or tart pan, gently pressing the dough up the sides of the pan. Trim off excess dough, crimp edges and bake as directed for recipe.
How to make pie crust WITHOUT a food processor:
While we think the food processor is the best short cut for making a perfect homemade pie crust, if you don’t own a food processor, no problem! You can still make a flaky pie crust using the following technique.
- In a large bowl, measure the flour and salt.
- Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers, press the cold butter into flour until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Alternatively, freeze your butter and use a cheese grater to grate the butter into the flour mixture.
- Drizzle in 1-2 tablespoons of ice water. Using a wooden spoon gently stir together the dough until the dough begins to clump together. Once dough starts to come together, knead dough with hands until it fully comes together.
- Add additional water if needed to make the dough come together. Stop adding water before dough becomes too wet or sticky.
- Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough disc from the center outward, turning it occasionally. Transfer to your pie dish and trim the edges. If making a double crust, repeat for the top layer.
- Bake according to the recipe.
How to blind bake a pie crust:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough from the center outward, turning it occasionally until a uniform 12-inch round, ¼ inch thick circle is formed.
- Transfer rolled dough to a pie plate or tart pan, gently pressing the dough up the sides of the pan. Trim off excess dough and crimp edges.
- Line the dough in the pie plate with a piece of parchment paper, making sure it’s snug against the bottom and sides.
- Add pie weights or dried beans to the parchment paper lined crust. Beans or pie weights should cover the entire bottom and go up the sides of the pie plate.
- Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until the edges just begin to turn golden brown, approximately 12-15 minutes.
- Remove the pie crust from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Carefully remove weights from the crust by grasping the corners of the parchment paper and lifting it out of the pie crust.
- Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Continue as directed with the recipe.
Expert Tips and Tricks:
- Keep everything cold: Refrigerating the dough for one hour helps the butter get cold and firm again and not melt away into the dough. Firm, cold pieces of butter is what helps create a perfectly flaky crust. This rest time also gives the gluten strands in the flour a chance to relax, which will help prevent the dough from shrinking when baking.
- Don’t overmix: Handle the dough as little as possible once it comes together.
- Butter pieces = flakiness: You should see visible butter flecks throughout your dough!
- Use a glass pie plate: It helps you monitor the crust browning underneath and will bake more evenly.
- Use a crust shield or aluminum foil: If your crust begins to brown too quickly, cover the edge of the pie with a crust protector shield or strips of aluminum foil carefully folded around the outside of the crust and pie plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can pie crust be made ahead of time?
Yes! Wrap dough tightly in a disc shape and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Why does my pie crust crack when rolling it out?
It is likely too cold when you attempt to roll it out. Let the cold crust rest at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before rolling.
Why do pie crusts start with cold butter?
To achieve a flaky crust, cold butter is ideal. Cold butter doesn’t fully incorporate into the dough, leaving small pieces of butter in the dough. In a high temperature oven, these pieces of cold butter will steam and create air pockets between the layers of dough and thus a flaky crust.
How do I prevent a soggy or under cooked pie crust?
Blind bake the pie crust using pie weights or dried beans before baking with the filling. See directions above.
Recipes using this Food Processor Pie Crust:
Tex-Mex Quiche
Hazelnut-French Silk Turtle Pie
Chicken Cordon Bleu Quiche
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Food Processor Pie Crust
A basic flaky, all butter crust for pies, tarts or quiches, made with the assistance of a food processor.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2-3 tablespoons ice water
- Olive oil cooking spray, as needed
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt and cold butter in a large food processor.
- Blend until mixture is coarse and crumbly.
- Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse several times, just until the dough comes together. Additional water may be needed to form dough. However, stop adding water before dough becomes too wet or sticky.
- Shape dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one hour.
- When ready to use, let chilled dough rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
- Place chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough disc from the center outward, turning occasionally, until the dough is a 12-inch round shape approximately 1/4-inch thick.
- Carefully lift and place rolled dough into a pie plate or tart pan that has been sprayed with an olive oil cooking spray. Gently press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
- Trim off excess dough, crimp edges and bake as directed for recipe.
Notes
Recipe makes one single layer pie crust. If making a double crust, repeat steps for the top layer.
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