Food Processor Pie Crust Recipe

Unbaked food processor pie crust in 9-inch pie plate.

The Food Processor Pie Crust is a game-changer when making flaky, homemade pie crusts. This straightforward recipe creates a pie crust that's tender, rich, buttery, and flaky. With the help of a food processor, you can make the pie dough in less than 5 minutes.

Course Basics

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings Single Pie Crust

Calories 176kcal

Author Kanan

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups All purpose flour (Maida)
½ teaspoon Salt
½ tablespoons Sugar
½ cup Unsalted butter Chilled, cut into small cubes
¼ teaspoon White distilled vinegar
2 tablespoons Ice cold water

Instructions

Making Pie Dough:

Add all-purpose flour and salt to your food processor. Pulse the mixture for about 15 seconds until the flour and salt are thoroughly combined. Let it sit for a minute with the lid on and let the flour settle down. Then open the lid.
Add the cold, cubed butter into the food processor and sprinkle vinegar over the butter.
Pulse the mixture again, but this time only 8-9 times until you get breadcrumbs-like texture, with a few slightly larger butter pieces still visible.
While the food processor runs, slowly pour two tablespoons of ice-cold water through the tube. Continue running the processor until the dough begins to come together. It should take about 30 seconds only.
The dough won't form a solid ball, but it should easily come together when you pinch it. It shouldn't feel overly dry or too wet.
Place a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface and transfer the prepared pie dough onto it.
Gather the dough and shape it into a ball. Then, flatten it slightly to form a disc shape.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30-45 minutes or until it's firm enough to roll out.

Rolling Pie Crust:

Once the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes.
Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. I recommend using a silicone mat on your work surface.
Begin rolling out the dough, turning and flouring frequently to prevent sticking, until you have a circle that's about 12 inches in diameter and ⅛ inch thick.
While rolling, keep pinching the edges using your thumb and finger to seal them as they crack.
Carefully transfer the rolled dough to a 9-inch pie dish with the help of roller.
Press it gently into the bottom and sides of the dish.
Trim any excess dough hanging over the edges, and shape the edges as desired. I have used my fingers to flute the edges.
Chill the pie crust the fridge for about 20-30 minutes or until firm. Then from here, you can partially blind bake, or fully bake, or add filling bake as the recipe calls for.

Notes

It's a good idea to double the pie crust recipe when preparing pies like classic apple pie or quiches that require both a top and bottom crust.
Cold ingredients are the secret to a flaky crust. Ensure your butter is well-chilled, and use ice-cold water.
Handle the dough as little as possible. Overhandling can lead to a tougher crust. It's okay if there are some visible butter pieces in the dough; these will melt during baking, creating those coveted flaky layers.
Don't rush the chilling process. Let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
If the dough becomes too soft or sticky at any point during the rolling process, place it in the refrigerator for a short while to firm up before continuing.
To prevent your pie crust from shrinking during baking, ensure it's well-chilled before filling and baking.

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