• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour, divided*
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, optional**
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed (¾ stick)
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening, chilled and cubed (¼ stick)
• 2 tablespoons ice water

For the Dough

1. Add ⅔ of the flour (approximately 1 cup), along with all of the kosher salt and the optional granulated sugar, into your food processor bowl. Pulse 1-2 times briefly to thoroughly combine these dry ingredients. This initial mix ensures even distribution before the fats are introduced.

   

2. Distribute the chilled and cubed unsalted butter and vegetable shortening evenly over the flour mixture in the food processor. Pulse the processor a few times (about 5-7 short pulses) until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces of fat still visible. Avoid over-processing at this stage; we want distinct pieces of fat for flakiness.

   

3. Add the remaining ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour to the food processor. Pulse 3-4 more times until the mixture appears crumbly and breaks apart slightly. This step helps to further coat the fat with flour without overdeveloping gluten.

   

4. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice water through the feed tube, pulsing just until the dough begins to come together and form a wet mass. Be careful not to add too much water; the dough should just barely cohere. You might need anywhere from 2 to 4 tablespoons total, depending on your flour and humidity. Stop immediately once the dough starts to clump.

   

5. Carefully gather the dough from the food processor and press it into a flat, uniform disc on a clean surface. Wrap the disc tightly in plastic wrap, ensuring no air pockets remain. Transfer the wrapped dough to the refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally, overnight. This chilling period is crucial for the fats to firm up and for the gluten to relax, preventing shrinkage during baking.

   

6. Once chilled, lightly flour a clean work surface and your rolling pin. Unwrap the dough disc and begin rolling it out carefully. Work from the center outwards, rotating the dough a quarter turn after each few rolls to maintain an even circle and prevent sticking. Sprinkle additional flour on the surface or rolling pin as needed to ensure the dough doesn’t adhere. Roll the dough into a circle approximately 2 inches larger than your pie pan or about ⅛ inch thick.

   

7. To transfer the rolled dough to your pie pan, gently dust the surface of the dough with a little flour. Carefully wrap the dough around your rolling pin, then unroll it over your 9-inch pie pan. This method minimizes stretching and tearing.

   

8. Gently press the dough into the contours of the pie pan, ensuring it adheres well to all sides and the bottom without stretching. This helps prevent air pockets and ensures an even bake.

   

9. Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, trim any excess dough, leaving about a 1-inch overhang around the edge of the pan. Fold this overlapping inch of dough under itself to create a sturdy, thicker rim. This rim will hold its shape better during baking and provides a good base for crimping.

   

10. Crimp the edges of the dough to create a decorative scalloped edge. You can achieve this by using your index finger to push the dough from the inside while pressing with the thumb and index finger of your other hand from the outside. Repeat this motion around the entire rim.

    

11. Once shaped and crimped, place the pie crust back into the refrigerator to chill for at least 15 minutes before proceeding with baking. This final chill is essential for setting the crimped edges and preventing the crust from shrinking.

To Bake the Crust

1. To Blind Bake (Partially Baked): Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove the pie weights and parchment, then continue baking for 5-7 more minutes until the bottom is pale golden. This partial bake is ideal for pies with wet fillings that need a crisper bottom.

   

2. To Fully Bake with Filling (after Blind Baking): Begin by blind baking as described above. Once the crust is partially baked and weights are removed, fill it with your desired filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or as specified by your pie recipe, until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown.

3. To Fully Bake without Blind Baking (for single-crust pies where filling is baked with crust from raw): Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Fill the raw, chilled pie crust with your desired filling. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is cooked through. If the edges brown too quickly, you can cover them with aluminum foil.

*This recipe is designed for all-purpose flour, which yields a tender and manageable crust. Pastry flour can also be used for an even softer texture.

**While optional, adding a tablespoon of granulated sugar contributes to a more tender and subtly sweet crust, making it highly recommended for sweet pies. For savory pies, feel free to omit it.

Detailed Tips for a Flaky Food Processor Pie Crust:

• Fat Ratio is Key: I’ve extensively tested various ratios, and this balance of butter and shortening consistently delivers the most foolproof texture. You get the rich flavor of butter with the easy-to-roll manageability and structural integrity of shortening.
• Embrace the Cold: Not just butter and shortening, but chilling your flour and even your food processor bowl and blade for 10-15 minutes beforehand provides an extra layer of flakiness insurance. The colder everything is, the less the fats will melt into the flour, preserving those crucial layers.
• Staged Flour Addition: Adding ⅔ of the flour initially, then the remaining ⅓ later, is a clever technique. It first coats the fat particles in flour, then incorporates the rest, minimizing gluten development and contributing to a more tender texture.
• Water Wisdom: Use ice-cold water, and add it sparingly, just enough to bring the dough together. Too much water will create a tough crust (due to increased gluten development) and require more flour, exacerbating the problem. Too little water, and the dough will be dry and prone to cracking while rolling (though this is easier to fix by adding a tiny bit more water). Aim for a dough that holds together when pressed but still shows distinct, pea-sized bits of fat.
• Vodka/Vinegar Trick (Optional): For an extra tender crust, consider replacing 1-2 teaspoons of ice water with vodka or white vinegar. The alcohol in vodka evaporates quickly, preventing gluten formation, while vinegar’s acidity inhibits gluten. I typically find this unnecessary with the food processor method, but it’s a great “insurance policy” for peace of mind.
• Keep it Cool: Throughout the process, if your dough or ingredients start to warm up (e.g., from handling or a warm kitchen), don’t hesitate to pop them back into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. A consistently cool dough is a happy, flaky dough.
• Don’t Overwork: The food processor works quickly! Stop pulsing as soon as the dough barely comes together. You should still see visible, small, pea-sized pieces of butter and shortening. Overworking the dough develops too much gluten, leading to a tough, chewy crust.
• Flour Your Surface Wisely: Always lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin before rolling out the dough to prevent sticking. Too much flour, however, can dry out the dough, so use it judiciously.
• Temperature Adjustments for Rolling: If your dough is too hard to roll straight from the fridge, let it sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes to slightly soften. Conversely, if it becomes too soft or sticky while rolling, briefly return it to the refrigerator.
• Preventing Shrinkage: The primary cause of a shrinking pie crust is insufficient chilling time. Ensure you adhere to the recommended chilling times for the dough (after mixing and again after shaping) to allow the gluten to relax fully.
• Blind Baking with Weights: For blind baking, always line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or even uncooked rice. These weights prevent the crust from puffing up or sliding down the sides of the pan, ensuring a perfectly flat bottom and stable edges.
• Choosing Your Pie Pan: A metal pie dish typically conducts heat more efficiently, leading to crisper bottom crusts. Glass pie pans, while excellent for monitoring the browning, might require an additional 5 minutes of baking time to achieve the same crispness.
• Troubleshooting Tough Crust: If your pie crust turns out tough, it’s highly probable that the dough was overworked, leading to excessive gluten development. For your next attempt, aim for minimal handling and processing, and consider the vodka/vinegar trick.

Making Pie Crust By Hand: If you don’t have a food processor, you can still achieve a fantastic crust! Follow the same ingredient order and steps, but use a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips to cut the butter and shortening into the flour mixture until pea-sized pieces remain. Then, gradually add water and bring the dough together with your hands, being careful not to overmix.

Storage:

• Refrigerator: Raw pie dough, pressed into a disc and tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Shaped but unbaked pie crusts (in the pan) or blind-baked crusts can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, tightly covered.
• Freezer: For longer storage, freeze raw pie dough discs (double-wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil) for up to 3 months. Blind-baked crusts can also be frozen for up to 3 months; wrap tightly and store in an airtight container. Thaw frozen raw dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling.

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