prep time: 10 min | chill time: 3 hr | total time: 3 hr 40 min
A good pie starts with a good crust, and I love having a homemade pie dough recipe that I can use for all kinds of pies. This one is made with just five simple ingredients, doesn’t need eggs, and can easily be made dairy-free with a plant-based butter. You can prepare it in a food processor or stand mixer, then chill it until you’re ready to roll it out and bake.
From pumpkin and pecan pie to apple pie and other holiday favorites, this is a homemade pie crust recipe you’ll want to keep on hand.
Eggless: Made without eggs or an egg substitute.
Simple ingredients: You only need flour, sugar, salt, butter, and iced water.
Easy to make: Prepare the dough using a food processor or stand mixer.
Dairy-free option: Swap the butter for a suitable plant-based alternative.
Perfect for holiday baking: Use it as the base for your favorite sweet pies.
All-Purpose Flour: Gives the pie crust its structure. I use regular all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Castor Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness and helps the crust brown.
Salt: Enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
Cold Butter: Creates the flaky layers in the crust. For a dairy-free version, use Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks or Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. Keep the butter cold and cut it into cubes before using.
Iced Water: Brings the dough together. Add it gradually, you may not need all of it.
You can make this dough in a food processor or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Transfer and Shape the Crust: Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough to greased your 9-inch pie dish. Gently press it into the bottom and sides, making sure there are no air pockets. Trim any excess dough, leaving a little overhang, then crimp the edges using your fingers. Refrigerate the shaped pie crust for 1 hour before baking. You can also cover and freeze it at this stage for later use.
Blind baking means baking the pie crust before adding the filling. It helps prevent a soggy bottom and gives the crust a head start when you’re making pies with fillings that need little or no baking.
Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Fill with pie weights: Crumple a sheet of parchment paper, then open it back up and place it over the chilled pie crust. This makes it easier to fit into the bottom and sides of the crust. Fill with ceramic or metal pie weights, or dried beans. Push some of the weights gently against the sides to help prevent the crust from shrinking as it bakes.
Bake with weights: Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown and look set. Remove the pie from the oven and carefully lift out the parchment paper along with the weights. Use a fork to prick holes all over the bottom of the crust, then return it to the oven.
For a fully baked crust: Bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown. This is ideal for no-bake pies that need a completely baked and cooled crust.
For a partially baked crust: Bake for another 5-6 minutes, or until the bottom is just beginning to brown. Use this option for pies such as pecan pie, where the filling will be baked in the crust.
Yes! Most traditional pie crust recipes don’t require eggs. This recipe uses flour, butter, and iced water to create a tender, flaky crust.
Yes. Replace the dairy butter with Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks or Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. Choose the stick or block version rather than a soft tub spread, as the higher water content in some spreads can affect the texture.
Chilling firms up the butter and makes the dough easier to roll. It also allows the flour to hydrate and helps reduce shrinkage during baking.
Ceramic or metal pie weights are both good options. You can also use dried beans or uncooked rice. Line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil before adding the weights, and make sure they cover the bottom and reach the sides. If using beans or rice, keep them in a separate container to reuse as pie weights rather than cooking them afterward.
Yes. You can prepare the dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it wrapped in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Try this Pecan Pie Recipe – Eggless Pecan Pie (Without Corn Syrup)
Traditional pie crust doesn’t rely on eggs for its structure. Instead, the flour and water form the dough, while cold butter creates pockets of fat throughout.
As the crust bakes, the butter melts and releases moisture, which creates steam and helps form flaky layers. Keeping the butter cold and avoiding too much water or handling helps prevent a tough crust.
Using warm butter: Soft butter blends too thoroughly into the flour and can make the crust less flaky. Start with cold butter straight from the refrigerator.
Adding too much water: Too much water can make the dough sticky and encourage gluten development. Add it gradually and stop as soon as the dough holds together.
Overworking the dough: Mixing or kneading too much can make the crust tough. Stop once the dough comes together.
Skipping the chilling time: Chilling helps the butter firm up and makes the dough easier to roll. It also helps reduce shrinkage during baking.
Keep your butter and water cold throughout the process.
Don’t worry if the dough looks a little crumbly before you press it together. It should hold when squeezed.
Add the water gradually. You may not need the full amount.
Chill the dough for at least 3 hours before rolling.
If the dough cracks while rolling, let it sit for a few minutes to soften slightly.
If it becomes too soft or sticky, refrigerate it briefly before continuing.
Use pie weights when blind baking to help the crust hold its shape.
Planning your holiday dessert menu?
Here are a few more homemade pie recipes to add to your baking list:
