Single pie dough in pie plate on a counter with pie weights box in top right corner
Baking, Dessert

Single Pie Dough

May 24, 2025 Leave a comment

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Pie dough … my arch nemesis. I don’t know what it is about pie dough, but I struggle. I have tried so many different recipes and my crust always ends up shrinking to half the size, or it’s not flakey. So, in my effort to challenge myself, I have been doing way too much research on how to create the perfect single pie dough. To create the beautiful flakey, scrumptious pie dough of my grandmother….. it is my dream! My goal!

This recipe was designed specifically for a single pie crust since the majority of the pies I create are open. You can use this recipe for a double pie, just need to double the recipe (top/bottom).

After all my effort and research, I have learned a lot about the science of pie dough and why certain steps are key. I also have been experimenting with incorporating sour cream into the recipe instead of using an all- butter recipe, this provided a nice flavor boost, and I learned the acid component of the sour cream helps to reduce the gluten development resulting in a flaker crust! I love science! 

 

Tips & Tricks:

  • Water needs to be ice cold
  • Butter is cubed and then frozen
  • Sour cream is mixed with ice cold water
  • Powdered sugar incorporates better into the flour, and it reduces the stickiness when rolling out the dough.
  • Refrigerate the dough for minimum 60 minutes in a small round disc covered in plastic wrap.
  • Freeze dough for about 45 minutes once shaped in the pie pan.
  • Cover with foil and place pie weights onto the foil.

 

Cubed butter on a plate

 

pie dough in food processor

 

Pie dough covered in foil with pie weights in the center; pie plate is sitting on a granite counter.

 

Equipment:

  • Food processor
  • Measuring cups/spoons
  • Knife
  • Small plate
  • Plastic wrap
  • Pie pan

 

Single pie dough in pie plate on a counter with pie weights box in top right corner

Single Pie Dough

Buttery & flakey pie dough.....there is nothing else to say!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp ice cold water (mixed with sour cream)
  • 4 tsp sour cream
  • 3-4 tbsp ice cold water (mixed with dough)
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter cubed & frozen for about 15 minutes
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon

Method
 

  1. Portion out about 8 tbsp of water into a glass and place in freezer to cool. Cube butter into small pieces (¼ inch x ¼ inch), position on plate and freeze for about 15 minutes.
  2. In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, salt, and cinnamon (optional) until mixed (1-2 pulses). Add frozen butter and pulse until the it looks like breadcrumbs.
  3. In a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp of ice water with 4 tsp of sour cream, add half to the butter/flour mixture and pulse.
  4. Incorporate remaining ice water/sour cream into flour mixture and pulse until combined. It should start to look like its coming together, if it does not, add 1 tbsp of ice water and pulse. You want to be able to press the dough together with your fingers and it stick.
    *I typically have to add 2-4 tbsp of ice water for the dough to come together correctly.
  5. Remove dough from food processor and on a floured surface, press together into a ball. Flatten into a disc and cover in plastic wrap. Try to shape your dough into a circular disc to make it easier to shape when rolling it out.
  6. Refrigerate for minimum of 60 minutes to allow butter to firm up, which will promote the flaky layers!
  7. Let dough warm for about 5-10 minutes on the counter for ease of rolling, then roll dough out into a circle on a floured surface. Dust with flour whenever needed to reduce sticking.
  8. Let dough warm for about 5-10 minutes on the counter for ease of rolling, then roll dough out into a circle on a floured surface. Dust with flour whenever needed to reduce sticking.
  9. Cover in plastic wrap and freeze for about 45 minutes.
  10. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
  11. Remove plastic wrap from frozen pie dough, place foil over the top and fold around the edges (2 layers if needed) to stop them from burning, and place baking weights in the center. Position in the middle rack.
Partial Baked Cookied Crust:
  1. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until pie dough looks dry and light in color.
  2. Transfer to wire rack, remove baking weights and foil. Add your pie filling when the pie crust is warm (don’t wait).
Fully Cookied Crust:
  1. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until pie dough looks dry and light in color.
  2. Remove baking weight and foil. Return partial baked crust to oven and continue baking for additional 10-12 minutes until it is a deep golden brown.
  3. Transfer to awire rack to cool completely, about 60 minutes, make sure crust is completely cool before adding your pie filling.
Notes:
  1. Depending on your oven, make sure to keep a close eye on the pie crust when returning to oven to bake to golden brown.
References:
  1. Cooks Illustrated. (2013). Thecook's Illustrated baking book: Baking demystified: 450 recipes from America'sMost Trusted Food Magazine.

Notes

*CONSUMING RAW OR UNDERCOOKED MEATS, POULTRY, SEAFOOD, SHELLFISH, OR EGGS MAY INCREASE
YOUR RISK OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS.