This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

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This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Flaky Pie Pastry

Makes one 9-inch pie shell

3 hours 40 minutes active

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This pie dough packs in a generous amount of butter, resulting in rich flavor, but remains workable and holds its shape when baked without a filling. One of the tricks is incorporating the butter in two stages. First, about a third is processed into the dry ingredients until very well combined, then the remainder is pulsed in until the pieces are reduced to pea-sized pieces. This ensures good integration of fat for better workability and tenderness, but leaves enough bits for flaky layers in the baked pastry. After emptying the dough mixture onto the counter, we form it into a rectangle that we cut into thirds, then stack the pieces on top of each other. This builds layers for even more flakiness. A metal bench scraper is a handy tool when working with the dough, but a wide metal spatula works, too. For prebaking, you will need to line the dough-lined pie plate with foil and fill it with pie weights. Ceramic or metal weights work best. Otherwise, use at least 2 cups dried beans or rice, and plan to bake on the longer end of the time ranges. This dough can be doubled for a double-crust pie or to make enough dough for two 9-inch single-crust pies; see the instructions below.

Makes one

9-inch pie shell

Tip

Don’t cut the butter into small pieces. Kept in 1-tablespoon chunks, the butter still will be pebbly at the end of processing, not fine and fully incorporated, which is essential for flakiness. Also, be sure the butter is completely cold and firm before you begin, so keep it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Finally, after fitting the dough into the pie plate, be sure to poke holes in it with a fork, then freeze for at least one hour. This not only will help the pastry hold its shape during prebaking, it also will allow you to easily line the dough with the foil without marring the surface, sides and edge.

3 hours

40 minutes active

Ingredients

  • 163

    grams (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

  • 1

    tablespoon white sugar

Directions

Reviews
PAULA R.
December 8, 2025
Thank You
I followed this recipe using the method Chris used on the show. I used half butter and half shortening. The shortening I had on hand happened to be butter flavor Crisco sticks. It was easy to roll out and turned out great My husband even commented on how good the crust was.
SAM A.
November 5, 2025
Altenate use
I haven't tried this recipe yet but would be interested in learning how to use this to make a galette and not a pie crust
Jessica S.
November 28, 2024
Very Good
Very good pie dough recipe! It was delicious. We made it twice today, for both a sweet and savory pie. However, even after chilling we had some issues with it cracking as we rolled the dough. Any advice on how to prevent that?
SANDRA C.
November 27, 2025
Pie Crust issue!
I think that Samdy and Barbara are correct, and also Milk Street does not have Chris' recipe on your site. The show I saw was not the Thanksgiving show, but one where Chris made the Pumpkin Pie with Honey-orange whipped cream and another person made a berry crostata. Chris made a one crust pie in that episode, with 1/14 cups flour, etc. And he was adamant about his method! It was very enjoyable, and I'm another who would like the entire recipe (and "rant"!) on your website!
SAMDY D.
November 25, 2025
Confused!
On the video Chris makes a very strong point of the pea size error. but thus recipe says cut until pea sized pieces. which is it!!

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