Flaky Food Processor Pie Crust

Easy Food Processor Pie Crust Without the Guesswork

Name: Easy Food Processor Pie Crust
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 2 pie crusts
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar (leave out for savory pies like quiche); 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, chilled; 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled; 1/3 cup of Ice water (you may need a little more or less depending on weather conditions)

It's pie season, and if making pie crust makes you nervous, you're not alone.

Making pie dough isn't difficult, but there are a few things that can make it go wrong. You can overwork the dough, add too much or too little water, or let your butter and shortening get too warm.

The good news is that you don't have to be an expert to make a good pie crust.

Unbaked pie crust in a pie dish beside a rolling pin.

I use a food processor because it makes quick work of the dough and takes much of the guesswork out of the process. I'll show you what the dough should look like along the way so you can feel confident that you're on the right track.

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What Can Go Wrong When Making Pie Crust?

There are only a few ingredients in pie dough, so it seems like making pie crust should be easy. And it is, once you know what to watch for.

You Overwork the Dough

This is one of the easiest mistakes to make.

Too much handling can make your pie crust tough. Once the dough begins to come together, stop. You don't need to knead pie dough.

You Use Too Much or Too Little Water

The amount of water needed isn't always exactly the same. Weather and humidity can affect how much water your flour needs.

Start with the amount called for in the recipe. If the dough is still too dry, add more ice water one teaspoon at a time until it begins to hold together.

Your Ingredients Aren't Cold Enough

Cold butter and shortening are important when making pie dough.

I cut my butter and shortening into pieces and freeze them for about an hour before making the dough. I also use ice water.

Keeping the ingredients cold gives you more time to work with the dough before the fat begins to soften.

A measuring cup with water and a plate with cubes of butter and shortening.

Why I Use a Food Processor for Pie Dough

I used to make pie dough with a pastry cutter. It works, but once I started using a food processor, I found that making pie dough became much easier. This is the food processor I use.

The food processor quickly cuts the cold butter and shortening into the flour. It also helps limit the amount of handling, which is important because you don't want to overwork the dough.

You don't need a food processor to make pie crust, but if you have one, I recommend giving it a try.

How to Make Pie Crust in a Food Processor

Step 1: Freeze the Butter and Shortening

At least an hour before you want to make your pie dough, cut the butter and shortening into pieces and place them in the freezer.

You'll also want to have ice water ready when you're ready to make the dough.

Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients

Place the flour, confectioner's sugar, and salt in the bowl of your food processor.

I use confectioner's sugar because I usually make this dough for a dessert pie. If I'm making a savory pie such as quiche, I leave out the confectioner's sugar.

Pulse briefly to combine the ingredients.

Step 3: Add the Cold Butter and Shortening

Add the very cold butter and shortening to the flour mixture. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

You don't want everything to look uniform. Look for some larger pieces of butter and shortening throughout the mixture.

Those pieces are exactly what you want to see. Watch the video to see what I mean.

Step 4: Add the Ice Water

Add 1/3 cup of ice water and pulse. Watch the mixture as you work. It will begin to grab together and form larger clumps.

Once the mixture starts to hold together, you're done.

If it still looks too dry, add more ice water one teaspoon at a time. Don't add more water than you need.

What Should Pie Dough Look Like?

This is one of the things I find most helpful about making pie dough in a food processor. You can watch the dough change as you work.

After adding the cold butter and shortening, you should still be able to see pieces of the fat throughout the flour.

What the Flour and butter and shortening should look like.

After adding the water, the mixture will begin to clump together. When you turn the dough out of the food processor, it may still look crumbly.

That's okay.

It doesn't have to look like a smooth ball of dough at this point.

Use the plastic wrap to help bring the dough together, gently pressing it into a disk. Try not to work the dough any more than necessary.

Divide the dough into two pieces and form each piece into a disk. Wrap the disks and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

Pie crust in a pie plate with a blue and white kitchen towel and a rolling pin.

Rolling Out the Pie Dough

When you're ready to roll out your dough, lightly flour your work surface.

Unwrap one disk of dough and place it on the floured surface. Dust the top and bottom of the dough with flour, and flour your rolling pin.

Gently begin rolling the dough.

Shift or turn the dough periodically as you roll so that you can make sure it isn't sticking to your work surface. Add a little more flour if necessary.

Continue rolling until the dough is about an inch larger than your pie plate.

I like to fold the dough in half before transferring it to the pie plate. This makes it easier to lift and position the dough without stretching it.

Once the dough is positioned in the pie plate, gently fit it into place.

Don't stretch the dough to make it fit.

Fold or roll the excess dough around the edge and use your fingers to create a fluted edge.

Now your pie crust is ready for your filling.

How Many Pie Crusts Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe makes two 9-inch pie crusts. That's enough for one double-crust pie, such as apple pie, or two single-crust pies, such as pumpkin pie.

You can also use this dough for savory pies such as quiche or chicken pot pie.

A Few Tips for Successful Pie Crust

If you're new to making pie dough, keep these things in mind:

Keep your butter and shortening cold.
Use ice water.
Add additional water only a teaspoon at a time if needed.
Don't overwork the dough.
Don't worry if the dough looks crumbly before you bring it together.
Refrigerate the dough before rolling it.
Turn the dough as you roll so it doesn't stick.
Don't stretch the dough when you put it into the pie plate.

Once you know what the dough should look like, making pie crust becomes much less intimidating.

And that's why I like using a food processor. It makes the process quick and straightforward, and you don't have to wonder quite so much about whether you're doing it right.

Watch the Food Processor Pie Crust Video

In the video, I show you how I make this pie dough from start to finish, including what the butter and shortening should look like after pulsing, how the dough comes together when you add the water, and how I roll and shape the finished crust.

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Apinterest pinffeaturing food processor pie dough in a pie dish.

Easy Food Processor Pie Crust Recipe

pie dough, pie crusts, pie, food processor

dessert

American

Yield: 2 pie crusts

Author: Donna Urso