All-Butter Single-Crust Pie Dough

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine Dry Ingredients

   Process flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined, about 3 seconds.

   mixing
2. 2

   Combine Dry Ingredients

   Process flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined, about 3 seconds.

   mixing
3. 3

   Cut in Butter

   Scatter frozen butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 15 pulses.

   cutting in fat
4. 4

   Add Wet Ingredients

   Whisk ice water and sour cream together in a bowl. Add half of the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture and pulse until incorporated, about 3 pulses. Repeat with the remaining sour cream mixture.

   mixing
5. 5

   Check Dough Consistency

   Pinch dough with your fingers. If it feels dry and does not hold together, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse to incorporate, about 4 pulses.

6. 6

   Form Dough

   60 mins

   Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten it into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.

   chilling
7. 7

   Roll Dough

   10 mins

   Before rolling, let the dough sit on the counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes. Roll dough between 2 large sheets of parchment paper to a 12-inch circle.

   rolling
8. 8

   Transfer Dough to Pan

   Remove the parchment on top of the dough round and flip the dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Peel off the second layer of parchment.

9. 9

   Fit Dough into Pan

   30 mins

   Lift the dough and gently press it into the pie plate, letting the excess hang over the plate’s edge. Cover loosely with plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

   chilling
10. 10

    Trim and Crimp Dough

    15 mins

    Trim all but ½ inch of dough overhanging the edge of the pie plate. Tuck dough underneath itself to form a tidy, even edge that sits on the lip of the pie plate. Crimp dough evenly around the edge using fingers. Wrap the dough-lined pie plate loosely in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

    chilling
11. 11

    Par-Bake or Fully Bake Crust

    Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line chilled pie crust with a double layer of aluminum foil, covering the edges to prevent burning, and fill with pie weights or pennies.

    baking
12. 12

    For a partially baked crust

    30 mins

    Bake until the pie dough looks dry and is pale in color, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pie plate to a wire rack and remove the weights and foil.

    baking
13. 13

    For a fully baked crust:

    40 mins

    Bake until pie dough looks dry and is pale in color, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove weights and foil and continue to bake crust until deep golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer pie plate to a wire rack. Following particular pie recipe, use crust while it is still warm or let it cool completely.

    baking