Making pie pastry in under a minute is possible with a food processor! This easy recipe will take the major work out of making a pie crust.
This recipe was originally published on November 30th, 2011.
Okay, so by the time you take out the flour, weigh it (or measure it) and then pull a couple of sticks of butter from the fridge, you might actually be at TWO whole minutes! However, the actual cutting in the butter and adding the water to make the pie pastry is done in less than a minute.
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I took out my food processor today (which I rarely use due to having a Vitamix) and was so utterly amazed at how easy and quickly that baby makes pastry!
In addition to be a quick recipe, you won’t believe how much better a homemade pie crust tastes. It also will not have any questionable ingredients. (I made you a pin for your Pinterest baking board.)
How to Make Pie Pastry in Under One Minute
1 lb flour (approx. 3 1/2 cups) + 8 oz cold, unsalted butter (2 sticks) + 1/8 tsp salt
(if you use salted butter, omit the salt). As usual, I highly recommend a scale for best results. Cups are too unpredictable and results will always vary.
Place all the ingredients, with the cold butter cut into chunks, into the food processor.
A few pulses and the butter is mixed in.
Then add a little ice water; a few more pulses and it is ready to roll (literally)!
Your pastry should look like this, and sort of come together, but still be somewhat crumbly when ready. Don’t add too much water, though, as it will make the crust tough. Shape the pie pastry into a ball, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
Finally, just roll out the pie pastry and use as desired for savory dishes or sweet. If you want to use it for a sweet pie or tart, you can add a teaspoon or even less of sugar, to make it a little more suited for a dessert filling like these strawberry tarts.
Makes enough for one, double crust pie (bottom and top). Another way to use the pastry is to make tartlets. This recipe will make about 24 tartlet shells.
Use as desired.
Pie Pastry in Under a Minute? It's Possible!
A super quick and less messy recipe to make a great pie crust! Have you tried it?
Ingredients
- 1 lb flour (approx. 4 cups)
- 8 oz unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1/8 tsp salt (if you use salted butter, omit the salt)
- (optional for a sweet pie, like a fruit or dessert pie: 1 tsp or less sugar)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into food processor and pulse a few times.
- Add a little ice water, a few more pulses and it is ready to roll (literally)!
- Your pastry should sort of come together, but still be somewhat crumbly when ready. Don't add too much water, though, as it will make the crust tough. Shape into a ball, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
- Use as desired, baking according to pie recipe directions.
Notes
To make a richer crust, add an egg with a little cold water instead of the water on its own. Beat the egg with a couple of tablespoonfuls of water and add it to the dry ingredients. Continue to make as the rest of the recipe, adding cold water as needed and then rolling out, etc.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving:Calories: 322Total Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 3.5gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 5g
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Hi Christina, I ALWAYS have a terrible time w/ this recipe even though I follow it to the letter. Each time I take it out of the fridge it’s just the same crumbly mess that I put in the fridge, so I end up tossing it away and using store bought dough. I’ve tried adding more water than the recipe calls for, up to 1/2 a cup or more and then the consistency is much better but I wonder whats wrong w/ how you suggest making it, or the way I’m doing it
Hi Mike, this just doesn’t make sense. Half a cup of water is just too much, but it shouldn’t be crumbly when it’s going in the fridge. You need to figure out the happy medium. Don’t know what else to suggest :(
Thanks Christina, I realize it doesn’t make any sense, as any recipe I’ve ever followed worked properly as written so I thought maybe there was something amiss in the printing.
A few drops of ice water does nothing but evaporate, but when I add much more water the pastry starts to appear as in the picture you’ve provided.
I did check all the other comments before writing and was surprised to find just one other person with a similar problem.
( Linda, Dec. 27, 2020 ) There’s just no way a few drops of water into the food processor does anything useful.
Thank you for your reply. Mike
Here’s the problem: the amount of water needed is not a few drops and it’s not ½ cup, it’s somewhere in between. Because it will vary, I haven’t put an exact amount because then I’ll get comments saying it was too wet or too dry, so it’s a matter of adding the ice water until you get the correct consistency then stop. I literally just had a lady in Scotland post her teenage son’s beautiful apple pie using my recipe on Instagram. If you are on IG, I urge you to view the story on the_stonehouse_bakery. It even shows him rolling the top pie crust onto the pie.
What a well thought out response this was and so TRUE! This is why I love all your photos. I just recently discovered your site so I can’t speak to how many folks may be having trouble with the “amount of water”.. it’s a feel and consistency “thing” for sure. Perhaps if you had time to post a small 1 minute video on this page, of only that part of the recipe, it might be helpful to folks who are very visual?? Keep up the GREAT site I’m loving it!
I would love to, just not enough time to do videos atm. :)
wondering if #1, using butter and not other form, #2, are you putting the contents in processor and pulsing just to get together and then forming ball on plastic wrap to set/harden before rolling. I have had problems with other than butter and also, too little ICE water to bind. Hope you find your issues as this is a great pastry dough for most all .
good suggestions!! Also, is he using a scale?
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I have made your delicious British apple pie twice now, but the crust keeps giving me problems :(. The first time I made it, I added 6 tbsp of ice water, but it was very crumbly after I had taken it out of the fridge, but I made it work. The second time I made the crust, I slowly added one tbsp of water at a time, and ended up with a total of 10 tbsp of water when the consistency looked good. After I had taken it out of the fridge and rolled out the dough, again it was crumbly :(. I had to shape the dough back into a ball and added a few more splashes of water. The pie still tasted delicious in the end, but I don’t know why I’m having issues with the crust? Any ideas?
Is this recipe for single or double crust? TY
It’s for one double pie crust, top and bottom. Enjoy!
Can you use half butter and half lard for the pie crust?
Yes! The only thing is I haven’t used lard with the processor method, so not sure if it will make a difference since it’s softer than butter out of the fridge. Let me know, Rogers.
[…] you need are little tartlet shells. You can use my quick pie crust recipe for strawberry tarts (and maybe even make some strawberry tarts while you’re at it)! The […]
[…] After making the pie crust from the directions HERE, roll it out to just a bit larger than the pie plate and place on […]
Hi Christine, my problem starts after I take it out of the fridge. Should I leave it to come to room temperature before rolling or as some recipes suggest flatten it with the rolling pin before rolling. Thank you.
Hi Marion, I think you might be leaving it in the fridge too long if it’s gone hard. It shouldn’t be too cold when you take it out. Maybe your fridge is extra cold. So if it’s too hard to roll out, let it warm a bit before rolling it out. Good luck!