Food Processor Pie Crust

food processor pie crust is the best recipe!

I have made many pies, tarts, and galettes over the years, and I always come back to this pie crust recipe ~ it’s so easy to make. Want to know the secret? I make it in seconds in my food processor. The blades of the food processor cut the butter into the flour quickly and efficiently, with no fuss and no mess. This food processor pie crust is simply the best. It yields a deliciously buttery and flaky pastry, every time.

make pie crust dough in your food processor, 5 easy steps

1. Gather your ingredients
   • You’re going to want cold unsalted butter cut in small pieces (and I mean cold, straight from the fridge), all purpose flour, sugar, salt, and some ice water.
2. Load your food processor
   • Add the dry ingredients and pulse to combine.
3. Pulse in the cold butter
   • Run the machine in short pulses to break down the butter until the mixture has a rough crumbly texture. You still want to see some tiny chunks of unmixed butter in there (this makes the crust nice and flaky).
4. Continue to pulse as you add the ice water
   • Drizzle it slowly through the top of the food processor.
5. Pulse/process until the dough comes together
   • Stop the machine when it starts to ball together into large clumps.

next steps…

Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface, gently press it together, and divide it in half. Pat each half into a disc about 1 inch thick. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days. This resting time allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to roll out and helping to prevent shrinkage during baking.

• Once the dough is chilled, lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Unwrap the dough and place it on the floured surface.
• Begin rolling from the center of the dough outward, applying even pressure. Rotate the dough a quarter turn after every few rolls to maintain an even thickness and to prevent sticking. Aim for a thickness of about 1/8 inch. If the dough starts to crack, let it warm up slightly at room temperature before continuing.
• Carefully roll the dough around your rolling pin or fold it in half, and then transfer it to your pie pan. Unroll or unfold the dough, allowing it to settle into the pan without stretching it.
• Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim any overhanging dough to about 1 inch beyond the edge of the pan using a knife or kitchen scissors. If you’re making a double-crust pie, leave a little extra dough hanging over the edge for sealing the top crust.
• For a single-crust pie, tuck the overhanging dough under itself to form a thick edge. Then crimp or flute the edges using your fingers or a fork. For a double-crust pie, leave the edges as they are until you add the top crust.

tips for rolling, shaping, and baking and blind-baking food processor pie crust

• how to roll out your pie crust without sticking: You’ll want a little flour on your rolling surface to keep the pie crust from sticking as you roll it out. You can also try rolling your crust between two layers of parchment paper or plastic wrap to avoid sticking altogether. Sometimes I’ll do this if I’m rolling out a very large piece of pie crust that might be difficult to transfer otherwise.
• how to keep your pie crust flaky as it bakes: You want to keep your pie crust as cold as possible up to the moment before baking. So, depending on your recipe needs, consider rolling out your pie crust, fitting into your pan, and popping the whole thing in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
• how to blind bake your pie crust: If you’re using a recipe where the filling does not get baked, or only gets baked for a short amount of time, you may wish to pre bake or “blind-bake” your pie crust.
  • Preheat your oven to 375°F
  • Roll out the pie dough and place it in a pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges.
  • Dock the Dough: Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork.
  • Line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the parchment paper and weights.
  • Bake again for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
  • Cool the crust completely before filling.

how to store unbaked pie crust

• I like to wrap my unused pie crusts tightly in plastic wrap to keep them nice and airtight. You can also use a freezer-safe ziplock bag, pressing as much air out of the bag as possible as you seal it.
• An unbaked pie crust should keep several days in the fridge, and up to 3 months in the freezer.
• To thaw a frozen pie crust simply place in the fridge overnight and roll out as needed.

how will you use your pie crust??

• Cherry Crumble Pie
• Fresh Strawberry Galette
• Cherry Almond Tart
• Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Recipe
• Fresh Apricot Pie
• Rustic Apple Galette