Simple Pie Crust Using 4 Easy Ingredients
See how quick and easy it is to make this Simple Homemade Pie Crust that is flaky, tender and full of flavor using only four simple ingredients!
Simple Homemade Pie Crust
I’ve always been kind of intimidated to make my own pie crust. I’ve heard that if you don’t do it just right then it won’t turn out.
But after finding this simple recipe that requires only four ingredients and no rolling I figured it was time for me to give it a whirl.
This is the perfect pie crust recipe to try if you’ve never made it before because it’s so simple and really hard to mess up. It always turns out tender, flaky and delicious!
Traditional homemade pie crust is made with butter, but this one uses vegetable oil, making it easier and quicker to put together. It’s a real winner for beginners.
This is a great recipe because you can choose to roll it out like traditional pie crust if you want or you can just press it into your pie pan for a quick and simple pie crust.
If you need a top layer of pie crust for something like an apple or blueberry pie, then you will need to double this recipe.
It really is a good recipe for beginner bakers or even children. I hope you enjoy the recipe and be sure to leave your best homemade pie baking tips in the comment section below. Happy baking friends!
Disclaimer: This recipe has mixed reviews, lots of people, including myself, love it, but some people say that it doesn’t turn out well for them. I say, give it try and see for yourself if it’s a winner or not!
What Four Ingredients do you Need to Make a Flaky Pie Crust?
- flour
- salt
- vegetable oil (or other fat such as butter, lard or shortening)
- water
Can I Freeze Homemade Pie Crust?
Yes, you can make your pie dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it, or you can press it into shape in a disposable pie plate and freeze it like that, just be sure to wrap your pie crust well with plastic and clearly label it before freezing.
Pro Tips for a Tender, Flaky Homemade Pie Crust:
- If using butter or other solid fat, make sure that it is cold, not room temperature.
- Use the minimum amount of water needed to create your dough. Too much water could lead to too much gluten development, making it less flaky and tender.
- Chill your dough at least 30 minutes before rolling or pressing into shape.
- Make sure you bake your pie crust until golden brown to get the most flakiness from your crust.
How to make a Simple Homemade Pie Crust:
In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.
Stir in oil and water, mixing until just combined and form dough into a ball.
(Optional) Chill 30 minutes before rolling or pressing into shape.
Place dough into a greased pie pan. (You may also choose to roll your pie crust out with a rolling pin on a floured surface).
Press dough out evenly until it covers entire pie pan including the sides. Make sure you press it thin where the side and bottom meet. Crimp edges if desired.
To Pre-Bake (only if you’re recipe requires it):
Poke with fork and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes.
Are you looking for some awesome pie recipes? Here are a few of my favorites:
Kentucky Derby Day Pie
Perfect Pecan Pie
Dutch Apple Pie
Butternut Squash Pie
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Note: This recipe was originally published in October 2013, but has been updated for your convenience.
Simple Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.
- Stir in oil and water, mixing until just combined and form dough into a ball.
- (Optional: Chill dough 30 minutes before rolling out or pressing into shape.)
- Place dough into a greased pie pan. (You may also choose to roll out your pie crust on a floured surface if desired.)
- Press dough out evenly until it covers entire pie pan including the sides. Make sure you press it thin where the side and bottom meet. Crimp edges if desired.
Notes
Poke with fork and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes.
This pie crust recipe is very similar to the one I found in a vegetarian cookbook. The main differences are whole wheat pastry flour, canola or safflower oil and ice water. I came here because I misplaced my cookbook! LOL Thank you for posting it – have a good one!!
Can you refrigerate dough for the next day?
Yes!
What kind of flour? Plain or self rising? Does it matter? Can’t wait to make this recipe. I am 71 years old and have never made a pie crust.
This recipe uses all-purpose flour. Happy baking!
Can this recipe be made with gluten free flour .
I’m not sure, but it’s worth a try!
This pie didn’t work and was very salted I will not use it again. Thats what I get for taking short cuts
Does this make one cryst or twi? I need a top and bottom crust. Ty!
It only makes one crust.
Unable to get to come together enough to roll out. I just tried to press the dough into the pie pan.
I had the same issue, doesn’t roll well, I floured the counter and my rolling pin. I fought with rolling to for a bit and end up pressing it it the pie plate. Which I recommend pressing it then rolling it.
I wanted to make a double batch of this to make a pot pie. Followed the recipe and the dough didn’t stay together at all. Was very crumbly. I made it work with the bottom, but the top of the pot pie is a giant crumbly mess. Won’t be using this recipe again.
Just add more water – a tablespoon at a time. Do not add more than one tablespoon at a time because you want the dough to just come together & not be soggy.
Awful pie crust recipe DON’T waste your time on this!
Great recipe! Worked perfect for a quick chicken and veggie pot pie for my family’s dinner this evening.
Can I make it a sweet dough for dessert?
Would you recommend to add sugar ?
Quick and easy. My crust was very crumbly and wasn’t dough-y. Any tips??
If it’s dry next time, I would try adding a little more water to it.
A big NO for me! Had to add water ( dough was crumbling!) tried to roll it: couldn’t lift it off the floured board! Ended up doing it by hand, piece by piece…looked terrible! Tasted worse!
This pie crust was a crumbly mess! I followed the recipe exactly; there was no way you could roll this mess. I threw it away and used another recipe. I will never use this recipe again.
Just add more water – a tablespoon at a time. Do not add more than one tablespoon at a time because you want the dough to just come together & not be soggy.
MAKING A PIE CRUST IS DEPENDENT ON HOW HUMID OR LACK OF HUMIDITY IN YOUR KITCHEN, OUTSIDE… IF ITS RAINING OR SNOWING OR A HOT HUMID DAY & IF YOU HAVE A RAINY FOGGY DAY, OR IF YOU GET A RECIPE FROM SOMEONE WHO IS IN A DIFFERENT AREA THAN YOU, ETC., ETC… YOU MAY HAVE TO ADD LESS WATER OR MORE- JUST ADD IT SLOWLY, A LITTLE AT A TIME.UNTIL YOUR DOUGH JUST STICKS TOGETHER. THEN MAKE A BALL OUT OF IT, WRAP WITH PLASTIC & I LET IT SIT AT LEAST 30 MINUTES IN THE REFRIGERATOR. THIS IS A GOOD PIE CRUST & EASY PEASY TO MAKE. BREAD & ALL BAKING & YEAST products that you have to knead to come together & that you add water to make a dough for baking are that way. JUST LIKE EVERYONE’S OVEN TEMPERATURES ARE NOT SET EXACTLY THE SAME. THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD PIE CRUST RECIPE THAT WAS SO EASY.🤗👍😁
YOU CAN ADD BUTTER OR LARD AS SHE STATED IN HER NOTATION BEFORE GIVING US THE RECIPE. BETTER YET MAKE IT ALL BUTTER OR LARD OR HALF BUTTER & 1/2 CRISCO , MAYBE ADD A BEATTEN EGG?? . (IT TURNED OUT GREAT FOR MY QUICHE & NOT ALL THE WORK OF A REGULAR PIE CRUST RECIPE)… ITS NOT AS EASY AS HER RECIPE & YOU NEED TO KEEP THE BUTTER, WATER, & CRISCO, & THE ALL PURPOSE FLOUR ICE COLD IN THE REFRIGERATOR PRETTY MUCH). IF ITS CRUMBLY BEFORE WORKING DOUGH TOGETHER- ADD SOME MORE WATER, ONE TABLESPOON AT A TIME UNTIL DOUGH COMES TOGETHER & SHAPE INTO A BALL OR DISC. (DO NOT GET TOO WET). 🤗👍🍗
Crumbly mess. Was not able to roll it at all. Have not yet tasted, hopefully it’s not too horrible tasting.
I think the crust could be good in certain recipes where it doesn’t matter if the crust crumbles and gets messy. As others have noted, the crust just doesn’t act like a traditional crust. It’s crumbly, not flaky, does not stay together. I’ve actually never eaten a crust like this before. Tastes good, not as nice as a traditional butter pie crust. It’s rather strange in the end due to the soft, crumbled texture.
Use if you’re short on time and the finished product doesn’t need to stay together or look nice.
Skip if you’re making pie for guests and want to impress them.
I will recommend not taking short cuts in general. This crust is meant to be a shortcut crust. A butter crust will turn out far better.
Followed recipe. Refrigerated it for half an hour. Crumbly. Added a little bit of water and gently mixed. I thought it was looking better and no. Disappointed. Should have read reviews..
How long does this bake with the apple pie filling in it?
don’t make this. You’re wasting your ingredients. All it does is crumble when you get it out of the fridge. What a waste. And yes, I added extra water that didn’t help at all
If your dough is crumbly try NOT putting it in the fridge. I don;t and it works fine I have made this before and it tastes great! I love this recipe and it doesn’t take that long to bake I have used it on a pie before and have made lattace annd it turned out great my dad loved it for his birthday and wanted to eat the whole thing! great recipe it is definitly worth a try! thank you Missy Rakes!
This pie crust is pretty good. I wish it yielded more dough, though, because if you want a lattice or cover for the pie you have to make 2 batches. It doesn’t get very brown or flaky on the reccomended baking time. I had to bake it for an extra 5 min. just so it wasn’t dough-y. But still it’s pretty good. Also: if your pie crust is too crumbly, add more fat. I also reccomend that you use melted butter. Its still a good pie crust recipe. You all are SPOILED if you say its bad. Also it’s not like you cant adjust the recipe to your liking…
You win for best comment. I agree, if you don’t like the recipe as it is, then change it to suit you. 🙂
This recipe absolutely did not come together like it said it would. Terrible.
How Long do you bake the crust?
I’m not sure what I did wrong, however, a piecrust that supposed to be so simple was not coming together was very oily, and sticky. Trying to roll it out. I had so much stuck to the counter once it did get rolled out couldn’t remove it from the counter and it broke apart constantly. What did I do wrong?