Shortbread Pie Crust in Under a Minute Recipe
This Shortbread Pie Crust recipe offers a quick and foolproof method to create a buttery, flaky pastry perfect for both sweet and savory pies. Made with simple ingredients and prepared in under a minute using a food processor, this crust can be rolled out easily after chilling and is ideal for pies, tarts, and tartlets.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 double pie crust (bottom and top) or about 24 tartlet shells
- Category: Pie Crust
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 ⅔ cups (about 450g) all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 2 teaspoons sugar (optional, for sweet pies only)
Fat
- 8 oz (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into chunks (or half butter and half lard for flakier crust)
Liquid
- 6 tablespoons ice water, more or less as needed
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Butter: Place the flour, salt, and sugar (if using) into a food processor. Add the cold butter chunks. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and the butter is mixed in but still visible in small pieces.
- Add Ice Water Gradually: Slowly add the ice water a tablespoon at a time while pulsing the food processor, just until the dough begins to come together and holds loosely. Avoid adding too much water to prevent a tough crust; the dough should be crumbly but form a ball when pressed together.
- Form Dough and Chill: Turn the dough out onto the countertop and gently shape it into a ball without kneading. Wrap the ball tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to relax the dough and firm up the fats, making it easier to roll out.
- Roll Out and Use: Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the chilled dough to your desired size and thickness, using about two-thirds for the bottom crust and one-third for the top if making a double crust pie. Use this crust for sweet or savory recipes as desired.
Notes
- Omit sugar when making a savory pie or tart crust.
- For a richer crust, replace the water with one beaten egg yolk added to the dry ingredients.
- Using a kitchen scale for measuring flour and butter ensures consistent results, as cup measurements can vary.
- For a flaky crust, try using half butter and half lard.
- Alternatively, make the dough by hand by cutting the butter into the flour with two knives, then rubbing with hands until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs before adding ice water to bring it together.
- Chilling the dough for at least 20 minutes improves texture but can be skipped if short on time.
- This recipe yields enough dough for one double pie crust or approximately 24 tartlet shells.
