Perfect Shortcrust Pastry Pie Crust

Learn how to make a perfect buttery, flaky shortcrust pastry from scratch using this in-depth tutorial and video. It’s surprisingly easy, and super versatile making it the best flaky pie crust, that can be made by hand or in the food processor in under 5 minutes!

This shortcrust pastry recipe was originally published on March 21, 2018, but has been updated with new images, videos, and even more tips and techniques to help you achieve the best results every time!

When it comes to baking, a pie is only as good as its pie crust. What you don’t want is a tough, dry, soggy, chewy, or dense pastry. The best pastry is light, fluffy, flakey, and crisp. When it comes to pastry for pies, I prefer to use this easy shortcrust pastry recipe.

This shortcrust pastry recipe is perfect to use for sweet and savory pies, tarts, or a quiche crust, like our award-winning Strawberry Rhubarb pie, or our homestyle cinnamon sugar Peach Pie, and especially our chocolate cream pie with toasted coconut and whipped cream.

What is Shortcrust Pastry?

Shortcrust pastry dough, or pâte brisée as it’s called in French, is a variety of pie crust that has a crumbly, flaky texture. It is called “short” because it usually has a flour-to-fat ratio of 4-to-1, allowing it to break apart more easily. This results in a crust that’s flaky and crisp, rather than airy or puffed up, after baking.

 Unknown to the average home baker, there are dozens of pastry varieties. And each one has its own purpose in the baking world. In the United States, we usually call it all pie crust, which can lead to a lot of confusion at times. But if you talk to an experienced pastry chef, you will be blown away by all the different types of pie crusts you could choose from.

But to make it simple, most Americans prefer using a butter Shortcrust pastry for their pie crust and they don’t even realize that is what they are using!

I love using a shortcrust pastry because it is easy to make by hand or with a food processor and it is easy to work with. It is also one of the most versatile pastries because it can be used for both sweet and savory dishes.

Growing up, I was always taught to make my Grandma’s flaky pie crust recipe. It is a favorite in our family, and everyone who tastes it praises it for its amazing flakiness because of using shortening. The only downside is that my grandmother’s flaky pie crust can sometimes be temperamental to work with, and you don’t get that mouthwatering buttery flavor.

But this shortcrust pastry is much easier to work with and still has a great light and flaky texture with an even better butter flavor! Making it the perfect shortcrust pastry recipe for pies, tarts, and hand pies!

🧈 Shortcrust Pastry Ingredients

Here’s all you need:

• Flour – Pastry flour is always the favorite, but I’ve also tested this recipe using all-purpose flour and kamut flour with great success. If you use Kamut Flour, you will only use 1 1/2 Cups Kamut flour.
• Salt – I prefer sea salt, but regular table salt works as well.
• Very cold butter – The aim is to have small unsalted butter chunks in your dough instead of it being melted or blended in. When these little butter pieces melt in the oven, they form air pockets, giving the pastry its signature flaky texture. In order for the butter to remain in chunks it needs to remain very cold while you create the dough.
• Ice cold water – to help keep the butter cold.
• Egg Yokes – This is a debated ingredient – but I explain more why I like to include it in the frequently asked questions down below. But it is an optional ingredient.
• Sugar (optional) – if you want a sweet shortcrust pastry (known as pâte sucrée), you can include 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar in your recipe.

🛠️ Kitchen Tools

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The bare minimum kitchen tools you will need to make this shortcrust pastry include

• A Medium Mixing Bowl
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Plastic Wrap

Over the years, and countless pie crusts later, I’ve discovered some amazing tools that take the hassle out of baking pies. These kitchen accessories make the whole process so much easier and they may be something you might want to incorporate as you make your pastry.

• Kitchen Scale for weighing ingredients more accurately just like for our soda bread.
• Food processor (especially if you have carpal tunnel – this is a lifesaver for mixing the dough)
• Pastry Cutter Tool if mixing by hand.
• Pastry Mat to help keep your counter clean, help prevent the dough from sticking to the counter, and for easy measuring when you are rolling out your pastry.
• French Rolling pin for rolling out the dough. It stays fairly cold and doesn’t stick to the dough as much as a wood rolling pin.

🥧 How to Make Shortcrust Pastry

Watch our Video to see the entire process in action.

Prep Ahead:

Butter: Measure out the butter then slice it into small cubes. Return the cubed butter to the refrigerated until the very last second to keep it cold.

Cold Water – I like to measure out my water beforehand and keep it in the refrigerator to ensure it stays cold as well. If you forget, simply get a cup of ice water then measure the amount of water needed directly from the cup of ice water to ensure it is extra cold.

By Hand Method

Gather ingredients: Using a kitchen scale measure out the flour and salt in a large, clean bowl. If you want a sweet shortcrust pastry, you can also add 55 grams ( approximately 4 tablespoons) of sugar to the flour mixture.

Cut In the Butter with your fingertips or the pastry cutting tool until the flour mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add in the Egg Yolks and gently work into the dough with your fingers.

Add the ice cold water: Slowly add in the water, while continuing to work the dough with your fingers until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more cold water a teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry.

Be careful not to overwork the dough or the pie crust will turn out tough and dense.

Shape the Dough: Gently tip the dough ball onto a very lightly floured surface and form into a flattened disc with your hands.

Wrap it: wrap the shortcrust pastry dough with plastic wrap. I like to use Press n’ Seal as it’s much easier to work with and doesn’t stick to everything it comes in contact with, but still sticks just enough to stay sealed.

Rest it: Chill the dough in the fridge for 1-3 hours before using. This allows the pastry to rest calming the gluten and also allowing the butter the chance to reharden into little bits of butter pockets so you get that perfect buttery flaky pie crust.

Food Processor Method

Combine the Flour, salt, and butter into a clean food processing bowl. If you are making a sweet shortcrust pastry, you will also add the sugar at this point.

Pulse: Pulse about 4 times to cut the butter into the flour mixture or until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Only use the pulse button. And only pulse for a 2-3 seconds at a time.

Add the Egg Yolk and pulse a few seconds. Just long enough to mix in the eggs.

Add the Water: Slowly pour in the water through the funnel at the top of the food process a little at a time while pulsing until the mixture begins to clump together.

Avoid overmixing. Too much handling can result in hard, dry pastry.

Check the Dough: Stop the food processor and squeeze the dough with your hands. If it holds together, it doesn’t need more water.

Form it: Remove the dough onto a cold counter or pastry mat. Using your hands press and smush the dough together to form a dough ball.

Then shape it into a flattened disc. Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1-3 hours before using.

🤫 What is the Secret of Good Shortcrust Pastry?

I know so many home cooks who won’t even try to make a shortcrust pie crust because they are too scared to mess it up. But if you follow these tips for the best pie crust you have nothing to fear!

• Keep It Cold: The best flaky pie crusts all come about because of the temperature. Your kitchen, worktop, and hands should all be cool when handling the shortcrust dough. This prevents the butter from melting and being absorbed. It’s the little pockets of butter in the pie crust that help to make it flaky. If the butter melts inside the dough before baking, you lose the flakiness. 
• Watch the flour: Adding too much flour can cause the pastry to dry out. Try to use as little flour as possible when working with the pie crust dough.
• Rest the dough: Allow the dough to rest in the fridge after each handling like forming the dough, rolling it out, etc. This allows the fat to harden again and allows time for the gluten (proteins) in the dough to relax.
• Bring to Room Temperature: This may seem conflicting with keeping it cool – but there is a brief window here. If the shortcrust pastry has been resting in the fridge, remove it from the fridge 30–40 minutes before you plan to use it, letting it warm up to room temperature. This makes it much more pliable and easier to handle. But again, try to keep the surrounding area and work surface cold.
• Don’t overwork the dough: handle shortcrust pastry as little as possible as overworking it can produce tough and unpleasant results.
• Don’t stretch: When you are lining your pie plate – don’t stretch the pie crust dough. This will cause it to shrink back when baked.
• Repair tears: The great thing about shortcrust pastry is that it is forgiving if it rips! Simply dampen your fingers or use a brush to lightly wet the edges of the tear, then carefully press them together until the gap vanishes.
•  Rest: Yes, again! After you have the pie crust on the pie plate, rest it in the fridge for 5 minutes before filling or baking to ensure the fat hardens. This will help you achieve that perfect flaky pie crust you desire.

Does Shortcrust Pastry Need to Be Baked Before Filling?

Wondering when to pre-bake your shortcrust pastry? It all boils down to the filling. For juicy fruit pies, where the crust needs to be extra sturdy, we use a technique called “blind baking.” This means partially baking the crust solo before adding the filling.

Why? Blind Baking prevents a soggy bottom and ensures a perfectly crisp, flaky crust. But for pies with fillings that don’t need baking like our chocolate coconut cream pie, you’ll want to bake the crust all the way through first.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Roll Out Pie Crust

Once the dough has had a chance to chill for 1-3 hours, you’re ready to roll it out.

When you roll the dough out, you can use the standard rolling pins with the handles. That seems pretty typical for American kitchens. I even have the most beautiful Marble rolling pin that my Mom gave me when I got married.

Now while I absolutely love this marble rolling pin, I found I prefer to use a professional french rolling pin without handles. This lets me roll out the dough faster without indentions from the edges where the marble rolling pin stops and the handles begin.

Here’s how to roll out pie crust like a pro:

Prep your station: Start with a clean surface like a cold countertop or a pastry mat, your rolling pin, and some flour. Lightly dust everything, including your hands, to prevent sticking.

Gentle rolling is key: Think of the dough like a friend, not a foe! Use a medium pressure with your rolling pin, starting from the center and working your way outwards.

Roll, rotate, repeat: As you roll, keep giving the dough a quarter turn and a gentle flip with your hands. This ensures even rolling and prevents sticking. Add a little more flour if needed.

Uneven Circle: Notice your circle getting a little wonky? No worries, just use your hands to gently nudge it back into a perfect circle. But honestly, you don’t even need it to look perfectly round. That’s just for vanity. Just as long as it is large enough to fit your pie plate, that is all that matters because you will be trimming the edges anyway.

The big reveal: Aim for a thin, 12-inch circle – perfect for a 9-inch pie dish. Remember, you want some overhang for a decorative edge.

The rolling pin transfer trick: Since the dough is thin, here’s a cool trick! Carefully roll one end of the dough onto your rolling pin, then slowly unroll it over your pie dish. Easy peasy! (Watch the video to see this in action. )

Nestle it in: Center the dough in the dish, making sure there’s an overhang all around. Gently lift the edges and press the dough into the edges, getting rid of any air bubbles. Then relay the edge over the pan. Continue this around the pie plate.

Trim time: Got some extra dough hanging around the edges? You can trim it now or trim it after baking. It’s all just personal preference. Trim it with a sharp knife leaving 1/2″ excess around the edges.

Crimp it: If you want a fancy crimped edge, this is the time to do it. The easiest way is to crimp the edges with a fork for a decorative edge.

⏱️ Blind Baking Shortcrust Pastry

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Decide if you need to fully bake or par-bake your pie crust. More helpful hints and instructions are provided in this guide on How to Blind Bake Pie Crust, and I recommend reading it for guaranteed success.

Dock the bottom: Use a fork to prick holes all over the bottom of the crust. This allows steam to escape and prevents the crust from puffing up.

Line and weight: Cut a large piece of parchment paper to fit inside the pie dish. Gently press it into the dough, making sure it covers the bottom and sides.

Weigh it down: Fill the parchment paper with pie weights or dried beans. This helps prevent the crust from shrinking or puffing up in the center and bulging while baking.

Bake for 20-25 minutes: Remove the pie dish from the oven and carefully lift out the parchment paper with the weights.

Optional: Brush with egg wash (for a golden brown crust): If you want a nice golden brown color on your crust, whisk together one egg yolk with a tablespoon of water and brush it over the bottom and sides of the pre-baked crust.

Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes: This ensures the crust is fully cooked through.

Cool completely: Let the pie crust cool completely on a wire rack before adding your filling.

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