All Butter Pastry Dough
An all-butter pastry dough is easy to prepare.
It’s a little less flaky than a dough made with a blend of butter and shortening.
But you’ll love the end result—it tastes marvelous.
Though this pastry dough is very good when made with regular butter. It really shines when you use the richest butter possible, such Land O Lakes Ultra Creamy Butter.
Pastry dough can be used for Baked Brie or pastry shells.
Crescents and dinner rolls are great uses also.
My favorite use for this dough is pasties or pot pies and even hand pies.
These are the INGREDIENTS you will need
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/3 cup plus 1 to 4 tablespoons ice water
These are the INSTRUCTIONS
- Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl (or pulse in a food processor). Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Drizzle 1/3 cup ice water over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
Squeeze a small handful of dough:
- If it doesn’t hold together, add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and press into a ball. Divide in half and form into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
NOTES
- Dough can be chilled up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before rolling out.
- Recipe can be halved if making a single-crust pie. Use a rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt and start with 3 tablespoons water.
- If making 2 pies make 2 separate batches of dough.
For more pie recipes see 20+ Pies For Thanksgiving
Use this crust and learn how you can Crimp Crust
See also how to Freeze Pies.
All Butter Pastry Dough
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/3 cup plus 1 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl (or pulse in a food processor). Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Drizzle 1/3 cup ice water over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
Squeeze a small handful of dough:
- If it doesn’t hold together, add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and press into a ball. Divide in half and form into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
Notes
- Dough can be chilled up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before rolling out.
- Recipe can be halved if making a single-crust pie. Use a rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt and start with 3 tablespoons water.
- If making 2 pies make 2 separate batches of dough.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.
Conversion Information We get a lot of requests to help with conversions especially between various countries like Canada, the U.K. and Australia. These tables should help you make those conversions. For your convenience we have included a Conversion Chart.
Disclaimer Unless indicated recipes influenced by cookbooks, magazines or family traditions.
I am Marilyn Lesniak. Writer, Photographer and Chief Bottle Washer behind the scenes at Marilyn's Treats. Follow me to my kitchen. 
I have never made a pie crust from scratch but may be ambitious this coming winter during my break from working. I’m sure it is delicious. Thanks for sharing again with us at #HomeMattersParty
Thanks Donna. This is really delicious. I wish I could make it like my grandma did. Enjoy!
I bet this is really tasty with all that butter! Thanks for sharing with us at The Blogger’s Pit Stop!
It is indeed! Not sure how heart healthy, but it makes a great pastry. Enjoy your week!
There is nothing like a homemade pie crust, I’m going to have to give this a try. Thank you for sharing at Party In Your PJs!
I hope you enjoy the crust Ann as much as we do. Enjoy your week.
I’m always looking for new pie crust recipes to try. I LOVE pie! Visiting from #StoneCottageAdventures.
I hope you try this one Calleen. Let me know. Enjoy your evening.
I really need to try this! It sounds so much better than the shortening flavor you usually get, and I’m glad to know it’s easy to handle. That’s important for me. 🙂 Pinning!
#inspirememonday
It really does add a better flavor to the crust. Let me know if you try it. Enjoy your evening.
Hi Marilyn,
Pinned this for future reference! Sounds like a great crust recipe. Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
Kim
Thank you Kim. I appreciate the Pin. Have a great week.
I’ve never been very good with pie crusts – you’ve made it seem easy. Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party – Have a great week Marilyn.
I rarely make a crust anymore. Only for special occasions. They take too much time. Enjoy your week.
Pie Crust is just something that I have never been able to master! I am going to give this a try this week with some apples that a neighbor brought me. A homemade apple pie sounds so yummy! Hopefully I can get this crust right!
Scheduling to post on Pinterest.
#OurMiniLinkyParty
Thank you Jen for the pin. I have never been able to make pie crust either. My mom helped with this one and it brings back so many memories. Let me know how your pie turns out!!! Have a great weekend.
Lots of butter I know in my heart of hearts this has to be a delicious crust!
Is it the only crust I can make Clearissa. It is perfext for fruit pies. Thanks for commenting! Enjoy your week.