Martha Stewart Apple Pie Crust Recipe

Martha Stewart apple pie crust recipe is an easy all-butter dough made with flour, cold butter and ice water, ready in 1 hour 15 minutes with only a food processor. Save this easy dessert idea for Thanksgiving, Christmas or fall potlucks, because it's make-ahead and uses few ingredients.

Stop pulsing the butter while a few pea-size pieces still show, because those little bits melt in the oven and puff into flaky layers. Blend it to a fine, even meal and the crust bakes up tough and crumbly instead.

Martha's team keeps the dough crumbly in the processor, then squeezes it into a thick disk by hand, which keeps the butter cold and the crust tender. Every other step runs through the freezer-friendly chill, so the dough rolls out clean and holds up under a heavy apple filling without a soggy bottom.

Martha Stewart Apple Pie Crust Recipe

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

290

kcal

Cold butter and flour pulse into a coarse meal, then ice water pulls it into a crumbly dough that holds when squeezed. After a long chill, it rolls out into a sturdy, flaky crust.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• 1 teaspoon sugar
  

• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
  

Directions

• Combine dry ingredients: Add 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar to a food processor. Pulse a few times until everything is evenly mixed.
• Blend in butter: Add 16 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces, and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. A few pea-size pieces of butter should still show, since they create the flaky layers.
• Add water: Sprinkle 1/4 cup ice water over the mixture and pulse until the dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. If it still feels dry, add up to 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Divide dough: Transfer half of the crumbly dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Press it into a disk about 3/4 inch thick, then wrap it tightly.
• Chill dough: Refrigerate the disk until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 2 disks.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, J.K. Adams French rolling pin, Pyrex 9.5-inch glass pie plate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Should apple pie crust be prebaked?

No, a two-crust apple pie uses raw dough. Baking the bottom first means you can't pinch it to the top crust after the filling goes in. Prebaking only makes sense for single-crust pies.

How do I keep the bottom crust from getting soggy?

Use a glass or ceramic pie plate and bake the pie on the bottom rack of the oven. The bottom crust needs strong, steady heat to brown before the top burns. Cold, juicy filling on raw dough is what slows it down.

Can I make this crust ahead of time?

Yes, the disks keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, slip them into freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before rolling.

What if the dough gets warm while I'm rolling it?

Pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes before you try to fit or trim it. Warm dough gets sticky and the butter starts to melt, which costs you flakiness. Cold dough also lifts into the pan much more easily.

Can I use shortening or lard instead of butter?

You can, and they're a bit more forgiving to work with than butter. The recipe sticks with all butter because the flavor is hard to beat. If you swap, keep the fat cold and expect a slightly different taste.