Double Pie Crust Recipe: How To Make It At Home

You won’t find a better homemade pie crust recipe than this one for making classic apple pie, cherry pie, or even peach pie with fresh peaches. I use this crust recipe all year round.

Want more delicious pie recipes to try out?  Want to try different ideas with your new double pie crust? Then a traditional double-crusted apple pie is always a great starting place. And if you want to give it a fall twist, make your own homemade apple pie spice with this easy recipe.

Additionally, consider preparing a delectable peach galette, which will delight your taste buds when paired with a homemade pie crust.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Flaky tender pie crust that tastes incredible.
• Made from scratch, just like your grandma used to make.
• A double pie crust means you have the base pie crust as well as the topping pie crust.
• This recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge overnight until ready to use. Or, make and create right then.
• Simple everyday ingredients are all it takes to make.

What Is A Double Pie Crust?

A double pie crust is essentially enough dough to make two pie crusts. Some pies have a crust that you place on top of the pie, creating holes for steam to release or slice and create a lattice look. Either way, this is a great recipe for two pie crusts.

If you want a classic pie crust, you can always save the extra pie crust for another recipe if you need half the recipe.

What’s in This Double Pie Crust Recipe?

• All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour provides the structure and foundation of our perfect pie crust. Its versatile nature ensures that the crust is both flaky and durable, allowing it to support a variety of fillings.
• Granulated Sugar: A touch of granulated sugar sweetens the crust just the right amount, enhancing the pie’s flavor without overpowering the filling’s taste. It also contributes to the baked crust’s beautiful golden-brown color.
• Unsalted Butter: The key to achieving that desirable flaky texture, unsalted butter adds rich flavour to the crust. Keeping the butter cold is important to ensure the crust becomes perfectly tender.
• Ice Water: Ice-cold water is crucial for binding the dough without activating the gluten too much. The water’s cold temperature keeps the butter from melting, which is essential for creating those sought-after flaky layers.

Substitutions and Variations

If you’re looking to make some adjustments to the double pie crust recipe to suit your dietary needs or preferences, here are a few substitutions and variations that might be useful:

• Gluten-Free Option: Replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Look for a blend that is designed to be a one-to-one substitute for traditional wheat flour to ensure the best results. 
• Vegan Variation: Opt for a high-quality vegan butter stick instead of unsalted butter. Make sure it’s cold, as you would with traditional butter, to achieve that flaky texture. Also, ensure that your sugar is vegan-friendly, as some sugars are processed with animal bone char.
• Sweet or Savory: For a sweeter crust, slightly increase the granulated sugar for recipes like sweet fruit pies. Conversely, you can reduce or omit the sugar from the recipe for a savory pie.
• Whole Wheat Twist: Substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a healthier version. This makes the crust denser, so it’s best used for pies with hearty, savory fillings.

How to Make Double Butter Pie Crust Recipe Step by Step

1. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, and salt into the food processor and pulse to combine. (Photo 1)
2. Incorporate the cubed cold butter by turning on the food processor until the mixture clumps together, which should take about 20-30 seconds. (Photo 2)
3. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the food processor bowl. (Photo 3)
4. Add the remaining cup of flour to the mixture and pulse 5-10 times until you have a thick crumble. (Photo 4)

5. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and evenly drizzle in the cold water. (Photo 5)
6. Mix with a spatula until the dough starts to form. (Photo 6)
7. Remove the pie crust dough from the bowl, divide it into two equal parts, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (Photo 7)
8. When ready, roll out and form your pie crust on a lightly floured surface and place in the pie plate as the recipe card directs. (Photo 8)

How To Blind Bake Pie Crust

If a recipe calls for blind baking, here are the directions. Not all recipes want the crust pre-baked, but this is a walk-through.

1. Place the bottom crust into your pie dish, arranging and shaping the edges as desired. (Photo 1)
2. Cut a larger circle out of parchment paper or foil, then lay it over the pie crust to line it.
3. Fill the lined pie crust with pie weights (dried beans or commercial pie weights work well), ensuring it’s full and pressing against the sides to prevent the crust from sagging.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the edges of the crust turn barely golden brown, approximately 12-15 minutes. (Photo 2)
5. After baking, remove the parchment paper or foil along with the weights. The pie crust will appear wet and not fully baked at this point.
6. Return the pie crust to the oven and continue to bake until the bottom of the crust is fully baked, which should take about 5 more minutes. (Photo 3)
7. Once removed from the oven, your crust is ready to be filled with the pie filling of your choice and baked according to your recipe’s instructions. (Photo 4)

Recipe Tips

• Once you are ready to form the pie crust, you will use your hands to work the dough a bit. Then, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a thin, even layer.
• If you do not own a food processor, you can use a pastry blender to mix up the crust ingredients. It will just take a bit longer.
• You can freeze the butter for 5-8 minutes. Then, cut it into cubes right after you pull it from the freezer. This will offer the best texture to the pie crust.
• Don’t overwork the pie dough, as it will warm up from the heat of your hands.
• If the dough becomes too soft or sticky, place it back in the fridge for around 20-30 minutes to chill down again.

Storing Tips 

This dough can be made and stored in plastic wrap in a sealed bag in the fridge for up to 3 days. After that, you will find the dough dries out a bit.

You can freeze it for 2-3 months if you want. Just wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze, and when you are ready to use it, thaw in the fridge overnight.

Then roll out as you would if you made fresh pie crust. If it is too firm at first, let it sit at room temperature for around 10-15 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Whip up your favorite pie recipes and use this as the base crust. Now, this recipe works with regular pie recipes such as a pumpkin chiffon pie or double-crust recipe. Or use the pie crust to make hand pies for a bite-size snack or apple pie cups. Or, for a savory option, whip up a quiche.

Recipe FAQs

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