Flaky All-Butter Pie Crust: My Go-To Pie Crust Recipe

Instructions:

1. In a food processor or large bowl, pulse or whisk together flour and salt.
2. Cut in cold butter using a food processor or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pieces of butter should still be visible. Important: Don't over-process!
3. Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing or mixing until the dough just comes together. Don't add all the water at once; you may not need it all!
4. Gently form the dough into a disc. Divide in half if making a double-crust pie.
5. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days). This allows the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up, resulting in a flakier crust.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
7. Carefully transfer the dough to the pie plate. Trim and crimp the edges as desired.
8. If pre-baking, prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Weigh down the crust with pie weights or dried beans to prevent shrinking.
9. Add your desired filling and bake according to the filling recipe's instructions. If not pre-baking, add filling now and adjust baking time accordingly. For a golden crust, brush with egg wash before baking. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
10. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving.