Combine Dry : In a food processor, pulse the flour, salt, and sugar a couple of times to combine.

Cut in the Butter: Add the pieces of cold butter to the food processor. Pulse about 8-10 times, just until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with some pea-sized butter bits remaining. This is the secret to a flaky crust!

Add Water & Form Dough: Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons (45 ml / 1.5 fl oz) of ice water over the top. Gently mix with a fork or your hands until the dough just starts to come together. If it's too dry, add more ice water, one teaspoon at a time.

Don't overwork it!

Form the dough into a flat disc.

Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough disc tightly in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes. This step is crucial for letting the gluten relax and keeping the butter cold.

Roll It Out: Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Unwrap the chilled dough and roll it from the center outwards into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Rotate the dough as you go to prevent sticking.

Transfer to Pie Plate: Gently drape the dough over your rolling pin and carefully unroll it into your 8- to 10-inch pie plate. Press it firmly into the bottom and up the sides.

Trim and Crimp: Trim the excess dough, leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang.

Fold the overhang under itself to create a thick rim. Crimp the edges decoratively using your fingers or a fork.

Final Chill: Freeze the prepared crust for 10-15 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes before filling and baking. This helps prevent shrinkage.

Bake: Fill and bake according to your pie recipe's directions. For fillings that require it, see our tips on prebaking (blind baking) the crust.

Keep everything ice cold! Your butter and water must be as cold as possible to create those delicious, flaky layers.

Don't overwork the dough. Handle it as little as possible to keep it tender. A few visible streaks of butter are a good thing!