Flaky, buttery, sourdough pie crust is hands-down our favorite. It makes the perfect foundation for your favorite pie.
The nights have started to cool down, which has me dreaming about fall. That puts me in a baking mood pretty quickly.
I don’t know about you, but fall is my favorite season. Not just for the weather, or the changing fall leaves, or even the pumpkin spice lattes (try this tea version, if coffee isn’t your thing).
Really, it’s the food. I’m here for it. The light summer foods can take a back seat to all the comfort foods of fall. Pumpkin, squash, and apples gracing the table is the best part, and it looks pretty, too.
Sourdough pie crust is the perfect backdrop to the real showstopper, which is the filling. Whether it be for apple pie, pumpkin pie, pear, peach, or even chicken pot pie, you’re going to find yourself choosing sourdough pie crust from now on.
The fermentation of the sourdough starter with the grains yields the delicious, signature, sourdough flavor, and then it’s paired with all butter to make the flakiest crust. Print out this recipe or write it down and keep it in your recipe holder.
It is so versatile and delicious.
Why you will love this recipe:
Fermented: Some recipes call for sourdough discard (in which case, you could just mix this up, chill, and bake), but fermented grains are healthier and easier to digest.
Flaky: This all-butter crust is super flaky. Since the dough is fermented, the extra rise increases the flaky, tender texture, making your pie crust especially memorable.
Sweet or savory: This versatile recipe can go sweet or savory. Use it to make your favorite fruit or pumpkin pie, or use it for shepherd’s pie or chicken pot pie. Think of it as the canvas for your painting. I’m feeling pretty artsy today, apparently, with all my creative comparisons.
Sourdough Pie Crust Tips:
- You want everything cold before baking. After the dough has mixed together and fermented, place it in the refrigerator or freezer to cool before rolling out and baking. This will also help the crust be nice and flaky.
- If you are new to sourdough and need a starter, make sure to check out how to make a sourdough starter. It is easier than one might think. You simply need a little time and patience.
- This recipe makes a double crust. If you are only making a pie with a single crust, just wrap one half in plastic wrap and place in the freezer until you need it. You’ll be glad you did!
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Tools you may need:
Grain mill (optional) – I buy all my grain in bulk and freshly mill it.
Food processor or pastry blender
Large bowl
How to Make Sourdough Pie Crust
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
Work in the butter, being careful to not over mix. The easiest way is to use a food processor. You can also use a pastry blender or just a fork.
Add in the starter and stir until combined.
Divide the dough in two and shape each half into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
Sprinkle a clean countertop with flour and roll out the dough until it is approximately 12″.
To roll out into a circle, I like to press my rolling pin down the middle of the dough ball. Roll it back and forth, and then turn the disc about a quarter turn, roll back and forth, continuing to do so until you get a circle. Add a touch more flour to the surface if the dough starts to stick.
Drape it over a 9″ pie plate.
Add pie filling.
Roll out the other half and drape it over the filling (I made an apple filling).
Trim the excess.
Optional: Crimp the edges and add a design to the middle for steam release. You can do this by making slits in the top or by using small cookie cutters to cut out a design before placing the second crust on top.
To make an apple pie:
Peel and slice 7 medium apples into a large bowl.
Sprinkle the apples with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning.
Combine 3 Tbsp flour (or 1/4 cup einkorn), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup cane sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon.
Mix it all together, stir in the apples, and pour into the pie crust.
Dot with 1 Tbsp butter in the center.
Add the top pie crust.
Whip one egg white and brush it on top.
Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. The crust should be golden brown. If you find the edges are browning too fast and the filling not ready yet, cover the edges with tin foil.
Find More Sourdough Favorites:
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Topping
- Long-Fermented Sourdough Biscuits
- Einkorn Sourdough Bread
- Peach Cobbler
- Easy Cinnamon Maple Sourdough Apple Pie
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you!
Sourdough Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, 280 grams
- 2 teaspoons sugar, 8 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt, 11 grams
- 1 cup cold butter, cubed (227 grams)
- 1 cup sourdough starter discard, 285 grams
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour with salt and sugar.
- Work in the butter, being careful to not over mix.
- Add in the starter and stir until combined.
- Divide the dough in two and shape each half into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
- Sprinkle a clean countertop with flour and roll out the dough until it is approximately 12″.
- Drape it over a 9″ pie plate.
- Add pie filling.
- Roll out the other half and drape it over the filling
- Trim the excess.
- Optional: Crimp the edges and add design to the middle for steam release.
Notes
- You can use active sourdough starter or discard.
- You can cover with towel and allow to sit at room temperature to ferment for at least 8 hours or overnight, then refrigerate or freeze for a few hours before rolling out and baking. But I recommemnd just fermenting in the fridge for a few days to give a flakier crust.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you tell me if this can be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze the pie dough until ready to use.
This is the best pie crust I’ve ever had! Enjoying blueberry pie with my husband has been one of the simplest joys of the summer so far.
Wonderful to hear!
Do you think whole wheat pastry flour would work ok in this pie crust recipe? Plus over all will it work in most of your other recipes that call for all purpose flour?
I have not tried this, but I would think it would work for this recipe. However, I am not sure it would work great in bread recipes. It would really vary recipe to recipe.
I made the pie crust and it tastes delicious. I wanted a single crust pie. I pricked it really well on the sides, but the sides still shrunk to almost nothing. Any tips to get the sides not to shrink? Thank you!
Fabulous sourdough pie crust. It even held up to a very juicy strawberry rhubarb pie. Seriously no more soggy bottom pie crusts as this one bakes perfectly on the lowest oven rack. Flavor is delicious, this is a new family favorite for sweet or savory pies. I’ve done the overnight method for longer ferment and the immediate method, both are great.
I’ve always hated making pie crust, but this recipe was so easy and resulted in the easiest dough to work with and the flakiest, almost croissant-like, crust! This will be my forever pie crust recipe! Also, what a great way to utilize the abundant sourdough discard:) Thank you for making this recipe and sharing with others!
So glad you enjoy it! Have a great day!
Best ever. I find that using 1 1/4 cup starter works great for my crust. May be because of the type of flours that I use.
But oh so perfect. Will never use another pie crust recipe again. And Ive been baking crusts for over 40 years!
Thank you for such a wonderful compliment. So glad you enjoyed this pie crust.
Hi! I used this recipe for my apple cream pie and it was delicious!
I’m wondering if you have suggestions for baking a single crust with no filling (filling to be added after baking).
Apple cream pie sounds amazing! You could create the pie dough, chill for 2 hours, shape it over pie plate and then blind bake. Place some parchment paper over the dough, and add weights (this could be beans) and bake for 10-15 minutes at 375.
I made lamb pies last night with my grandkids. They turned out wonderful and my grandson made an apple pie with the leftover crust. My daughter was amazed that you could make sourdough pie crust. That is the only bread that is ok on her stomach so it was a big hit!
Wonderful! I love that you made a savory and sweet pie.
Hey Lisa! I love this recipe and I’m planning to use it for Thanksgiving. Would it be okay if I made the dough a couple days in advance and kept it in the fridge or would that mess up the dough?
That should work perfectly fine.