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.
If I were to freeze the crust after rolling it and placing in the pie pan before baking, would that work at all?
Yes, just let it come to room temperature before baking.
Hi Lisa! Do you use this recipe for pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving? I’m looking for one that will work with my husband’s gluten sensitivity. Thanks! I’ve made so many of your recipes and am so grateful for everything you share!
Yes! So glad you are enjoying the recipes. https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/from-scratch-pumpkin-pie
I prepared this and froze it. Didn’t bake yet, how long would I bake for from frozen?
In order to roll it out, you’ll probably need to let it thaw just a bit first. Then you can bake as the recipe calls for.
Do you think this can be frozen?
Yes, it can.
Hi, Lisa!
Thank you so much for all the recipes you share. Your blog is my go to for sourdough recipes. I’ve made this recipe before, but it’s been a while. I don’t remember there being sugar in it, and I thought it required 1 1/4 cups of butter. Did you make changes to it?
I did make some slight changes, yes. Hope you like this version, too!
Yes, it turned out beautifully with your chicken pot pie freezer meal recipe. I’m always so pleased with how flaky it is. I’ve tried other pie crust recipes in the past, but haven’t had much success with them. Yours is the best!
Hi, the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of salt and has in parentheses 11g which from your conversion chart would be double the salt…should it just be 1 teaspoon?
Thanks!
Just seeing this comment about the salt. I weighed it and thought it seemed like a lot but went with it anyway. Ugh hopefully it’s not too salty as it’s fermenting in the fridge now…
That was my situation lol but I thought still good!
Any tips on not having a super watery filling? I used two large honey crisp and then 7 or so small granny Smith. I followed the recipe for the crust and the pie filling exactly aside from adding nutmeg to the apples.
Also, does this need refrigerated?
You could add a bit more flour or try using cornstarch instead. If we use right away, I’ll just cover the pie and allow to sit out at room temp. You can also put it in the fridge to help it stay fresher longer. Here is an article on apple pie storage you may find helpful: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/does-apple-pie-need-to-be-refrigerated/#:~:text=On%20the%20counter%3A%20Store%20apple,for%20up%20to%20two%20days.
Best crust ever.
So glad you like it!
I made this it was super good. I used half lard and half butter.
I was measuring by grams but the salt seemed like a lot with 11g so I just did that in teaspoons.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Lisa, always love your blog and tried a few of your sourdough recipes which my family and I love. Thank you!
I have a question about the “fermentation” in this recipe.
The pie dough has no water in it so its a extremely low hydration dough. Would the sour dough starter be able to ferment the flour in this condition?
My understanding was there must be water in the fermentation process. So I’m a bit confused that if the dough was actually being fermented here? I would love to hear what you think.
Cheers
Rebecca
The hydration is going to come from the sourdough starter. So there should be enough sourdough starter to hydrate the flour to allow for the fermentation.