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!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
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.
Finally a homemade pie crust that tastes wonderful and is simple to make! Thank you! Been searching for something like this for years.
I subbed lard in place of the butter to accommodate a friend with a dairy allergy and it was fantastic! By far the best and easiest pie crust I’ve ever attempted. Thank you!
Wish I could add a picture of my pie!! Turned out great and if anyone was wondering if dairy free butter worked, that’s what I used!
So good! This was my first time making pie crust from scratch and I used this recipe to make individual sized chicken pot pies. The crust came out so buttery and flaky that I savvier every bite! Thanks Lisa!
I’m so excited to try this recipe. The pictures look crusty and flaky. Big plus it’s sourdough!
Delicious crust! Just one question…do you let it sit out of the fridge for a bit? I left in fridge for 2 days and the dough was so hard to roll out! Any tips/tricks?
I’ve seen Lisa write elsewhere that the long fermented doughs are hard to manipulate so she recommends a mixer. I’ll be investing in a kitchen aid as these recipes are amazing!
im definitely a beginner when it comes to pie crust cause i made it but have such a hard time rolling it out! but in the end it tasted amazing!
This pie crust was so easy to make and is super versatile. Definitely worth printing and saving in my recipe binder.
The dough was definitely thicker and fuller then thre previous recipe I’ve used, but it shrunk to the point where I couldn’t use it after thr blind bake. I let the dough sit in the fridge for 1 1/2 day, so what else could have gone wrong here?
I wouldn’t blind bake for a recipe like this. I use metal tins and add cornflour to the filling to avoid soggy bottoms.
This is absolutely fantastic! I even used half the butter (because it’s expensive) and it was flaky and chewy! My husband and I have never agreed on pie crust but this was the best either of us had ever eaten! I do a double batch to have extra in the fridge. Such a wonderful meal prep addition😋
We use it for pie as well as quiche!