Name: Brown Butter Pie Crust Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 14oz (3 1/3 Cups) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour; 1 Teaspoon Salt; 7oz (14 Tablespoons) Cold & Cubed Brown Butter; 4 Teaspoons Ice Cold Vodka; 6-10 Teaspoons Ice Cold Water

How to make a brown butter pie crust, this easy recipe explains how to reach a flaky crust and how to blind bake the crust.

ingredients laid out for brown butter pie crust on a white surface with a light blue linen

I recently published a post on How to Make Brown Butter. I often make brown butter whether it's for Rice Krispy Treats, Brown Butter Shortbread, Chocolate Dipped Brown Butter Cookies, Brown Butter Peach Crumble for Two, or Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake Recipe.

I truly do not know how it took me so long to think of making a brown butter pie crust. I mean seriously, it just sounds amazing. Rest assured, it is. We loved this crust, I used it for a banana cream pie that flopped, it was so tasty but the pudding didn't set properly. I also used it for a peach and raspberry galette. Both recipes people commented on the flavor of the crust. Using brown butter really makes a difference. The pie crust is all the more flavorful.

How do you make brown butter?

For this pie crust, you need basic ingredients plus brown butter. Brown butter is easy to make. Since you want cold brown butter I suggest browning your butter the day before so it has plenty of time to resolidify. Check out my post on how to make brown butter.

brown butter being mixed in a glass bowl with a silver spoon

cubes of cold brown butter being added to flour and salt for a brown butter pie crust on a white background with a light blue linen

How do you make brown butter pie crust?

You will need all-purpose flour, salt, cold brown butter, and some ice cold water and vodka. Vodka huh? It helps to make a flakier pie crust. We all want flaky baby!! Start by mixing your flour and salt together. Then add your cold cubed butter, I like to use a dough blender to incorporate the butter into the flour. You want to mix the butter in until you get pea-sized amounts of butter left.

brown butter pie crust recipe being made in a clear bowl with a pastry blender on a white background with a light blue linen

brown butter pie crust recipe being made in a clear bowl with a silver butter knife

Then use ICE COLD water and vodka. I did 4 teaspoons of ice-cold vodka and 6 teaspoons of ice cold water but you may need up to 4 more teaspoons of water. I use a butter knife to cut the liquid in, you want the dough to be moist and just come together. Not wet. Use your hands to press the dough all together.

brown butter pie crust dough in a clear bowl on a white marble surface

brown butter pie crust shaped into a ball wrapped in plastic wrap on a white background with a light blue linen

Can you make brown butter pie crust ahead of time?

After the pie dough has come together shape into a ball and cut in half, then shape into a disc shape, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 48 hours. If you chill the dough for more than 30 minutes you will need to let it sit out for a bit, before you roll the dough out.

When you want to roll the dough out flour your surface, I use a Silpat Countertop Workspace when I am working with dough, it's large and great for clean up! For a 9-inch pie plate roll your disc into an 11-inch circle, roll the pie dough on the rolling pin so it's wrapped around it. Place it in a pie dish and gently press the pie dough into the bottom of the dish, then up the sides and fold the remaining dough (hanging over the edge) over itself and press together to create a finished edge, or use a fork and press flat down on crust for an easy design.

brown butter pie crust rolled out on a silpat liner

(look at all those gorgeous brown flecks)

How long do you bake an unfilled pie crust?

For a pre-baked pie crust, you need to blind bake it. This is for something like a strawberry pie or banana/chocolate cream pie. Start by pricking the dough all over with a fork. Then let the pie dough sit in the freezer for 20 minutes before baking. This helps ensure that your crust does not shrink and ensures the flaky crust.

When the crust has chilled and I am about to bake the dough I gently place foil to cover the pie and fill the dish with pie weights. This helps keep the pie crust from puffing up.

brown butter pie crust chilled and cut in half on a white marble surface with a blue tea towel

Bake at 400F for 20 minutes then carefully remove the weights and foil, brush the dough with an egg wash (egg and water mixed together) I use a silicone pastry brush to brush the egg wash all over. Then bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the pie has a gorgeous shiny golden brown crust! Let the pie crust cool completely. You can do this the day before filling your pie. You can also bake the crust at 375F but it will take longer.

Recipes to use this brown butter pie crust in?

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Brown Butter Pie Crust Recipe

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How to make a brown butter pie crust, this easy recipe explains how to reach a flaky crust and how to blind bake the crust.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 2-9 Inch Pie Crusts 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

14oz (3 ⅓ Cups) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
7oz (14 Tablespoons) Cold & Cubed Brown Butter
4 Teaspoons Ice Cold Vodka
6-10 Teaspoons Ice Cold Water

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Instructions

In a large bowl combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Then add your cold cubed butter, I like to use a dough blender to incorporate the butter into the flour. You want to mix the butter in until you get pea-sized amounts of butter left.
Add 4 teaspoons of ice-cold vodka and 6 teaspoons of ice cold water but you may need up to 4 more teaspoons of water. I use a butter knife to cut the liquid in, you want the dough to be moist and just come together. Not wet. Use your hands to press the dough all together.
Shape into a ball and cut in half, then shape into a disc shape, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 48 hours. If you chill the dough for more than 30 minutes you will need to let it sit out for a bit, before you roll the dough out.
For a 9-inch pie plate roll your disc into an 11-inch-ish circle, approximately ⅛ inch, roll the pie dough on the rolling pin so it's wrapped around it. Place it in a pie dish and gently press the pie dough into the bottom of the dish, then up the sides and fold the remaining dough (hanging over the edge) over itself and press together to create a finished edge, or use a fork and press flat down on crust for an easy design.

For a pre-baked pie crust

If you are making a pie like a strawberry pie or banana/chocolate cream pie you want to pre-bake the crust a few hours or a day ahead.
I prick the dough all over with a fork. Then let the pie dough sit in the freezer for 20 minutes before baking. This helps ensure that your crust does not shrink and ensures the flaky crust.
After the pie crust has chilled gently place foil to cover the pie and fill the dish with pie weights.
Bake at 400F for 20 minutes then carefully remove the weights and foil, brush the dough with an egg wash (egg and water mixed together) I use a silicone pastry brush to brush the egg wash all over. Then bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the pie has a gorgeous shiny golden brown crust! Let the pie crust cool completely. You can bake this the day before filling your pie.