Sourdough Pie Crust Recipe

Sourdough Discard Pie Crust in a pie plate with a rolling pin near by

Yield: slices

Prep Time: 5

Chill Time: 1

Total Time: 1 5

Nothing says comfort food quite like a homemade pie. It's the perfect envelope for any pie-filling goodness! Flaky and flavorful, my grandma's knock-out pie crust recipe got a bit healthier with the added bonus of sourdough flavor.

4.59 from 24 votes

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Equipment

Ingredients

240 grams all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups
6 grams salt 1 teaspoon
3 grams baking powder 1/2 teaspoon
113 grams unsalted butter, frozen 1/2 cup
60 grams lard ** see substitutions below 1/3 cup
140 grams sourdough discard, cold heaping 1/2 cup
ice cold water optional (1 teaspoon at a time)

Instructions

How to Make Sourdough Discard Pie Crust:

Before you begin this recipe, measure the lard in a measuring cup and place it in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to chill.
60 grams lard ** see substitutions below
Next, put flour, salt, and baking powder in the food processor.
240 grams all-purpose flour, 6 grams salt, 3 grams baking powder
After 10 minutes, remove the lard from the freezer. Cut the frozen butter into cubes and place the butter and smaller pieces of lard in the food processor.
113 grams unsalted butter, frozen
Mix on dough or low setting until the mixture looks crumbly, about 15 seconds.
Add the COLD discard to the food processor and mix again on dough until the dough forms.
If the dough doesn't come together after mixing for at least 30 seconds, you may need to add ice-cold water. Continue adding teaspoon of ice water (one at a time) and mixing until the dough is formed.
140 grams sourdough discard, cold, ice cold water
Remove the dough from the food processor and cut in half with a bench scraper or a sharp knife. Roll each section into two dough balls and flatten with your hands.
Cover each piece with plastic wrap and pop them into the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days to long-fermented the pie dough.

How to Roll Sourdough Discard Pie Crust:

Pull the dough out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature (about 15 minutes) for easy rolling.
Unwrap the pie dough and place it on a lightly floured surface.
With a floured rolling pin, roll from the center outward. Then turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat rolling.
After rolling the dough full circle, add more flour to your work surface - you don't want the dough to stick!
Flip the dough to the other side and roll it out until it is nice and thin, about 1/8 inch thick and a 12-inch circle.
Using your rolling pin is the best way to maneuver your pie dough into a 9-inch pie dish! Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll in the pie plate. Easy!

Notes

Recipe Tips

This pie crust can be used after just 1 hour of chilling in the fridge. Not ready to bake? No problem! It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze the dough, keep it wrapped in cling wrap and place it in a freezer bag to freeze for up to 3 months.
All-purpose or pastry flour is best for this recipe.
I tend to use discard that is 24-48 hrs old. If you are looking for a more sour taste, you can use older discard.
No lard on hand? Swap out for equal amounts in grams of shortening or more butter.
This sourdough discard pie crust recipe can be made by hand. Look above for step-by-step directions.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What kind of flour is best for sourdough pie crusts?

For this recipe, I used all-purpose flour, but pastry flour is another great option. These two types of flour are the best for pastry making because of their low gluten content. Less gluten equals a flakier, more tender, and light pie crust. So skip the bread flour for this recipe.

Why do ingredients have to be cold for a pie crust?

It is important to keep the butter, lard, and sourdough discard as cold as possible while creating the pie dough because our goal is to not melt the butter. Instead, we want the butter to burst in the oven while baking. This is how we get all those light, flaky layers in a delicious pie crust.

If the butter melts in the dough before being baked, it can lead to a tough and dense pie crust.

DO I NEED TO BLIND BAKE THIS HOMEMADE PIE CRUST?

I would suggest following the recipe that you are trying to bake. If it does call for blind baking, it is quite simple!Roll out the pie dough and drape it on your pie plate. Lay parchment paper on the dough and pour the pie weights on top and bake for the recommended time. If you don’t have pie weights, dried beans or rice are great alternatives.

CAN THIS SOURDOUGH PIE CRUST DOUGH BE MADE WITHOUT A FOOD PROCESSOR?

Making sourdough crust in a food processor is so simple, but if you don’t have a food processor, don’t fret! With a few extra steps, this recipe can be made by hand.

Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add the large pieces of butter and lard to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter and lard until pea-sized. Pour in the discard and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. If needed, mix in ice-cold water until dough is formed. You may need to use your hands to form the dough into a ball.

Nutrition

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