Cream Cheese Pie Crust
This flaky cream cheese pie crust combines butter and cream cheese for a tender pastry with a slightly tangy flavor. The dough is easy to roll and shape, making it perfect for single-crust pies, double-crust pies, and homemade desserts.
Servings: 8 1 pie crust (9-inch, 9-inch deep dish, or 10-inch)
Calories: 309kcal
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Pastry Cutter
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour +2 tablespoons more as needed
- 1 ½ tbsp granulated sugar
- ¾ tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
- ¾ cup Butter unsalted and cold, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 5 oz Cream Cheese full-fat block and cold, cut into small pieces
- ½ tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 ½ tbsp water ice-cold, + 1½ tablespoons more as needed
Makes: 10inch round
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: Add the flour, sugar, and sea salt to a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine.
- Add the butter and cream cheese: Add the cold butter and cream cheese to the food processor. Pulse about 12 times, until the mixture is chunky with pea-sized pieces throughout.
- Add the liquids: Add the apple cider vinegar and 1 ½ tablespoons of ice water. Pulse 3–4 times, then add another tablespoon of ice water and pulse 3–5 times. If needed, add the remaining ½ tablespoon and pulse briefly. The mixture should form small clumps that hold together when pressed between your fingers without feeling wet or floury.
- Shape and chill: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently gather it into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up the butter and cream cheese. If you're short on time and the dough is still cold and easy to handle, you can roll it out immediately.
- Roll out the dough: Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough from the center outward, rotating it as you go, until it's about ¼ inch thick and approximately 2 ½ inches wider than your pie plate.
- Shape the crust: Fold the dough in half and carefully transfer it to the pie plate. Unfold and gently fit it into the bottom and sides without stretching. Trim the excess, leaving ½–¾ inch around the edge. Fold the overhang underneath and crimp as desired.
- Use the crust: Your prepared crust is ready for filling. Follow your specific pie recipe for adding the filling and baking. Some pies require an unbaked crust, while others call for a partially or fully baked crust.
Notes
- Double crust: Double all ingredient amounts and divide the prepared dough into two disks before refrigerating. Follow your pie recipe for assembling and baking.
- Keep ingredients cold: Cold butter, cream cheese, and water help create a flaky crust. If the dough becomes sticky or too soft, refrigerate until firm.
- No food processor: Use a pastry cutter to work the cold butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients, then gently mix in the vinegar and ice water until the dough comes together.
- Make ahead: Refrigerate tightly wrapped dough for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Baking the crust: Not all pies require blind baking. Follow your pie recipe's baking instructions to avoid overbaking the crust.
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 770IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
