This make ahead pie crust is a huge time saver for holidays or when entertaining! The recipe makes two pie crusts and can be made up to three days ahead of time if kept in the freezer. The crust is super flaky and delicious! I have had trouble in the past making pie crust. When I started using this recipe I never had an issue making pie crust again!
The butter and the cream cheese for the make ahead pie crust
The key to this make ahead pie crust recipe is to get the butter and cream cheese as cold as possible. I have had success cutting the butter to 1/4 inch pieces, however the cream cheese takes a little bit of patience. I usually use my fingers to break the cream cheese into small pieces. Once the butter and cream cheese are all divided, place the pieces on a parchment lined baking tray. Place the baking tray in the freezer for about 10 minutes or so to get as cold as possible.
Adding the dry ingredients to the butter and cream cheese
Place the dry ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to get the ingredients incorporated. Then place the cold butter and cream cheese to the bowl. Pulse a few times until the dough starts to take on a pea-like consistency. Once you achieve a pea-like like consistency pour out the flour mixture into an appropriately sized bowl.
Cutting in the cream
Add about three to four tablespoons of heavy whipping cream to the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, turn the bowl and draw the spatula through the flour mixture. Kind of a cutting motion. After a few turns you will see that the flour mixture is starting to clump up. When the mixture gets good and clumpy, divide the dough into 2 equal portions and wrap each up in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes or so to come together.
Rolling out the dough
I overlap two pieces of plastic wrap on top and bottom of the dough. This ensures that you will have extra to wrap the crust and be able to roll it out to the desired width. Roll the pie crust out to a little more than a nine inch disk. It doesn’t have to be perfect! You can use some of the extra crust to patch other sides of the pie. The end result will be beautiful.
After you roll the dough out, cover and pop into the fridge for at least two hours. When you bring the crust out to use it, just place the frozen crust centered on top of the pie plate. As it thaws, the crust will form to the pie plate. This will limit the handling of the crust. You just have to fill the pie crust and pinch the edges!
The make ahead pie crust recipe is perfect for the apple pear crumble pie!
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Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- 6 ounces cold cream cheese
- 3-5 tablespoons cold heavy cream
Instructions
- Add flour, sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse a few times.
- Add the cold butter and cream cheese to flour mixture in the food processor.
- Cut in cold butter and cream cheese by pulsing a few times until a pea sized course crumb mixture develops.
- Pour in 3-4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream as the food processor is running. The dough will come together as the cream is poured in.
- Divide the dough into two portions. Let rest for 20 minutes.
- Roll out each portion in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap into the size you need for your pie crust.
- Wrap each disk and place in the freezer for at least two hours.
- Bring out the pie crusts from the freezer about an hour before ready to use.
- Unwrap and place crust on top of pie dish. The crust will thaw in place and take on the form of the pie crust.