There’s something special about a homemade pie, and it all starts with a great crust. This Sour Cream Pie Crust recipe has been my go-to recipe for years because it’s incredibly forgiving, easy to work with, and consistently bakes into tender, flaky layers. The sour cream adds just enough richness and acidity to create a dough that’s soft, pliable, and far less likely to crack or shrink than traditional pie dough.
Made with just five simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, this recipe comes together in about 15 minutes, chills for 1 hour, and makes enough dough for two 9- or 10-inch pie crusts. I’ve included two methods for making this pie crust; by hand or by using a food processor.
Whether I’m baking a classic apple pie in the fall, a fresh blueberry pie in the summer, or a savory quiche for brunch, this is the crust I reach for every single time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with just 5 simple ingredients.
- Creates an incredibly flaky, buttery crust.
- Easy to roll without tearing or cracking.
- Perfect for both sweet and savory pies.
- Two methods for making this easy pie crust recipe.
- Makes two pie crusts.
- Can be made ahead and frozen.
- Blind bakes beautifully, which means it does not require you to pre-bake the crust before adding your filling.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Provides the structure for a tender crust.
- Unsalted butter: Cold butter creates those beautiful flaky layers. Use unsalted so you can control the salt.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor of the crust.
- Sugar: Just enough to complement sweet pies without making it overly sweet.
- Full-fat sour cream: The secret ingredient. It adds moisture, tenderness, and a slight tang while making the dough incredibly easy to handle.
How to Make this Sour Cream Pie Crust
Prep time: 15 min | Chill time: 1 hour | Total time: 1 hr 15 min | Yields: 2 crusts
Hand method:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining.
- Add the sour cream and gently mix with your hands until the dough comes together. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Shape into a disc, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- Remove from the refrigerator and divide into two equal portions.
- Depending on the size of the pie plate, on a floured surface, roll each ball into 9 or 10-inch rounds.
- Use according to your recipe. This crust also works beautifully for blind baking.
Food Processor method
Using a food processor makes the dough much faster. The trade-off is cleaning the food processor.
- Add the flour, salt, and sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
- Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the sour cream and pulse just until the dough begins to come together. Do not overmix.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently form into a ball, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Continue with the rolling instructions above.
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Note: I use this Pie Crust Bag that I absolutely love! If you are like me and can’t roll an even round to save your life (even with a circular rolling mat), then this bag is for you! Photo’s below of how to use it.
Storage and Make Ahead
Pie dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before using.
You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap, then place inside a freezer-safe bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Why Does Sour Cream Make Pie Crust Better?
Sour cream contains both fat and acidity, making it one of the easiest ways to create a tender pie crust.
The fat adds richness while the acidity slows gluten development, helping prevent a tough crust. The result is dough that’s softer, easier to roll, and bakes into light, flaky layers with just a hint of tang that complements both sweet and savory fillings.
Tips for the Best Pie Crust
- Keep your butter cold. Cold butter creates steam as it bakes, producing flaky layers.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Mix only until everything comes together.
- Chill the dough before rolling. This allows the butter to firm back up and relaxes the gluten.
- Flour your work surface lightly to prevent sticking without making the dough dry. Also see Note above for Pie Crust Bag.
- If your house runs warm, place the pie crust, once it’s formed on the pie plate, in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
My Favorite Recipes Using This Pie Crust
- Sweet Pies: Homemade Apple Pie, Homemade Blueberry Pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, and Pumpkin Pie. I also use this homemade pie crust recipe with my Cherry Pie Filling recipe that uses frozen cherries for a quick dessert pie.
- Savory Pies & Quiche: Chive Blossom Quiche, and Three Cheese Veggie Quiche.
If you make this recipe I would love it if you left a review below and tag me on Instagram!
This post may contain affiliate links by which I may receive a small commission. All product links are items I personally use in my kitchen.
Sour Cream Pie Crust Recipe
Equipment
- Pie crust bag optional
- Food Processor optional
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- ½ cup sour cream, full-fat
Instructions
Hand Method
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining.
- Add the sour cream and gently mix with your hands until the dough comes together. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Shape into a disc, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- Remove from the refrigerator and divide into two equal portions.
- Depending on the size of the pie plate, on a floured surface, roll each ball into 9 or 10-inch rounds.
- Use according to your recipe. This crust also works beautifully for blind baking.
Food Processor Method
- Add the flour, salt, and sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
- Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the sour cream and pulse just until the dough begins to come together. Do not overmix.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently form into a ball, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Continue with the rolling instructions above.
Notes
Nutrition
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
