Are you ready to take your pie game to the next level? Say hello to the brown butter pie crust! This delightful twist on the classic pie crust adds a rich, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with a variety of fillings (truly, all of them). I haven’t made a regular pie crust since tasting this brown butter pie crust. It’s worth the extra bit of effort every single time. Whether you’re baking a sweet fruit pie or a savory quiche, this brown butter pie crust is sure to impress your family and friends.
Your grocery list
Baking items
- All-purpose flour
- White sugar
- Kosher salt
Dairy
- Unsalted butter
- Large egg (for optional egg wash)
Equipment/tools you’ll need
- Saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- Parchment paper
- Freezer-safe dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry cutter or fork (for cutting butter into dry ingredients)
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Whisk
- Rolling pin
- Pie dish
- Plastic wrap
- Pastry brush
Making the brown butter pie crust
Step 1: Brown and Freeze the Butter
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the butter turns a golden brown color and gives off a nutty aroma. Be careful not to let it burn. Once browned, remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Place enough parchment paper in a freezer-safe dish to cover the bottom and up the sides. Pour in brown butter and freeze until solid. NOTE: If you remember, stir the butter about 30 minutes into freezing to evenly distribute all the browned flavor bits throughout the butter instead of them sitting at the bottom.
Step 2: Prepare the Dough
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Cut butter into the dry ingredients until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 3: Add Ice Water
- Gradually add the ice water, a few tablespoons at a time, and mix until the dough just holds together when pinched.
Step 4: Form the Dough
- Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.
Step 5: Roll Out the Dough
- Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie dish.
Step 6: Assemble the Pie
- Fill the pie according to your recipe, then roll out the second disk of dough for a double-crust pie, or use the second disk for another pie.
Step 7: Bake
- Follow the baking instructions for your specific pie recipe.
Tips and Variations
- For a sweeter crust, you can increase the sugar to 2 tablespoons.
- If you prefer a more savory crust, you can reduce the sugar to 1 teaspoon or omit it entirely.
- To enhance the nutty flavor, you can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough.
- Brushing the crust with an egg wash before baking will give it a beautiful golden color.
- For even more browning power, add a pinch of baking soda to your egg wash mixture before brushing the crust.
Brown Butter Pie Crust
A delectable brown butter pie crust that can be used to create the most flavorful and flaky pies you've ever made.
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Servings: 2 12 inch crusts
Cost: $7
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- Parchment paper
- Freezer-safe dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry cutter or fork for cutting butter into dry ingredients
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Whisk
- Rolling Pin
- Pie dish
- Plastic wrap
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups 3 sticks unsalted butter
- 3 ¾ cups all purple flour
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup ice cold water, more, if necessary
- 1 large egg
Instructions
Brown and freeze the butter
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the butter turns a golden brown color and gives off a nutty aroma. Be careful not to let it burn. Once browned, remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Pour brown butter into a parchment paper-lined freezer-safe dish and freeze until solid.
Prepare the dough
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Cut butter into the dry ingredients until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add the ice water, a few tablespoons at a time, and mix until the dough just holds together when pinched.
- Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.
Assemble the pie
- Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie dish.
- Fill the pie according to your recipe, then roll out the second disk of dough for a double-crust pie, or use the second disk for another pie.
- Follow the baking instructions for your specific pie recipe.
Notes
- A fork can be used instead of a pastry cutter, if you don’t have one of those on hand.
- If you remember, stir the butter about 30 minutes into freezing to evenly distribute all the browned flavor bits throughout the butter instead of them sitting at the bottom.
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