Easy Sourdough Pie Crust
This Easy Sourdough Pie Crust is made with sourdough discard. It makes a buttery flaky pie crust that can be used for all your favorite pies and tart recipes.
I have been making quite a few things these days with my start dough starter. This was actually made with discard. No need to toss it when you can make your own sourdough pie crust! With this recipe I made a double crust.
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour – both all purpose and cake/pastry flour
- Sugar – granulated sugar or honey
- Salt
- Butter – cold butter – I use salted butter but if you use unsalted butter then add a bit more salt
- Sourdough discard – not more then 2 or 3 days old.
How to make Cake/Pastry flour
For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.
Why use cold butter?
Using cold butter will help to ensure that the finished pie crust is very flaky. Using cold butter means the butter will remain in solid pieces in the dough that will disappear into the layers while baking. To make it easier to for coarse crumbs, freeze the butter and use a cheese grater and grate the butter into the flour mixture.
How to make Sourdough Pie Crust
In a large mixing bowl combine the flours, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter to form coarse crumbs.
Add the discard and mix to combine.
Move to a flat surface and gently knead a few times to form a compact dough. If you prefer you can pat the dough into the form of a disc and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate, this way it will take up less room in the fridge.
Remove the dough from the fridge and with a rolling pin lightly floured roll to a 1/8 inch thickness circle or square or cutouts, depending on your recipe. You can also use the crust and blind bake it.
How to blind bake a Pie Crust
Roll the chilled dough to approximately 1/8 inch thickness, place the dough in the prepared pie plate, trim the dough to fit the pan, flute the edges if desired then prick the bottom a few times with a fork. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate again for 30 minutes (this will solidify the fat, which helps prevent shrinkage).
Remove the pie crust from the fridge, cover it with parchment paper (scrunch up the paper first then it is easier to spread on the dough), add the dried beans or pie weights on top, make sure they are spread around the pie evenly, bake for approximately 15-17 minutes.
Remove from the oven, carefully remove the paper and beans, continue to bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely before adding the filling.
What is the best temperature to bake pie dough?
I like to bake my pie crust at 350F (180C). I have seen people bake it at higher temperatures but this is my preferred temperature.
What is Sourdough Starter Discard?
Making sourdough isn’t hard by any means but it is a process. To begin, you need to start by fermenting the dough (flour and water) naturally over a period of days in a warm area.
Eventually, you will discard about half of the starter to leave room to add more flour and water and continue the process. The discarded half can then be used for all kinds of delicious recipes, like this one. Your discard should not be older than 3 or 4 days. I usually go for about 2 or 3 days.
How to store the dough
Wrap the pie dough well in plastic wrap and refrigerate. It will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Can I make it with a food processor
Yes you can make it in a food processor, just pulse until the dough starts to come together then continue with the instructions.
How to freeze the dough
Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
This sourdough pie dough is perfect for your favorite tart or pie recipes, either sweet or savory pie or why not try it and make a Fresh Fruit Flan, or some Pecan Pie Cookies or a delicious Pumpkin Pie?
When you are looking to use up some of your sourdough discard I hope you give this Sourdough Pie Crust Recipe a try and let me know how it goes. Enjoy!
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Sourdough Cinnamon Coffee Cake
- Quick and Easy Sourdough Biscuits
- Sourdough Crescent Rolls
- Sourdough Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Easy Sourdough Pie Dough
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup cake/pastry flour
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold butter (unsalted)
- 1 cup sourdough discard (not older than 3-4 days)
I have two recipes for sourdough the classic Sourdough Starter and a Sourdough Starter with yeast. Both work well.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flours, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter to form coarse crumbs. Add the discard and mix to combine.
- Move to a flat lightly floured flat surface and gently knead a few times to form a compact dough, (if you prefer you can pat the dough into the form of a disc, this way it will take up less room in the fridge) wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
If using to make a pie.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and with a rolling pin lightly floured roll to a 1/8 inch thickness circle or square or cutouts, depending on your recipe. You can also use the crust and blind bake it. I like to bake my pie dough at 350F (180C).