Perfect Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe – Easy Pie Crust for Tarts & Desserts
This sweet shortcrust pastry recipe is the perfect base for your favorite pies, tarts, and desserts. Whether you're making a classic apple pie or a rich chocolate tart, this buttery, flaky crust will elevate any dish. The recipe is simple, yet delivers a professional finish every time.
With just a few basic ingredients, you can create a dough that's easy to roll out and bakes to golden perfection. Plus, it's versatile enough to complement sweet fillings like fruits, custards, or creams. Follow these step-by-step instructions to achieve a crisp, tender pastry that melts in your mouth.
If you're looking for a fail-proof pie crust recipe that tastes as good as it looks, this sweet shortcrust pastry is exactly what you need.
What Makes This Recipe So Good?
- Buttery and Flaky Texture – The perfect combination of butter and flour creates a crust that’s crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Easy to Work With – This dough rolls out smoothly without cracking, making it beginner-friendly and ideal for intricate designs.
- Versatile – Works perfectly for sweet pies, tarts, and desserts, complementing a wide range of fillings from fruit to custard.
- Balanced Sweetness – Just the right amount of sugar for a hint of sweetness without overpowering your filling.
- Quick to Make – Using basic pantry ingredients, this recipe comes together in minutes, saving you time in the kitchen.
- Golden Finish – Bakes to a beautiful golden color, making your pies and tarts look as good as they taste.
- Rich, Classic Flavor – The combination of butter, sugar, and flour creates a classic pastry flavor that elevates any dessert.
- Perfect for Any Occasion – Whether it’s a holiday pie or a weekend tart, this recipe is versatile enough for any occasion.
Key Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – Forms the base of the dough, providing structure and a tender crumb. It balances out the fat from the butter, creating a flaky texture.
- Unsalted Butter – Adds richness and flavor while ensuring the pastry is flaky. Using cold butter creates those signature layers in the crust.
- Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the pastry slightly without overpowering the filling. It also helps create a lightly crisp texture when baked.
- Egg Yolk – Adds richness and contributes to the pastry’s golden color. It also helps bind the ingredients together for a smoother dough.
- Cold Water – Helps bring the dough together without making it too sticky. The cold temperature prevents the butter from melting, ensuring a flaky crust.
- Salt – Enhances the overall flavor, balancing the sweetness and bringing out the buttery richness in the pastry.
Chefs Helpful Tips
- Keep Ingredients Cold – Use cold butter, cold water, and even chill your flour if possible. This prevents the butter from melting prematurely, ensuring a flaky crust.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough – Mix the ingredients just until they come together. Overworking the dough can make the crust tough instead of tender.
- Use a Food Processor for Quick Mixing – If you have a food processor, use it to cut the butter into the flour quickly. This helps prevent the butter from softening with your hands.
- Chill the Dough – After forming the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This helps relax the gluten and makes it easier to roll out.
- Roll Out Between Sheets of Parchment – Rolling the dough between two pieces of parchment paper prevents sticking and reduces the need for excess flour, which can toughen the pastry.
- Rotate While Rolling – Rotate the dough a quarter turn as you roll to ensure even thickness and prevent sticking.
- Chill Again Before Baking – Once the dough is in your tart or pie tin, chill it again for about 10-15 minutes. This helps prevent shrinkage during baking.
- Blind Bake for Custard or Cream Pies – If your filling doesn’t require baking, pre-bake (blind bake) the crust by lining it with parchment paper, adding pie weights or beans, and baking until golden.
- Avoid Over-Flouring – While rolling out the dough, use minimal extra flour to avoid drying out or toughening the pastry.
- Patch Tears with Extra Dough – If your dough tears, don’t worry! Simply patch it with a small piece of dough and gently press it into place.
More Recipes To Check Out…
This sweet shortcrust pastry recipe is the perfect base for your favorite pies, tarts, and desserts. Whether you're making a classic apple pie or a rich chocolate tart, this buttery, flaky crust will elevate any dish. The recipe is simple, yet delivers a professional finish every time.
With just a few basic ingredients, you can create a dough that's easy to roll out and bakes to golden perfection. Plus, it's versatile enough to complement sweet fillings like fruits, custards, or creams. Follow these step-by-step instructions to achieve a crisp, tender pastry that melts in your mouth.
If you're looking for a fail-proof pie crust recipe that tastes as good as it looks, this sweet shortcrust pastry is exactly what you need.
- 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cold and cubed, 2 sticks)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp cold water (add extra couple of tbsp if too dry)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Prepare Your Workspace
Gather all ingredients and tools, including a mixing bowl, a pastry cutter or food processor, plastic wrap, and a rolling pin.
- Mix Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt until well combined.
- Cut in the Butter
Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- Add Egg Yolk
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and gently combine with a fork until the dough begins to come together.
- Incorporate More Water if Needed
If the dough is too dry and crumbly, gradually add more cold water (1 tablespoon at a time) until it holds together without being sticky.
- Form the Dough
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead it just until it comes together into a smooth ball. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Chill the Dough
Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This helps relax the gluten and makes it easier to roll out.
- Roll Out the Dough
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Rotate the dough frequently to maintain an even thickness.
- Transfer to Pie Dish
Carefully transfer the rolled dough to a 9-inch pie or tart pan. Gently press it into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim any excess dough hanging over the edges.
- Chill Again
Chill the lined pie crust in the refrigerator for another 10-15 minutes. This helps prevent shrinkage during baking.
- Blind Bake (if needed)
If your filling requires a pre-baked crust, line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the bottom.
- Fill and Bake
If using the crust for a filling that requires baking, add your filling and bake according to the filling's instructions.
- Cool and Serve
Once baked, allow the pastry to cool before serving. Enjoy your delicious sweet shortcrust pastry!
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 200kcal
- Calories from Fat 90kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 12g19%
- Saturated Fat 7g35%
- Cholesterol 30mg10%
- Sodium 50mg3%
- Potassium 45mg2%
- Total Carbohydrate 20g7%
- Dietary Fiber 0.5g2%
- Sugars 5g
- Protein 2g4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.