When it comes to pie crusts, there are a ton of options, and I’ve tried just about all of them. All in the name research, of course.
Wickedly tender vinegar-infused pie crusts, rich cream-cheese pie crusts, even the classic sweet French pâte sablée.
Still, none was the soulmate for a pie chockful of sweet apple filling and drizzled with deeply rich caramel. I needed something buttery with nutty undertones to stand up to the sweet, spiced filling. That’s how I ended up with this whole wheat pie crust recipe.
It’s sturdy enough to hold a small mountain of apples yet still amazingly flaky. And the flavor is distinctly nutty without being overwhelming. If that isn’t convincing enough, it rolls out like a dream.
Why Our Testers Loved This
The ease of rolling and the texture and flavor that whole wheat adds to the dough are just a couple of reasons our testers adored this whole wheat pie crust recipe.
What You’ll Need to Make This
- Whole wheat flour–Using whole grain flour adds some nuttiness and texture to the pie crust.
- All-purpose flour–Combining all-purpose flour with whole wheat helps to balance the flavor of the dough and adds strength to it.
- Butter–This gives the finished crust its crisp, flaky texture.
How to Make This Recipe
- Pulse the flours, sugar, and salt together in a food processor.
- Add the butter to the food processor.
- Pulse until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand with a few pea-sized lumps of butter remaining.
- Dump the dough mixture into a bowl and drizzle the water over it.
- Use a fork to stir the dough, thoroughly combining the dry and wet parts of the mixture.
- Continue working the dough until it begins to form large clumps.
- Divide the dough into two piles and shape each into a disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
Savory Whole-Wheat Pie Crust Variation
Considering using this pie crust for a chicken pot pie, Thanksgiving hand pies, or maybe this elegant beef-stew pie? I say, “Huzzah, huzzah!” To adjust the recipe to work for savory dishes, simply omit the sugar and add a tablespoon or two of finely minced fresh herbs. My favorite combo is fresh thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Or you can let the dish dictate the herbs to use. The possibilities are endless.
Common Questions
Yes. The pie dough can be prepared up to 2 days in advance or frozen for up to 2 months before using. Keep the dough tightly wrapped in plastic until ready to use.
There are a few tricks to rolling out your pie dough with ease. First, make sure your dough is cool but not too cold. Letting it sit on the counter for a few minutes before rolling will help.
Always roll from the center outward. This allows you to roll the dough evenly. After each roll, give your dough a quarter turn to create an evenly shaped circle.
For more detailed tips on rolling pie dough, see this article on how to roll a pie crust.
They’re both types of whole-grain flour and can be used interchangeably, but they have different flavors. Whole-wheat flour is made with a red wheat grain, which has a nutty flavor. White whole-wheat flour, on the other hand, is made with a white wheat grain that is lighter in color, giving it an appearance and flavor closer to white flour.
Helpful Tips
- Keep your ingredients cold. Cold butter and cold water will help give the pie crust a flaky texture.
- Only add enough water to just bring the dough together. Too much water will result in an overly sticky dough, and too little water will make the dough crumbly and difficult to roll.
- The tightly wrapped dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the frozen dough thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling out.
More Flaky Pie Crust Recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
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Pulse the flours, sugar, and salt in a food processor.
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Scatter the cold butter cubes over the flour and pulse until the mixture is the texture of course sand with a few pieces the size of peas.
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Dump the mixture into a large bowl and drizzle over 5 tablespoons of the ice water. Stir the mixture with a fork or spatula, making sure to scoop up from the bottom until the dough begins to form clumps. If the dough doesn’t come together, stir in the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
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Dump the dough onto the work surface, divide it into two piles (one slightly larger than the other), and flatten each into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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Pull the disks from the fridge 10 minutes before rolling so the dough warms slightly and is easier to roll.
- Use cold ingredients–Using cold butter and cold water will help to give the pie crust a flaky texture.
- Add just enough water–Only add enough water to just bring the dough together. Too much water will result in an overly sticky dough and too little water will make the dough crumbly and difficult to roll.
- Storage–The tightly wrapped dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the frozen dough thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling out.
Serving: 1 crustCalories: 2376 kcalCarbohydrates: 251 gProtein: 37 gFat: 142 gSaturated Fat: 87 gMonounsaturated Fat: 36 gTrans Fat: 6 gCholesterol: 361 mgSodium: 1191 mgFiber: 20 gSugar: 25 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe © 2023 David Leite. Photos © 2023 David Leite. All rights reserved.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
None of the elements in this pie crust overwhelms the others and you really can taste the difference in flavor/texture the whole wheat flour brings to the crust. It rolls and shapes with ease, making it a dream whether it’s your first or hundredth time making pie.
