Go Back

Healthy Pie Crust Recipe - A Lighter, Reliable Base for Sweet or Savory Pies

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or cane sugar (optional; omit for savory pies)
  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (avocado, light olive, or grapeseed)
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or 5%)
  • 2–4 tablespoons ice water, as needed
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional; helps tenderize)
  • For savory pies: 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary (optional)
  • For sweet pies: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Method
 

  1. Chill everything. Place the butter cubes, yogurt, and even your mixing bowl in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Cold ingredients keep the crust flaky.
  2. Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the white whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar (if using). Add cinnamon or herbs now if you like.
  3. Cut in the butter. Add the cold butter to the bowl. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work it into the flour until you have pea-sized bits. Leave some larger, marble-sized pieces for flake.
  4. Add the oil. Drizzle in the oil and toss with a fork to lightly coat the flour. This helps tenderness without extra saturated fat.
  5. Stir in yogurt and vinegar. Add the Greek yogurt and vinegar. Gently fold to combine. The mixture will look shaggy and dry—this is right.
  6. Add ice water gradually. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons ice water and mix with a fork. Add more, 1 teaspoon at a time, just until the dough holds together when pressed. Stop before it feels sticky.
  7. Bring it together. Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface. Press and fold it a few times to form a cohesive disk. Don’t knead—overworking makes it tough.
  8. Chill. Wrap the disk in plastic or beeswax wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes (up to 2 days). This relaxes gluten and firms the fat for better layers.
  9. Roll it out. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough from the center outward into a 12-inch circle for a 9-inch pie plate, rotating a quarter turn after each few strokes to keep it even. If it cracks, press edges together.
  10. Fit and trim. Transfer to your pie plate by rolling the dough onto the pin and unrolling over the plate. Gently ease it into the corners. Trim overhang to about 1 inch, then fold under and crimp.
  11. Chill again. Pop the crust into the fridge for 20 minutes (or freezer for 10). A cold crust holds its shape better.
  12. Blind bake if needed. For a pre-baked shell, line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes, remove weights, then bake 8–12 minutes more until lightly golden. Cool before filling.
  13. For filled pies. Add your filling and bake as your recipe directs. Check the edges at the halfway point; cover with a crust shield or foil if browning too quickly.