1-First Step: Gather and measure Measure ingredients precisely. Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off to avoid packing. Dice 1/2 pound cold unsalted butter into 1/4-inch pieces and keep them refrigerated until ready. Have ice water measured into a small cup and keep it on ice. If using a food processor, assemble the bowl and blade; if working by hand, use a large mixing bowl and pastry cutter.

2-Second Step: Combine dry ingredients In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt a few times to combine. If mixing by hand, whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl. This distributes the salt and sugar evenly throughout the flour so you get consistent flavor and texture.

3-Third Step: Cut in the butter Add the cold diced butter to the dry mix. Pulse in the food processor until coarse crumbs form with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. The texture should be dry and powdery with visible bits of butter. If using a pastry cutter by hand, work quickly until you see similar pea-sized chunks. Avoid overprocessing; continuous running will warm the butter and lead to a tougher crust.

4-Fourth Step: Add ice water gradually Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing or stirring until the dough forms moist clumps. You may need 7 to 8 tablespoons; the recipe lists 7 tablespoons as a precise amount, but add up to 8 if needed. Test by pinching a bit of dough between your fingers; it should hold together without being wet or sticky. If the dough is still crumbly after 7 tablespoons, add the extra teaspoon or two of water as needed rather than dumping it all at once.

5-Fifth Step: Gather, divide, and chill Dump the clumpy dough onto a clean work surface and gather it into a ball by folding gently. Fold only enough to bring the dough together; do not knead. Keep the dough crumbly with visible butter pieces. Divide the dough into two equal halves, flatten each into a disk about 1 inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Chilling firms the butter and relaxes the gluten so rolling is easier and the crust bakes flaky.

6-Sixth Step: Rolling and shaping When ready to roll, lightly dust a clean surface and rolling pin with flour. Remove one disk from the fridge and let it rest 10 to 20 minutes if it is too stiff to roll. Roll from the center outward to form a 12-inch circle for a 9-inch pie dish. Fold the dough in half or drape it over the rolling pin to transfer it to the pie dish, then gently press it into the bottom and sides. Trim the excess to about a 1/2-inch overhang, tuck under to create a thick edge, and flute the rim by pinching between your thumb and index finger of one hand and the fingers of the other hand around the edge.

7-Seventh Step: Blind bake when needed If your recipe calls for blind baking, freeze the shaped crust for 30 minutes first to help it hold its shape. Line the chilled shell with parchment and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or rice. Bake at 425 F for 17 minutes until the edges are golden. Remove the weights and parchment and bake 5 more minutes until the bottom is dry and golden. Let cool before adding fillings like custard or fruit.

8-Final Step: Bake with your filling or store If using as a raw shell for a baked filling, follow your pie recipe’s temperatures and bake times. For fully baked shells, cool completely before filling. To store, refrigerate wrapped dough disks up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the fridge before rolling.