Shortbread Pie Crust

This shortbread pie crust is an easy, press-in crust that makes a great alternative to a standard pie crust. Sweet but not too sweet, this delicious shortbread crust is a wonderful compliment to many kinds of pie. 

You can use any kind of fillings for shortbread pie crust. I love to use it for my Lemon Sour Cream Pie, but traditional pie fillings like Pecan Pie or Pumpkin Pie also pair well with this buttery shortbread cookie crust. No-bake fillings like French Silk Pie or Peach Cream Pie work well, too. The pie is the limit with this versatile crust!

Why This Recipe Works

• 4 ingredient pie crust. Homemade pie crust can be intimidating, but making a shortbread crust for pies could not be easier! This recipe for shortbread crust is the best. With just four ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen, you’ll be able to whip this up in a snap.
• Easy shortbread crust. Besides a short ingredient list, this buttery shortbread crust recipe is super simple to put together. No special equipment, no need to keep the butter cold or roll out the dough like a traditional crust. Just press it in, chill, then bake!

Ingredient Notes

• Unsalted butter: Shortbread is famous for buttery flavor, so, naturally, butter is a key ingredient! You’ll notice there is a pretty large amount of butter compared to the rest of the ingredients. The high butter content inhibits the formation of gluten, resulting in a crumbly texture.
• All-purpose flour: The other key ingredient for forming the structure of the shortbread dough.
• Powdered sugar: You can use many different kinds of sugar to make shortbread, with granulated sugar being the most traditional. I prefer powdered sugar (also known as confectioner’s sugar) because it makes for a smoother dough. However, there isn’t a ton of sugar in this recipe. Shortbread is only lightly sweet, which makes it perfect as a pie crust for sweet fillings.
• Salt: A ½ teaspoon of salt rounds out the flavor of this shortbread pie crust.

How to Make Shortbread Pie Crust

1. Prep a pie dish. Spray the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. You can also use a tart pan.
2. Cream butter. Add 1 cup (16 tablespoons) of room-temperature butter to a large mixing bowl and cream it with a mixer until smooth. 
3. Add dry ingredients. Mix butter with 2 cups of all-purpose flour, ½ cup of powdered sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix until combined. Be careful not to overmix. The dough will be crumbly. 
4. Press dough into prepared pan and chill. Use your hands to press the crumbly dough in the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate the shortbread crust for 20-25 minutes, or chill it in the freezer for 15 minutes.

5. Preheat oven. While your shortbread cookie crust chills, preheat your oven to 350°F.
6. Bake shortbread crust. Once the crust has chilled, bake it in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow the crust to cool completely before adding your pie filling. 

Recipe Tips

You can use salted butter if you wish, but reduce the additional salt to ¼ teaspoon or skip it entirely. 

If you don’t have a 9-inch pie pan, a tart pan works great as well. If you have a smaller pie pan, like an 8-inch pie pan, you can bake this like normal. It will just be thicker.

Shortbread is not meant to take on a deep color. If the shortbread gets too brown, it will be dry and crispy, rather than tender and crumbly. 

If you plan to use this pie crust for a filling that needs to be baked, wrap some foil around the top part of the crust not covered by filling to keep it from getting burnt. 

Add your favorite flavor extracts, citrus zest, or different spices to the dough for different flavor variations to compliment your filling. Almond extract, vanilla extract, orange zest, lemon zest, etc., would all be wonderful additions.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

Make Ahead: This pie crust can be made up to two days in advance, helping to cut down day-of prep time for pies. Once filled, depending on your filling, it should stay good for 2-3 days either at room temperature or in the fridge.

Storing: Store the prepared pie crust at room temperature for up to two days. Once filled, store your pie according to the filling. 

Freezing: Let the pie crust cool completely and double wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow it to thaw before filling. You can also freeze the shortbread dough to be used at a later date. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container and freezer for up to 2 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before using.

Recipe FAQs

More Pie Crust Recipes

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