How to Make a Shortbread Cookie Pie Crust

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Our Shortbread pie crust is like biting into a buttery shortbread cookie and complements a plethora of pies! Use it instead of a traditional pie crust for a fun twist on your next baking creation. It’s also great for tarts and easy to make with just five ingredients! You’ll love this buttery shortbread crust!

cookie dough in a pie dish to make shortbread cookie pie crust.

This Shortbread Cookie crust is like biting into a buttery shortbread cookie and is the perfect complement to a plethora of pies. This homemade pie crust adds more sweetness to a pie and gives it a different flavor than the standard pie crust.

It’s already a perfect tart crust too! We make this recipe with our chocolate chip cookie pie and it goes perfectly together!

What is shortbread crust?

Shortbread cookie crust is a type of pie crust similar to shortbread cookies. It’s buttery, flaky, and has a delicious shortbread flavor. This type of crust is perfect for tarts, pies, and other sweet desserts.

5 Reasons Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

  • It’s easy to make with just five ingredients!
  • Great for tarts and pies!
  • Fun twist on a traditional pie crust!
  • It’s like biting into a buttery shortbread cookie!

This is a sweeter version of a pie crust. It has a cookie texture and goes well with almost all sweet pies! If you love shortbread, then this crust is for you!

Flour, sugar, two sticks butter, vanilla extract baking powder on a marble table

Supplies

Here are a few supplies you’ll need to make this pie crust:

Mixing Bowls

Measuring Cups

Stand Mixer or Food Processor

Pie Pan or Tart Pan

Rolling Pin

Parchment Paper

Ingredients in Shortbread Crust

Unsalted Butter – This creates a buttery flavor and holds the pie crust together, making it flaky.

All-Purpose Flour – This is a classic ingredient in shortbread and gives the cookie crust its structure.

Confectioner’s Sugar – Also known as powdered sugar, this sweetens the cookie crust and gives it a smooth texture.

Vanilla Extract – This adds flavor and depth to the cookie crust. Use a pure, good-quality extract.

Baking Powder – This helps the cookie crust to rise and become fluffy.

Cookie pie crust in a silver mixing bowl with spatula

How to Make This Shortbread Pie Crust

In a mixing bowl or food processor, beat the butter until fluffy, and add in the sugar.

Then, add in the flour and lightly mix with the paddle attachment or your hands. Add in the vanilla extract and baking powder and mix until the mixture is crumbly. 

If you prefer to pre the dough into the pie pan you can do that as well. If the crust is room temperature or warm, place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool.

Bake for 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven. If you’re making a pie that doesn’t need to be cooked, you will cook this crust for longer until it’s golden brown. About 25 minutes.

Add a pie filling and bake according to the directions for the pie.

Quick Tip – If you’re making a pie filling that doesn’t need to be baked, you will bake this crust longer until it’s done. About 25 minutes at 350 until the crust is a light golden brown.

Cookie pie crust in a white pie dish.

The crust isn’t too sweet, but the texture is like biting into a cookie and it’s always a hit! It works so well with lemon bars, tarts, and berry pies too. 

Roll or Press Cookie Crust 

For this recipe and when using shortbread, you can either roll it or press it into the pie dish.

To roll, place a large piece of parchment paper on a table and dust it with powdered sugar. Place the dough on top and then sprinkle more powdered sugar over the dough before rolling.

To press, simply place the dough into the pie dish, and use your hands to press dough until it forms its shape. Add powdered sugar to your hands to prevent sticking.

How to Roll Out Shortbread Pie Crust

Rolling out shortbread crust is easy! Simply place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Then, transfer the dough to a pie dish and press it into the bottom and up the sides. Trim off any excess dough and bake according

Pie Weights

If you don’t have pie weights, you can use dried beans, uncooked rice, or sugar. Just make sure to line the crust with parchment paper before adding the weights. This will prevent the weights from sticking to the dough.

Baking Blind

Baking blind is when you bake the crust without the filling. This is usually done for tart or fruit pies. To bake blind, line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights. Bake the crust for about 20 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and weights and continue baking the crust until it is golden brown.

Tips for Making Shortbread Pie Crust

Use a food processor to quickly and easily make the dough.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry cutter or a fork to mix the dough.

For a thick crust, roll out 1/2″ thick.

Let the crust cool completely before adding the filling for no-bake pies.

Store shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Make ahead and store it in the freezer. You can bake this crust directly from the freezer, although you may need to add a little more time.

You can change up the flavor of your shortbread crust by adding a different extract, like almond or lemon.

Add spices, like cinnamon or nutmeg. Or, you can top the crust with nuts or chocolate chips before baking.

Try adding a tablespoon of lemon zest or lime zest to give it a citrus flavor.

Get creative with your fillings! Use a fruit filling, chocolate filling, or even ice cream.

Cookie pie crust pressed into a white pie dish

Recipe Variations

If you want to change up the flavor of your shortbread crust, there are a few things you can do. One way is to add a different extract, like almond or lemon.

You can also add spices, like cinnamon or nutmeg. Or, you can top the crust with nuts or chocolate chips before baking.

Add lemon zest, orange zest or lime zest to give it a citrus flavor.

Best Pies for Shortbread Pie Crust

This crust is much easier than pie crust. It always turns out and looks beautiful. A shortbread cookie crust goes with any special occasion and goes well with these pies:

Fruit Pies – Apple, cherry, peach, and strawberry pies are all excellent choices for shortbread crust. The sweetness of the fruit will balance out the sweetness of the cookie crust.

Cream Pies – Chocolate, coconut, and key lime pies are all delicious options for shortbread crust. The creamy filling will complement the cookie flavor of the crust.

Nut Pies – Pecan and pumpkin pies are perfect for shortbread crust. The nutty flavor of the filling will go well with the cookie flavor of the crust.

More Pie Ideas:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

Strawberry Pie 

Coconut Cream Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate Pie 

No-Bake Pies 

Cherry Pie Bars

Sweet Potatoe Pie

Peanut Butter Pie

Lemon Curd

Close up photo of a chocolate chip cookie pie with shortbread cookie pie crust and whipped cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my shortbread crust so hard?

There are a few reasons why your shortbread crust might be hard. One reason could be that you overmixed the dough. Another reason could be that you didn’t bake the crust long enough. Be sure to follow the recipe instructions carefully and bake the crust until it is golden brown.

Should shortbread be crunchy or soft?

It depends on your preference. If you like a crunchy shortbread cookie, then bake the dough longer. If you prefer a softer cookie, then bake the dough for a shorter amount of time.

What is the best way to store shortbread?

Shortbread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. If you want the shortbread to stay fresh longer, you can store it in the fridge for up to a month.

Our Shortbread Cookie Pie Crust is the perfect way to add a fun twist to your next baking creation

What pan can I make shortbread crust in?

You can make shortbread crust in any kind of pan, but we recommend using a pie dish or a tart pan. A pie dish will give you the perfect amount of crust for a standard pie, and a tart pan will give you a crispy, flaky crust.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Egg Custard Pie

Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Raspberry Shortbread Cookies

Lemon Bar Recipe

Looking for more delicious crusts? Try out graham cracker crust and buttery pie crust recipes!

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Shortbread Cookie Crust for a Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

Shortbread Cookie Pie Crust

This pie crust is easy and like biting into a buttery shortbread cookie! It compliments berry and chocolate pie perfectly!
4.12 from 71 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 1 Pie
Calories: 2783kcal
Author: Eden

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl or food processor, beat the butter until fluffy, and add in the sugar.
  • Then, add in the flour and lightly mix with the paddle attachment or your hands. Add in the vanilla extract and baking powder and mix until the mixture is crumbly.
  • Roll the dough or press it into a pie dish, up the sides and make a nice crust, and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Let the crust cool before adding the filling.
  • Proceed with the pie filling instructions for whatever pie you’re making.

Nutrition

Calories: 2783kcal | Carbohydrates: 252g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 187g | Saturated Fat: 117g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 48g | Trans Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 488mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 430mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 60g | Vitamin A: 5673IU | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 12mg
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16 thoughts on “How to Make a Shortbread Cookie Pie Crust”

  1. I loved the flavor, but the crust stuck to the pie glass and had to scrape the slices off the plate. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  2. I found it impossible to press into pie pan. The dough just sticks to my fingers no matter what I do! I tried wetting fingers, buttering fingers, pressing in using plastic wrap. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Yes, use powdered sugar or flour to press. You can also roll the dough out using powdered sugar or flour and then place it in the pie dish. You need to make sure you have powdered fingers, so constantly adding flour to them so it won’t stick.

      Reply
  3. If you’re blind baking this cookie crust do you need to weigh it down? And should I cover it with foil, Does it shrink away from the sides of the pan if it’s not weighted?

    Reply
    • You don’t need to weigh it down and if you’re just cooking the crust it’s for such a short time that you don’t need to tinfoil it. You will need to add foil when you put the pie filling in and cook it again.

      Reply
    • 5 stars
      It doesn’t shrink and no need to put weights in pan. This is too much crust for a regular 9” pie; I might suggest 1/2 for this size pie pan or use original recipe and make two.

      Reply

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