My shortbread pie crust is like biting into a buttery shortbread cookie and complements many 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!
This homemade pie crust adds more sweetness to a pie and gives it a flavor different from the standard pie crust. I make this recipe with my chocolate chip cookie pie, which goes perfectly together!
If you love shortbread, try my rosemary cookies, lemon shortbread cookies, shortbread bars, and lemon bar recipe, where I use a similar crust for the bottom.
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!
Ingredients Notes
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.
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.
Get creative with your fillings! Use a fruit filling, chocolate filling, or even ice cream.
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 crusts- the sweetness of the fruit balances out the sweetness of the cookie crust.
Cream Pies – Chocolate, coconut, and key lime pies are all delicious options with shortbread crusts. The creamy filling complements 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.
FAQ: 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.
FAQ: 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.
FAQ: 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
Pie Recipes You’ll Love
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
- Strawberry Pie
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Chocolate Pie
- Cherry Pie Bars
- Sweet Potatoe Pie
- Lemon Curd
Are you looking for more delicious crusts? Try my graham cracker crust and buttery pie crust.
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Shortbread Pie Crust
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.
Is this recipe for top and bottom pie crust?
The bottom of the pie.
That pie crust is not cooked.
This crust is cooked, you can add extra time if you need.
I loved the flavor, but the crust stuck to the pie glass and had to scrape the slices off the plate. Any suggestions?
Can I make this with vegan butter? If so which is better stick or tub?
Not sure if that would work! We haven’t baked much with vegan butter.
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?
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.
How do you keep the crust from slipping from the sides while baking?
Is this recipe enough to cover the bottom of a 13×9 dish?
this is for a 9″ round pie dish.
Just made the crust batter and it was more than i needed for 1 pie crust. Can I freeze the raw batter?
You can freeze pie crust!
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?
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.
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.
Is a shortbread crust ok for a sweet potato pie. And if so do you cook the crust first