Simple Pie Crust with Whole Wheat Flour | Bulk Recipe
This pie crust dough made from scratch is one of the best things to have on hand, stored away in the freezer whenever you need it. This recipe makes six portions of pie dough. Using only basic ingredients, including whole wheat flour, this recipe makes a flaky and versatile crust to be used for any sweet or savoury bake.
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I love having whole wheat pie crust on hand because it can be used for so many different things. For savoury items such as quiche, savoury hand pies, or meat pies. Or sweet items such as tarts, apple pie, pumpkin pie, or turnovers. The possibilities are endless. And if you’re going to all the effort to make one pie crust, why not make six!?
You’ll love this recipe because it only uses simple ingredients and comes out nice and flexible every time. The whole wheat flour also adds a nice depth of flavour without compromising the texture. This is my go-to recipe whenever I need to restock on pie crust dough and it stores perfectly in the freezer for months.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Recipe Tips
Keep everything cold: Cold fat is the non-negotiable of a flaky crust. Cube your butter and lard and put them back in the fridge while you weigh your dry ingredients. If your kitchen is warm, chill your bowl and even your flour before you start.
Don’t over-pulse: This is the most common mistake with a food processor. A few pulses too many and you’ve got cookie dough. You’re looking for pebbles and peas of fat — stop while it still looks a little rough.
The water is a guide, not a rule: You may not need the full cup. Add it gradually and stop the moment the dough holds together when pressed. Overwatered dough is tough dough.
Fold, don’t mix: Once the wet ingredients go in, use your hands or a spatula and fold gently. You’re bringing it together, not developing it. Visible streaks of fat in the dough are a good sign.
Weigh your flour: A cup of flour can vary by 20–30g depending on how you scoop. Weighing keeps the recipe consistent batch after batch, which matters when you’re making 6 crusts at a time.
Label your bags: Write the date and note what it is so you’re not guessing when you pull one from the freezer.
Thaw overnight in the fridge: Don’t rush the thaw on the counter — slow and cold keeps the fat firm so it’s still workable when you roll it out.
Where To Source Whole-Grain Flour
If you’re living in a city, you can mostly likely find a bakery or fancy grocery store that sells fresh-milled whole-grain flour. If you’re living in the country and you can source whole-grains, you may want to consider milling your own flour. You can start without making a large investment by using a powerful coffee grinder or blender that you already own. A step up would be purchasing a KitchenAid grain mill attachment.
If you’re really enjoying working with fresh-milled whole-grains and you have a reliable source of grain, you can also consider a Harvest NutriMill which is the one I use almost everyday and love both for its beauty and practicality.
Get your Harvest NutriMill when you’re ready to invest using this link and my discount code BRONSBREAD20 at checkout to get $20 off your order!
When And How To Blind Bake
When to Blind Bake:
- Custard Pies: Pies with a custard filling, like pumpkin or lemon meringue, require blind baking to prevent a soggy bottom.
- No-Bake Pies: Pies with fillings that don’t need to be baked, such as fresh fruit pies or some cream pies.
- Quiches: Ensures a crisp crust even with a wet filling.
How to Blind Bake:
- Prepare the Dough: Roll out your pie dough and fit it into your pie pan. No need to grease the pan as the dough is already rich in fat. Trim and crimp the edges as desired. (I don’t trim, just fold into itself, less waste).
- Chill the Dough: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps prevent shrinking during baking.
- Dock the Dough: Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork to prevent bubbles.
- Weigh it Down: Line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. This keeps the crust flat and prevents puffing. (I like using dried chickpeas).
- Bake: Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 15-20 minutes until the edges start to brown.
- Remove Weights and Continue Baking: Carefully remove the parchment and weights. Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the bottom is golden and cooked through.
Materials
- Cutting Board: For cutting cold butter on.
- Small Bowl: To whisk egg and vinegar.
- Sharp Kitchen Knife: For slicing cold butter.
- Large Food processor (this is the set we have and love it): For processing your butter and flour in batches. This is the fastest and most consistent way I’ve found to make this large batch of pie dough. Alternatively, you can use a pastry dough blender contraption.
- Small Plastic Bags or Seran Wrap: For storing in the freezer.
- Kitchen Scale: For measuring ingredients precisely (linked is the one I have and love and have used at nearly every bakery I’ve worked at).
Ingredients
- Butter/Lard: Fat must be chilled and cubed. I like to do a blend of butter and lard but you can do all butter if you prefer. Using only lard will work but doesn’t have the best flavour. Learn how to make your own lard here!
- All-Purpose Flour: For tenderness and pliability.
- Whole Grain Flour: Freshly milled wheat, regular whole wheat or stone-ground from the store works great.
- Salt: I use Himalayan sea salt but any salt will work.
- Whole Egg: Any simple ol’ egg will do the trick.
- White Vinegar: The acidity weakens gluten formation so your pie dough doesn’t come out tough after mixing.
- Cold Water: Cold water is essential so it doesn’t melt the butter as the dough comes together.
How To Make Six Whole Wheat Pie Crusts
STEP 1: CHILL YOUR FATS
Cube 230g cold butter and 230g cold lard into small pieces. Keep them in the fridge until the moment you need them — cold fat is everything for a flaky crust.
STEP 2: MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS
Weigh out 600g all-purpose flour, 250g whole wheat flour, and 15g salt into a very large bowl. Whisk together until evenly combined.
STEP 3: FIRST HALF IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR
Add roughly half the dry mixture and half the chilled fat to the food processor. Pulse in short bursts — 5 to 8 quick pulses — until the mixture resembles small pebbles or peas. You want visible chunks of fat, not a fine meal. Stop before it looks uniform. Transfer back to the large bowl.
STEP 4: SECOND HALF IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR
Repeat with the remaining dry mixture and fat. Same approach — short bursts, stop at pebbles. Add to the bowl with the first batch.
STEP 5: ADD THE WET INGREDIENTS
In a small bowl whisk together 1 egg, 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 1 cup ice cold water. Add to the flour and fat mixture and stir to combine.
STEP 6: BRING IT TOGETHER
Gradually drizzle in more cold water if you need, up to a 1/2 cup more, folding gently with a spatula or your hands after each addition. Add just enough that the dough starts to come together and holds when pressed — slightly sticky but not wet. Do not overwork it. Visible streaks of fat are exactly what you want.
STEP 7: DIVIDE AND SHAPE
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a large rectangle and divide into 6 equal portions (weighing around 300g each). Shape each into a round disk, dusting with flour as needed.
STEP 8: BAG AND FREEZE
Place each disk into a small ziplock bag or wrap with cling wrap. Label with the date and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter before using.
Notes
The most important rule: Do not over-pulse. The food processor turns fat into a fine crumb faster than you think — a few pulses too many and you’ll end up with cookie dough instead of a flaky crust. Stop the moment you see pebbles or peas of fat.
Fold, don’t mix: Hand folding gives you control — you can feel when the dough is just right and stop before it gets overworked.
Pearls of butter = flaky layers. Those visible chunks of cold fat are what create steam in the oven and produce a tender, flaky crust. Protect them at every step.
Bulk Pie Crust Dough Recipe FAQ
How to Store
- Fridge: Store unbaked dough disks for up to 3 days. Keep them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in a zip-lock bag so they don’t dry out or pick up fridge smells.
- Freezer: The whole point of making this in bulk. Wrap each disk tightly and place in a labeled zip-lock bag — include the date. Keeps for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using, never on the counter.
- Baked crust: If you’ve already blind baked a shell, store at room temperature loosely covered for up to 2 days, or freeze the baked shell carefully in a freezer bag for up to 1 month.
Simple Pie Crust in Bulk with Whole Wheat Flour
ingredients
- 230 g Butter cold and cubed
- 230 g Lard cold and cubed
- 600 g All-Purpose Flour
- 250 g Whole Wheat Flour
- 15 g Salt
- 1 Whole Egg
- 1 Tbsp White Vinegar
- 1 Cups Cold Water more if needed
instructions
- Cube cold butter and cold lard into small pieces. Keep them in the fridge until the moment you need them — cold fat is everything for a flaky crust.
- Weigh out all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt into a very large bowl. Whisk together until evenly combined.
- Add roughly half the dry mixture and half the chilled fat to the food processor. Pulse in short bursts — 5 to 8 quick pulses — until the mixture resembles small pebbles or peas. You want visible chunks of fat, not a fine meal. Stop before it looks uniform. Transfer back to the large bowl.
- Repeat with the remaining dry mixture and fat. Same approach — short bursts, stop at pebbles. Add to the bowl with the first batch.
- In a small bowl whisk together egg, white vinegar and ice cold water. Add to the flour and fat mixture and fold to combine.
- Gradually drizzle in more cold water if you need, up to a 1/2 cup more, folding gently with a spatula or your hands after each addition. Add just enough that the dough starts to come together and holds when pressed — slightly sticky but not wet. Do not overwork it. Visible streaks of fat are exactly what you want.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a large rectangle and divide into 6 equal portions (weighing around 300g each). Shape each into a round disk, dusting with flour as needed.
- Place each disk into a small ziplock bag or wrap with cling wrap. Label with the date and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter before using.
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why can’t you say measurements instead of grams?
hey! i prefer using grams when I share my recipes to be more precise. Everyone scoops ingredients differently, especially hard fats and flour, and I’m not in the kitchen with you to ensure success for a bulk recipe. If you want to give it a whirl, cup measurements are roughly: Butter (1 cup) Lard (1 cup) All-purpose Flour (4 + 3/4 cups) Whole Wheat Flour (2 cups) Salt (1 tbsp) Egg (1) White Vinegar (1 tbsp) Ice Cold Water (1 Cup)