This is our all-time favorite pie dough recipe. We find that all-butter doughs taste better and are easier to handle than doughs with a combination of butter and shortening. For a 9-inch single-crust pie, make half the recipe (or make the full amount and wrap half of the dough and refrigerate or freeze for future use).

Whisk together in a medium bowl or pulse briefly in a food processor:

Add:

If mixing the dough by hand, work in the butter, flattening the pieces between your fingers until they are roughly pea-sized or a little larger with some larger, flattened pieces. If using a food processor, add all the fat at once and pulse until the butter pieces are mostly pea-sized. Sprinkle the dough with:

Blend the water gently into the dough with a silicone spatula or pulse until it just holds together. If the dough is still dry and crumbly, add:

The dough should not be wet or sticky but should hold together when squeezed. Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, and roll out immediately as directed in Rolling Pie Dough, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Prepare as directed in Lining a Pie or Tart Pan with Dough. To fill and bake, see individual recipes. For a baked shell, see About Blind Baking Crusts.