This Perfect Cream Cheese Crust is buttery, rich and thanks to the cream cheese, super easy to work with. Use it as the base for your next pie, quiche, or pastries and you’ll be amazed at how fool proof it is.
There’s so many types of pie crusts out there – all butter, all shortening, butter-shortening combo – but the one that gets overlooked is the butter-cream cheese combo! Use it in everything from zucchini galettes, to spinach quiche and strawberry pop tarts.
Why does this Cream Cheese Crust Work?
- Butter makes for a delicious crust.
- By swapping some of the butter for cream cheese, you get an ultra-rich crust that is easy to roll and resists melting while baking.
- A food processor help this comes together easily.
Ingredients
Let’s look at what ingredients are in this is cream cheese crust.
- Cream cheese. Clearly! It’s the star of the show.
- Unsalted Butter. A quality butter really shines here.
- All-purpose flour.
- Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. Acidity helps to keep the dough tender.
- Baking powder. Just a little bit gives the dough a lift.
- Ice water. This will bring our flour into a dough. Keeping the water cold will keep the fats cold.
- Granulated sugar. This is optional on whether you are making a sweet or savory pastry.
Making the Perfect Crust
This crust is so forgiving which is a gift to those of us who have been personally attacked by an all-butter crust in the past. How can we make this crust so easily?
Use a food processor or pastry blender. Use can use either a food processor to quickly blitz the butter and cream cheese into the flour, or you can use a pastry blender to blend in the fats.
Keep things cold. The trick to a light and flaky crust is to keep the butter and cream cheese cold. When the cold fats go into a hot oven, they create steam and steam creates a lift – aka – flakes. Chill the dough before rolling and before placing into the oven for the best results.
Tips for Rolling Dough
Use the right surface. Roll the dough out on a cold surface like marble or on a silicone mat to prevent sticking.
Limit the flour. Only add the bare minimum amount of flour needed for rolling out the dough.
Move the dough. Pick up and turn the dough 90° frequently to prevent sticking It’s better than adding extra flour!
Use the right tools. To get a really even crust, I have two tools that I swear by – a straight rolling pin and silicone guides. The straight pin can rest on the silicone guides at the right height all the way across the dough keeping it consistent.
Transfer the dough. The best trick is to use a rolling pin to move the rolled out dough into the pie dish. Fold the dough halfway over the rolling pin, use the pin to lift and set the dough into the pie dish. Start with the edge closest to you and lay to down away.
Blind Baking
Blind baking is a technique when you par-bake the crust slightly before filling it and baking fully. The goal of this is to ensure the bottom of the crust is baked through completely when a wet filling could prevent it. As Mary Berry would say, we don’t want a “soggy bottom”!
To blind bake, pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork all over to allow the steam to escape and prevent bubbles.
Place a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil on top (not plastic wrap!) and fill with pie weights or dried beans to keep the crust in place while it blind bakes. Bake the crust for only 10-15 minutes, just until it’s a light golden brown but not all the way baked through. Then fill it and return to the oven to bake fully.
Don’t be afraid to use a pie shield or piece of aluminum foil to protect the edges if they are browning faster than the filling is cooking. Both will work, but I frankly find the aluminum foil so fiddly to place while standing over a hot oven.
Crust Designs
I’m sure you’ve seen an endless amount of pie designs. I could never cover them all. But there’s two basic styles – a single crust (just a bottom crust with a fully visible filling) or double crust (a second layer of crust is on top covering the filling).
Single Crust
The simplest way to finish the edges of a single crust is to make a design with the tines of a fork. Trim the crust to the edge of the pan. Dip the fork in a little flour and press around the edges creating a pattern of lines.
The next level up in difficulty is to create a crimp. Trim the crust to be about 1″ longer than edge of the tin. Fold the dough over to the outside to create a double layer that lines up with the edge of the tin. Using both hands, press two fingers on one side of the dough into one finger on the other side to create a wave pattern. Repeat all around!
Double Crust
A true double crust is a full piece of crust with a few slits cut on top to allow steam to escape while cookies.
The more commonly seen variety these days is a lattice crust which seems very complicated, but it’s not so bad – I promise.
To create a lattice, roll a piece of dough approximately the same size as the bottom crust. Cut equal strips in your preferred width. I like to use a 5-wheel cutter to keep consistency, but you can use a sharp knife.
Place about 1/2 of the strip horizontally across the filled pie. Fold back every other strip to the edge of the pie and place a vertical strip. Replace the horizontal strips so the vertical goes over-under-over.
Alternate folding the other horizontal back, place another vertical strip and replace the horizontal strips. Continue alternating every other horizontal strip so each vertical is woven.
Whether you have a solid or lattice top, trim the bottom crust to leave a bit of excess dough. Trim the top crust to be about as wide as the filling. Fold the bottom crust over to meet the top and crimp as above.
For a shiny crust, egg wash with 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of water and sprinkle some coarse sugar on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is likely too much flour for the fat. Try adding a few drops of water to bring the dough together.
Yes, you can make and chill the dough up to 3 days in the fridge, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Perfect Cream Cheese Crust
Equipment
- Food processor optional
Ingredients
- 420 g all-purpose flour plus more for dusing
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar optional, omit for savory pies
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 170 g cream cheese cold and cubed
- 113 g unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 1 ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar
- ¼ – ½ cup ice cold water
Instructions
- Food processor method. In the bowl of a food processor add flour, sugar (if using), salt, and baking powder. Pulse a few times to blend.420 g all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Add cubed cream cheese and unsalted butter. Blend until fats are in pea-chunks and flour is sandy in texture. Add in vinegar and 1/4 cup of the cold water. Continue adding 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time just until the dough holds together. You may not need all the water. Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap, press into a disc, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.170 g cream cheese, 113 g unsalted butter, 1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1/4 – 1/2 cup ice cold water
- Hand method. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar (if using), salt and baking powder.420 g all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Using a pastry blender, work in cream cheese and butter until flour texture is sandy and a few pea-sized clumps of fat remain. Stir in vinegar with wooden spoon. Begin by adding 1/4 cup of cold water, and continue adding 1 tablespoon at time just until the dough comes together. You may not need all the water. Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap, press into a disc, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.170 g cream cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1/4 – 1/2 cup ice cold water, 113 g unsalted butter
- When ready to bake, divide dough into two pieces. Place one portion back in the fridge while working with the other. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface, typically 1/8" thick for most recipes. Be sure to lift and turn the dough as you work to prevent sticking.
- Cut dough into needed pastry size, or lift and place into pie dish using rolling pin to assist.
- Continue with filling and baking instructions for your desired pie recipe. If needed, pie crust can be blind-baked by piercing the bottom of the crust, and baking with pie weights on a sheet on parchment paper to par-bake the crust.
- Once filled, chill for 10-15 minutes before baking.
Notes
- Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and remain chilled in the fridge until ready to use.
- Dough can also be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Allow to defrost in the fridge the night before needed.
- This recipe will make 2 pie crusts or 1 double-crust pie. If only one crust is needed, the extra may be stored as above.
Disclaimer: We test all recipes using the metric weights shown, we cannot guarantee outcomes when switching to US measurements.
