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This Sourdough Discard Pie Crust recipe is the most versatile discard recipe thus far! Made with just a few simple ingredients, this pie dough uses up your leftover discard and enhances any filling you pair it with. Plus, once you learn how to make the best and flakiest butter sourdough discard pie crust, you will never go back to the regular ones!
If you’re a frequent baker of sourdough bread like me and have a jar of sourdough starter hanging around in your fridge, you’re probably constantly looking for fun and creative ways to use it without making the same couple of recipes every time (even if my sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are on repeat in my house!).
Well, this sourdough pie crust recipe is just what you’ve been looking for! It’s buttery, flaky, and has just the slightest tang that takes both sweet and savory pies to the next level. It’s easy to work with, bakes up beautifully, and helps reduce that extra waste. What more could you want?! Fill it with a classic maple pecan pie, a fudgy brownie pie, or a gooey chocolate chip cookie pie.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this Sourdough Pie Crust dough with discard. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed ingredient measurements.
- All-purpose Flour: is the base of the crust, I used unbleached flour for this one.
- Salt: enhances the crust’s flavor and helps bring out the subtle tang of the sourdough discard.
- Sugar: adds a touch of sweetness and helps the crust brown slightly. Only use for sweet pies! You do not need to add sugar if you’re using the crust for savory pies.
- Unsalted Butter: melts during baking and gives you flaky layers and a tender pie crust. You’ll want it to be cold and cubed. Plus making sure that you are using the highest quality butter will yield the best flavor in your crust. It’s the same cold butter method I use for my all-butter pie crust.
- Sourdough Starter Discard: adds moisture and a slight tang. New to sourdough? Start with my beginner sourdough starter and you’ll have discard in no time.
- Ice Water: brings the dough together without melting the butter.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Pie Crust
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar until evenly mixed.
- Add the cold butter. Add the cold, cubed butter to the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Cut in the butter. Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs with some larger pieces still visible. Those bigger bits are what give you flaky layers!
- Add the sourdough discard. Pour in the cold discard and mix gently until it’s evenly incorporated. The dough will still look a bit dry and crumbly at this point, and that’s totally okay.
- Add the ice water. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice water and mix until the dough comes together. If needed, add 1 more tablespoon at a time, stopping as soon as the dough holds when pressed between your fingers. Avoid overmixing.
- Shape and chill. Split the dough into two portions, gently shape each into a disc, and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best results.
- Roll it out. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface or parchment paper until it’s big enough to fit your pie dish.
- Fit it into the pie plate. Gently ease the dough into your pie plate without stretching it. For a double-crust pie, roll out the second disc too and return both to the fridge for 15 minutes before filling.
- Crimp and dock. Trim the overhang, crimp the edges however you like, and prick the bottom all over with a fork if you’re blind baking.
- Bake. Follow your pie recipe for baking. To blind bake, line the crust with parchment paper and pie weights and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, then remove the weights and bake another 5 to 10 minutes until lightly golden. A blind-baked crust is exactly what you want under a wet filling like my easy egg pie recipe.
Tips and Tricks for Best Results
- Use very cold ingredients to help keep the butter from melting as you work, which is key to a super flaky crust. The cold water, cold butter, and cold discard should all be in the fridge until you’re ready to go.
- You can even pop your mixing bowl and pastry cutter or bench scraper in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before starting to keep everything extra cold.
- Leave a few large pieces of butter compared to the others to give you extra flaky crust layers when baked.
- Patience is key; do not skimp on the resting stage. If you can, definitely opt for the overnight chilling for optimal results.
Why do you need to make this recipe?
- The tender texture of this crust is the perfect base for your favorite pie filling, both sweet and savory.
- It helps you waste less and is a great way to use up extra sourdough discard, right alongside my sourdough discard pancakes and sourdough discard biscuits.
- The subtle tang and added bonus of sourdough flavor from this homemade pie crust takes the flavor of your pies to the next level.
- This extra flaky pie crust comes together easily with minimal effort and is very beginner friendly.
Sourdough Discard Pie Crust FAQs
Since this sourdough discard pie crust is similar to a standard butter crust but with a little tang, it goes well with all of the classic flavors. Try it with Thanksgiving staples like a homemade pumpkin pie or apple pie, or with summery flavors like lemon pie or blueberry pie. It’s also great with savory pies like chicken pot pie or quiche, just leave out the sugar. For no-bake pies, a cookie crust like my Biscoff pie crust is a better fit.
That’s entirely up to you. You can use a bubbly, active starter in this sourdough discard pie crust, but it will add a bit more of a rise and a slightly different texture.
Definitely! Unbaked sourdough discard pie crust can be made up to 3 days in advance. Keep the wrapped dough in the fridge or freezer, either pressed into the pie pan or as a disc.
Keep leftover sourdough discard pie crust in the pie plate, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days. For longer storage, freeze it. I add a tight layer of aluminum foil over the plastic wrap to help prevent freezer burn. If wrapped well, it should last 2 to 3 months.
Absolutely! Add a touch of lemon zest to sourdough discard pie crust for sweet pies, or fresh thyme or cracked pepper for a savory spin that pairs beautifully with quiche or pot pie.
This buttery sourdough discard pie crust dough is perfect for homemade sourdough pop tarts. It even helps that the recipe already makes a top crust and a bottom crust for you, or try it in mini apple pies baked in a muffin tin.
More Sourdough and Pie Recipes
If you made this sourdough discard pie crust, tell me what pie you filled it with! Leave a ⭐ star rating and a comment below. I love seeing what you bake with your discard!!
Flaky Sourdough Discard Pie Crust Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar omit for savory pies
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 3/4 cup sourdough discard cold
- 2-4 tablespoons ice water as needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your hands to cut the butter into the flour until you get pea-sized crumbles with some larger chunks.1 cup unsalted butter
- Stir in the sourdough discard until evenly distributed. The dough will still be crumbly at this stage.3/4 cup sourdough discard
- Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and mix gently. Continue adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough holds together when pressed. Be careful not to overwork the dough.2-4 tablespoons ice water
- Divide the dough in half, shape it into discs, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1-2 hours or overnight for best results.
- Roll out on a lightly floured surface to fit your pie pan. Use as needed for a single or double crust pie. If making a double-crust pie, return the rolled-out dough to the fridge for 15 minutes before filling and baking.
- Follow your pie recipe’s instructions. For a blind-baked crust, preheat oven to 375°F , dock the crust with a fork, line it with parchment paper and baking weights, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove weights and bake another 5-10 minutes until lightly golden.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This pie crust was so flakey and delicious. It was easy to work with and rolled out beautifully.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m really glad to hear this! Thank you for the nice review 🙂