Cream Cheese Pie Crust
I adore this pie crust recipe because it works well with sweet or savory pies. It has never failed me. I'll start with what I don't like about most pie crust recipes. The ones made with all shortening, you can usually tell. They don't have much flavor. Other pie crusts I've had are tough. This is usually because the dough has been worked too much and gluten strands start to develop, like in bread dough. On the other hand, I've had some pies where the crust crumbles to bits as you're transferring a slice of pie to the plate. Flakey, but too crumbly to hold together. Many recipes involve using a food processor, which I don't have. So this pie crust recipe does not use a food processor! Just a trusty old pastry blender or fork will do.
How to make homemade pie crust:
- Begin with cold ingredients. Start with chilled flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl, and add butter and cream cheese (I cut up butter and cream cheese into small pieces beforehand for easier mixing).
- Using a fork or pastry blender, work cream cheese and butter into dry ingredients until there are pea-sized chunks (chunk size is important for flakiness) and the mixture resembles very coarse sand.
- Add cold water and mix until the dough is combined and workable, with a stiff play dough texture.
- Divide into two discs and use immediately or wrap in plastic wrap for a later use.
- Before rolling out, smooth and press the edges of the disc until there are no cracks. This helps prevent any big cracking while rolling out the pie crust.
- Bake according to recipe instructions.
Tips for THE BEST homemade cream cheese pie crust:
- Use COLD butter, COLD cream cheese, and COLD water. The more they melt, the less flaky and tender the dough will be.
- If you're not using a food processor (like me) chill the dry ingredients and mixing bowl in the fridge or freezer for 20 minutes. Cold ingredients are your pie crust friends.
- Don't overwork the dough! Kneading it too much makes it tougher. Combine all ingredients until it's a workable dough, then roll it out or chill for later use.
- Add a teaspoon of spice to the mix to make it extra tasty! I add cinnamon or nutmeg for sweet, and garlic powder or onion powder for savory. Totally optional, totally delicious.
- Blind bake to avoid a soggy bottom pie crust. I will explain all in "How to avoid a soggy bottom pie crust" below. 👇🏻
How to avoid a soggy bottom pie crust:
Blind bake (or pre-bake) your pie crust!- Preheat oven to 400 F
- Line the crust with parchment paper, foil, or I use plastic wrap (I'm a rebel. but it doesn't melt.) and fill with 1.5 to 2 cups dried beans or rice. DO IT. If you try to blind bake without filling it first this crust will puff and melt and won't be useable and you will be sad.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until pie crust is slightly set. It shouldn't be browning at all. Remove dried beans and let cool slightly before filling, then bake according to recipe instructions.
- If you are baking the crust for a raw filling, such as pudding, you will need to bake the crust longer. 20-25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Some crusts are rolled out thinner or thicker than others and may need a less/more time in the oven.
Can I freeze or refrigerate pie dough to bake later?
YES! I do this all the time. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw completely before rolling out. Refrigerate up to 3 days and let rest at room temperature before rolling out so the dough will be easier to work with. This recipe makes enough for two pies, but that's a wonderful thing. For one pie, simply half the recipe. I love to fill this pie with my Homemade Cherry Pie Filling and it turns out perfect every time!
📝 Printable Recipe
Cream Cheese Pie Crust
Cream Cheese Pie Crust. Half cream cheese, half butter, all delicious goodness. Stays flaky and tastes so much better than using all shortening or butter!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- ¾ cup (1.5 sticks) salted butter, cold cut or grated into small pieces
- 6 oz cream cheese, cold cut into small pieces
- ½-3/4 cup cold water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine cold flour, sugar, and optional spices. and Add chilled butter and cream cheese (cut into small pieces beforehand for easier mixing).
- Using a fork or pastry blender, work cream cheese and butter into dry ingredients until there are pea-sized chunks (chunk size is important for flakiness) and the mixture resembles very coarse sand.
- Add cold water ¼ cup at a time and mix until the dough is combined and workable, with a stiff play dough texture. Depending on the temperature of the ingredients, more or less water may be needed. Try not to work dough too much (this makes it tough), just enough to not be crumbly.
- Divide into two discs and use immediately or wrap in plastic wrap for a later use. Before rolling out, smooth and press the edges of the disc until there are no cracks. This helps prevent any big cracking while rolling out the pie crust.
- Roll out dough to about ⅛ inch (¼ cm) thick and transfer to 9 inch pie pan. Trim edges of dough from pan with butter knife and crimp edges by pinching pointer and thumb fingers together into a V shape and pressing dough between them.
If making a cold fruit or pudding pie (fully baked crust):
- Line with parchment paper or foil and fill with 2 cups dried beans, rice, or baking weights. Bake at 400 F for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove parchment paper/foil and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until crust is golden brown. For pies that need to be baked after filling, the second bake will be only 5-10 minutes (i.e. pumpkin pie or quiches).
Notes
Use dough immediately or refrigerate up to 5 days. Rest at room temperature until dough is workable but still cold.
Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature until dough is workable but still cold.
If baking a no bake pie, let crust cool completely before filling. For pies that will go back in the oven (i.e. for quiches or pumpkin pie)the crust can be warm when adding filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 200kcal
Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack
Yvette Nelson says
Is it okay to use a food processor to make this pie crust?
Sara says
Yes, just be careful not to over mix, it’s easy to break up the butter and cream cheese too small with a processor.
Lynne says
My plan is to blind bake this using a tart pan that has 6X6" tarts. Will the fat content of this recipe make a mess using this type of pan? I want to put lemon curd or creme brulee in the tart and a cream cheese crust sounds delicious.
Sara says
I’m afraid I have never used a tart pan for this recipe, so I cannot give an accurate answer. As long as it’s blind baked in a pan with raised edges and with pie weights it’s worked well for me however.
Sandy says
I am in the process of making this crust with the cherry pie filling! Am i to bake the bottom crust a bit before i put the filling in and a lattice top? How long and what temp?
Sara says
Hi Sandy, I only blind bake (baking before filling) the bottom crust if I am making pie with one crust, the directions are in the blog post.
If you are doing a lattice top, bake the pie as normal, making sure to cool the filling completely before putting it in the pie to prevent melting the butter in the dough.
Monika says
Is this enough for a bottom and top or just the bottom?
Thanks
Sara says
Both top and bottom!
Maryann says
Can you use this crust recipe for a pie with a top crust like a chicken pot pie or apple pie? If so, any tips?
Sara says
Yes you can, the recipe makes enough for a top and bottom crust. Just make sure your ingredients are cold, don’t overwork the dough or let it get warm, and put the pie into a fully preheated oven.
Jean says
I find I can make just about everything gluten free as long as I use the 1to1 measure baking flour. Make sure you don't use one with garbanzo bean flour. The bean flour taste will overwhelm baked goods
Terry says
Hi, this sounds really good! I have a question, can it be made with gluten free flour? Thank you.
Sara says
Hi Terry,
I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour, but I’m confident you could make it. You might have to adjust the amount of flour a little to make the consistency right.
Amanda says
As a poor college student it's hard to find recipes that work every time, i can't afford to waste expensive (they're expensive for me ok i have a budget I need to stick to so don't judge me) ingredients like cream cheese and butter on recipes that are finicky and don't work every time. But THIS RECIPE HAS WORKED FOR ME EVERY TIME I"VE TRIED IT!!!! I just need to remember the basic rules of pie making and it my pies always turn out great.
1. keep the edges trimmed
2. keep the crust THIN (like cardboard thin, I keeps the grease drip down to a minimum)
3. bake at a high temp first, and then low.
Sara says
Exactly Amanda! I’m so glad you like the recipe and enjoyed it.
Pat Lang says
I am new to baking. If I use this for apple pie with top crust? I need to know what temperature and how long to bake?
Sara says
Hi Pat! For raw apple pie filling, I would bake at 400 F for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375 F for another 35-40 minutes. I usually cover the top of the pie with tinfoil for the first 20 minutes so the crust doesn’t brown too quickly, then remove the tinfoil when I turn the oven temperature down.
Kyson says
Every time I’ve had this it was perfect. The crust was the perfect texture and tasted much better than regular pie crust that I’ve had. Thank you
Sara says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Kyson. You’re very welcome!
Vicki says
I bake all the time and a cream cheese crust sounded divine , But this is too much cream cheese . The dripping of fat from the cream cheese and the butter started a minor fire in my oven . Hope I can salvage the pies. I also froze the pie for 30 min before baking .
Sara says
Hi Vicki,
I'm sorry that happened! This recipe has been tried and tested by many individuals, who all had positive feedback. Because of the high fat content of the dough like in many pastry recipes, fat dripping can happen and reabsorbs into the crust as it is cooling. Some helpful tips to keep in mind are to make sure that the oven is fully preheated, use pie weights or dried beans to weigh the crust for par baking, trim excess dough so no fat drips into the bottom of the oven, and use cold ingredients along with chilling the dough before baking. I also make sure to use the full amount of flour and good quality full fat cream cheese. Altitude can also have an effect on baking temperature and time needed.
Clarissa says
Hi! How do I bake this if I want it to be the crust for my pumpkin pie?? Like do I still blind bake? Help!!
Sara says
Hi Clarissa! I prefer not to blind bake it for a pumpkin pie to help keep the top of the crust softer, usually blind baking is just for pies that you won’t bake again, such as a banana cream pie. Sometimes people blind bake crust for a pumpkin pie to help the bottom crisp up, but when I’ve done that the top of the crust is very hard.
Clarissa says
Oh thank you!! How do you recommend I bake it with the pumpkin pie filling? This is my first time making my own crust for my homemade pumpkin pie!
Sara says
You’re welcome! I also have a pumpkin pie recipe with instructions for baking. There is the option to blind bake using this recipe, just make sure if you do to cover the edges of the crust with foil prevent over baking.
https://eatdessertsnack.com/best-pumpkin-pie-recipe/