Slab Pie Crust

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A buttery, made-from-scratch pie crust scaled for a 13x18-inch half sheet pan. This recipe uses cold butter and a food processor, with an overlap technique to cover the full pan. Perfect for large-batch pies, from sweet to savory.

Prep Time30

Cook Time35

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sheet pan pie crust, slab pie crust

Servings: Servings

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

5 cups all-purpose flour 600 grams
1¾ teaspoon salt
1½ cups butter cold and cut into bits, 3 sticks
8-12 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 15 seconds to combine. Add the butter bits and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Sprinkle 4–5 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture and pulse a few times. Add the remaining water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, just until the dough looks crumbly but holds together when squeezed.
Turn the crumbly dough out onto a floured surface, it will still look loose and shaggy, and that’s okay. Gently gather and press it into a rough mound without kneading.
Divide in half, shape each portion into a 5x6-inch rectangle, and wrap tightly in plastic. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to roll the dough, coat a 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet with butter or spray with non-stick oil spray and set close by. Remove both wrapped portions from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften a bit.
On a floured work surface, roll one portion of dough into a 16x11-inch rectangle. Gently roll the dough over your rolling pin and unroll it into the prepared pan so it covers one half of the pan. Ease the dough into the corners, letting it overhang by about 2 inches along the 16-inch side and the upper edge. This overhang will allow for crimping later.
Repeat with the remaining portion of dough, placing it over the uncovered section of the pan so it overlaps the first piece by about ½ inch. Brush the overlap lightly with water and press to seal.
Trim the overhang to 1-inch beyond the edge of the sheet pan. Tuck the overhanging dough under itself with the folded edge resting on the pan. Crimp the dough nicely around the edge of the sheet pan, cover loosely with plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
If using the pastry crust for a baked pie like our Pumpkin Slab Pie the crust is ready to be filled with the pumpkin mixture. See the notes if you want to pre-bake the crust.

Notes

Keep everything cold: Cold butter and ice water are key for flaky layers. Don’t skip the chill times.

The dough will look crumbly: That’s normal. It should hold together when squeezed and will come together fully as you press and shape.

Chill before baking: A final chill after shaping helps the crust hold its shape and resist shrinking.

Make ahead: Wrapped dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Pre-Baking a Slab Pie Crust

Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice to prevent puffing.

For a partially baked crust: Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Carefully lift out the parchment and weights, and let the crust cool on a rack.

For a fully baked crust: Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes with the weights, then remove them and bake for another 15–20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Optional shortcut: You can leave the weights in for the entire baking time, but the crust won’t brown as deeply.

Cool completely before adding any filling.

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