Learn how to make homemade sweet shortcrust pastry with just 4 basic ingredients and 5 minutes prep time... our step by step instructions couldn't be any easier!
All you need is flour, sugar, butter and water - the perfect pastry recipe for your favourite sweet pies, tarts and desserts!
Take your desserts to a delicious new level with our homemade sweet shortcrust pastry recipe. It's so simple to make and is perfect for apple pie, lemon meringue pie, pecan pie and more! Flaky, melt-in-your mouth pastry has never been easier.
Why You're Going To Love This Shortcrust Pastry
What's not to love about this versatile, buttery, melt in your mouth pastry....
- It's homemade - and homemade pastry always tastes much better than store-bought pastry.
- It's simple - only 4 basic ingredients - flour, sugar, butter and water, that's it!
- Much cheaper than store bought - and lets face it, we're all watching costs at the moment.
- Can be frozen for when you need it - wrap a ball of uncooked shortcrust pastry in plastic wrap, and pop in the freezer for up to one month. Just allow it to thaw and it's ready to use whenever you need it.
- Conventional and Thermomix - both simple methods for sweet shortcrust pastry are written in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What You Need
Making your own pastry is a very budget friendly option, using only a couple of common baking ingredients.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!
- Plain flour - also known as all purpose flour.
- Caster sugar - sometimes called superfine sugar.
- Butter - it's important that it's cold! Either salted or unsalted is fine to use.
- Iced water (see Tips below).
And that's it!!
Equipment Required
You can mix this dough by hand, however it's much, much easier using a food processor or Thermomix!
To make this simple pastry you will need the following:
- Mixing bowl
- Food processor or Thermomix (optional)
- Rolling pin
- Pie tin/tart tin - preferably with a removable bottom, but not essential.
Step By Step Instructions
It's incredibly easy to make sweet shortcrust pastry using either a food processor or a Thermomix as they do all the hard work!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!
Step 1 - Process The Dry Ingredients
Place the flour, sugar and (cold) butter into a food processor and process it until it resembles fine breadcrumbs (medium to high speed).
Mix by using your fingertips if you don't have a food processor.
Step 2 - Add Water
Add the iced water and mix on low to medium speed until a dough forms (add a little extra iced water if the mixture is too crumbly).
Step 3 - Knead Pastry
Knead the dough into a ball on a lightly floured board.
Wrap in plastic wrap and place it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Step 4 - Roll Out The Dough
When you're ready to use your dough, roll it out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin until it is about 3mm thick.
Note: If you're making a pie or dessert that has both a pastry bottom and top, then it's easier to divide your dough into 2 pieces and roll each piece out separately.
Step 5 - Bake
Gently drape the rolled out shortcrust pastry base over the tart tin, allowing the edges to overhang. Trim the overhanging edges once the dough is pressed in to the pie tin.
Bake the pastry in an oven preheated to 180 degrees celsius (fan forced) for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
NOTE: If you're not adding the pie/dessert filling immediately, then blind bake the sweet shortcrust pastry base. See Notes on Blind Baking below.
Expert Tips
- Use full fat butter that is very cold. Chilled butter will stop the pastry from becoming greasy.
- For savoury shortcrust pastry, simply omit the sugar (there's no need to replace it with anything).
- Try to keep all of your ingredients cold during the entire preparation process. Keep the butter chilled until you're ready to use it. Add ice to water to chill it even further.
- Chill the dough before using it - this allows the butter to harden which results in perfectly flaky, melt-in-your-mouth pastry.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and leave it for 5-10 minutes before rolling it out (this will stop the edges of the pastry from cracking when you roll it out).
- Add a little flour to your rolling pin and board when rolling out the dough to stop it from sticking.
- Roll the pastry out about 3mm thick, and 4cm (1.5 inches) wider than the tart tin you’re lining, or even larger if the tin is deep sided.
- Drape the pastry over your rolling pin to lift and help you position it over the tin.
- Uncooked sweet shortcrust pastry can be frozen - just wrap a ball of dough in plastic wrap and pop in the freezer for up to one month. Allow to thaw and it's ready to use!
How To Blind Bake Pastry
Blind baking is the process of par-cooking the base of the pastry before adding filling and continuing to cook. Blind baking keeps the pastry in shape when filling is added, stops the pastry from going soggy, and results in the BEST flaky buttery pastry.
- Roll the chilled dough out and press into the baking tin.
- Press a piece of baking paper (greaseproof paper) onto the top of the pastry.
- Fill the base and sides with special ceramic baking beads (can be purchased from supermarkets or kitchenware stores). If you don't have baking weights, you can use uncooked rice or lentils instead.
- Blind bake the pastry for about 10 minutes then remove the weights and parchment paper and continue to bake for a further 10 minutes or until the base is firm and lightly golden.
- Once the base is blind baked, you can add the filling and top pastry (if covering your pie) when you're ready. Then bake until the filling is cooked and the top pastry is golden.
Related Recipes
Once you've made your own sweet shortcrust pastry, you'll never be able to go back to store-bought pastry again! Here's a few of my favourite scrumptious recipes for using homemade shortcrust.
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How To Make Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
Ingredients
- 300 g (2 cups) plain flour
- 3 tbs caster sugar superfine sugar
- 150 g butter cold and chopped
- 2-3 tbs icy cold water see notes
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Place the flour, sugar and butter into a food processor and process it until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Slowly adding the iced water until a smooth dough forms (add a little extra iced water if the mixture is too crumbly).
- Knead the dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and place it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- When you're ready to use your dough, roll it out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin until it is 3mm thick.
- If you're making a pie or dessert that has both a pastry bottom and top, it's best to divide your dough into 2 and roll them out separately.
- Bake the pastry in an oven preheated to 180 degrees celsius for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp.
- Please note that if you're not adding the pie/dessert filling immediately, place a sheet of baking paper over the bottom of the pastry and fill with baking weights or rice (uncooked) before placing into the oven. Remove the paper and weights halfway through the baking time.
Thermomix Method
- Place the flour, sugar and butter into the TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 6 (or until it resembles fine breadcrumbs).
- Add the iced water and knead for 1 minute on Interval speed, or until the dough comes together (add a little extra iced water if the mixture is too crumbly).
- Knead the dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and place it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- When you're ready to use your dough, roll it out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin until it is 3mm thick.
- If you're making a pie or dessert that has both a pastry bottom and top, it's best to divide your dough into 2 and roll them out separately.
- Bake the pastry in an oven preheated to 180 degrees celsius for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp.
- Please note that if you're not adding the pie/dessert filling immediately, place a sheet of baking paper over the bottom of the pastry and fill with baking weights or rice (uncooked) before placing into the oven. Remove the paper and weights halfway through the baking time.
Notes
- Use full fat butter that is very cold. Chilled butter will stop the pastry from becoming greasy.
- For savoury shortcrust pastry, simply omit the sugar (there's no need to replace it with anything).
- Try to keep all of your ingredients cold during the entire preparation process. Keep the butter chilled until you're ready to use it. Add ice to water to chill it even further.
- Chill the dough before using it - this allows the butter to become firm again.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and leave it for 5-10 minutes before rolling it out (this will stop the edges of the pastry from cracking when you roll it out).
- Add a little flour to your rolling pin and board when rolling out the dough (to stop it from sticking).
- Roll the pastry out about 3mm thick, and 4cm (1.5 inches) wider than the tart tin you’re lining, or even larger if the tin is deep sided.
- Drape the pastry over the rolling pin to lift and help you position it over the tin.
- If you're not adding the pie/dessert filling immediately, then blind bake the shortcrust pastry base.
- Uncooked sweet shortcrust pastry can be frozen - just wrap a ball of dough in plastic wrap and pop in the freezer for up to one month. Allow to thaw and it's ready to use!
- Blind baking is the process of par-cooking pastry before adding filling and continuing to cook. This keeps the pastry in shape when filling is added, stops the pastry from going soggy.
- To blind bake - roll the chilled dough out and press into the baking tin. Press a piece of baking paper (greaseproof paper) onto the top of the pastry. Fill the base and sides with ceramic baking beads (can be purchased from supermarkets or kitchenware stores). If you don’t have baking weights, you can use uncooked rice or lentils instead.
- Blind bake the pastry for about 10-15 minutes then remove the weights and parchment paper and continue to bake until base is firm and lightly golden.
- When ready to fill the pie base, add the filling and top pastry (if covering your pie) and bake until the filling is cooked and the top pastry is golden.
jodie
Should I do a double quantity if making a pie that has a top and bottom?
Lucy
Hi Jodie, if you're happy with a thin base and top, then this quantity will be sufficient. If you'd like it thicker, then I'd make 1.5 X the recipe.
Emanuel
tried it today,without sugar,for meat pies...it's sure a classic...thanks for the recipe.
The first time that I logged in your page, and surely I'm going to follow your recipes.
Lucy
That has made my day! Thank you so much!
Rae Winter
I had never tackled gluten free pastry before - so did a lot of searching before I came up with yours, which I decided to try. Much easier than I anticipated- a great looking batch of mince pies produced for gluten free daughter many thanks.
Lucy
Fantastic!
Maddie
How far in advance can I make this?
Lucy
You can keep the pastry wrapped in cling wrap in the fridge for 1-2 days (for longer storage, wrap and freeze).