This Sourdough Discard Pie Crust is beautifully flaky with a subtle sourdough flavor. Made by hand, it's an easy, all-butter pie crust recipe that requires no special equipment and is perfect for both savory and sweet pies, galettes, and more.

Sourdough pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate with a decorative edge.

Homemade pie is one of my favorite desserts to make, especially during holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. It always stands out on the dessert table and gets guests excited to dig in.

While I've traditionally used a simple all-butter pie crust for my pies, I’ve recently started adding sourdough discard to my recipe for a fun twist.

The discard adds a subtle tangy flavor that complements both sweet and savory dishes. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to use up excess sourdough discard and reduce waste.

This sourdough discard pie crust recipe is easy to make and turns out perfectly flaky every time. It's great for making my sourdough apple pie and Dutch oven chicken pot pie. It’s also perfect for galettes, hand pies, pop tarts, and more.

I can't wait for you to try it this holiday season. I hope you love it as much as I do!

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Ingredients & Substitutions

Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

Sourdough Discard- Adds a nice tangy flavor to your pie crust. The older your sourdough starter discard is, the stronger that flavor will be.
All-Purpose Flour- Creates a pie crust with a tender, delicate texture. You can also use pastry flour or replace a bit of it with whole wheat flour, but be ready to add a little more water if you do.
Butter- Keep your butter as cold as possible before adding it to the dough. This helps create flaky layers, so you want to avoid melting it until baking time.
Kosher Salt- Enhances the flavor of your dough. If you're using table salt, use half the amount!
Granulated Sugar- A little sugar balances the flavor without making it sweet. If you’re making a savory pie, feel free to skip the sugar.
Ice Water- Using ice water keeps the butter cold, and mixing the sourdough discard with it helps everything blend together more easily.

The ingredients to make sourdough pie crust. Each ingredient is labeled with text. They include ice water, kosher salt, all-purpose flour, sourdough discard, butter, and sugar.

Tips for Success

Keep ingredients cold. To get the flakiest sourdough pie crust, keep all your ingredients as cold as possible until you're ready to bake.
Measure ingredients accurately. For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients in grams.
Avoid overworking the dough. Mix the ingredients just until combined. Overworking the dough can lead to a tough crust instead of a tender one.
Use plastic wrap. Use a piece of plastic wrap and a rolling pin to press the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. This way, you won't have to touch it with your warm hands.
Let it rest. After mixing, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to hydrate the flour and relax the gluten. After fitting it into the pie pan, let it rest for another 10-15 minutes in the freezer to prevent shrinking.
Make ahead. You can prepare this sourdough pie crust up to 3 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

How to Make Sourdough Pie Crust

Here is how to make sourdough discard pie crust.

Step 1: Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.

Flour, kosher salt, and sugar mixed together in a bowl.

Step 2: Cut in the butter. Add the cold butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Use your fingertips, a pastry cutter, or a fork to blend the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand, with some larger butter pieces still visible. It should be crumbly but hold together slightly when pressed.

Cold butter cut into the flour mixture in a bowl.

A hand showing how the butter and flour mixture should hold together lightly when pressed.

Step 3: Add remaining ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard and 3 tablespoons of ice water. Gently stir this mixture into the butter-flour until most of the flour is moistened, being careful not to overwork the dough. If the dough seems dry, add up to 1 more tablespoon of ice water, adding it ½ tablespoon at a time.

Ice water and sourdough discard added to the butter and flour mixture.

A hand showing the texture of the pie dough after the water and sourdough discard are mixed in.

Step 4: Divide dough. Lay two sheets of plastic wrap on a clean work surface. Transfer half of the dough onto each sheet. Use the plastic wrap to gently press each piece together, then wrap them up. Use a rolling pin to flatten each wrapped piece into a 1-inch thick rectangle.

The pie dough dumped out onto a piece of plastic wrap.

The sourdough pie dough shaped into a rectangle using the plastic wrap and a rolling pin.

Step 5: Rest the dough. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes before using it for your recipe. This resting period allows the flour to fully hydrate, improving the texture and making it easier to work with. Use the dough as desired.

The finished sourdough pie crust before resting in the refrigerator.

How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust

Blind baking is a method used to fully or partially bake a pie dough before you add filling. It's quite simple, as long as you keep a few things in mind. Here are the steps I use to par-bake pie crust:

Step 1: Chill the dough. After rolling out the pie dough and placing it in the pie plate, refrigerate it for 30 minutes. This helps prevent the edges from shrinking during baking.
Step 2: Weigh down the dough. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the chilled dough with parchment paper, then fill it with pie weights, dry beans, or uncooked rice.
Step 3: Bake the dough. Bake the crust with the weights for about 15 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Carefully remove the parchment paper and weights.
Step 4: Dock the pie crust. Use a fork to poke holes across the bottom of the crust. Bake for an additional 7-8 minutes for a partially baked crust, or about 15 minutes for a fully baked one.

How to Store

Store your prepared pie dough wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If you need to keep it longer, place the wrapped dough in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months.

Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator or let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Sourdough discard pie dough pressed into a 9-inch pie plate.

Using Your Sourdough Discard Pie Crust

Sourdough pie crust is perfect for a variety of recipes, such as a classic sourdough apple pie, comforting Dutch oven chicken pot pie, or a festive pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.

You can also use it to create delicious galettes, pop tarts, hand pies, and so much more!

A cover of a recipe ebook with the title "Everyday Sourdough: 27 Sweet & Savory Sourdough Discard Recipes." There is an image of sourdough discard cinnamon rolls on the front. At the bottom, it reads "By Ashley Petrie of Everyday Homemade."

Grab a copy today!

Are you tired of watching your sourdough discard go to waste?

It’s time to turn excess discard into something delicious with my new ebook - Everyday Sourdough!

Inside, you’ll find 27 tried-and-true sourdough discard recipes that will transform your leftover starter into mouthwatering creations your family and friends will love.

No more guilt about wasting your discard - with Everyday Sourdough, you have endless options to quickly make something amazing anytime.

Let's Connect!

Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions. You can also connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or via email at [email protected].

More Sourdough Discard Recipes

📖 Recipe

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Sourdough Discard Pie Crust

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 0

Rest Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings 9-inch pie crusts

Calories 1523kcal

Author Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN

Equipment

Wooden rolling pin
Pastry cutter (optional)

Ingredients

2 ¾ cups (330 grams) all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar optional for savory pies
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 226 grams) unsalted butter cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup (100 grams) sourdough starter discard
3-4 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
2 ¾ cups (330 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar
Add the cold butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Use your fingertips, a pastry cutter, or a fork to blend the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand, with some larger butter pieces still visible. It should be crumbly but hold together slightly when pressed.
1 cup (2 sticks or 226 grams) unsalted butter
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard and 3 tablespoons of ice water. Gently stir this mixture into the butter-flour until most of the flour is moistened, being careful not to overwork the dough. If the dough seems dry, add up to 1 more tablespoon of ice water, adding it ½ tablespoon at a time.
½ cup (100 grams) sourdough starter discard, 3-4 tablespoons ice water
Lay two sheets of plastic wrap on a clean work surface. Transfer half of the dough onto each sheet. Use the plastic wrap to gently press each piece together, then wrap them up. Use a rolling pin to flatten each wrapped piece into a 1-inch thick rectangle.
Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes before using it for your recipe. This resting period allows the flour to fully hydrate, improving the texture and making it easier to work with.
Use the dough as desired, following the cooking instructions for your chosen recipe.

Notes

Storage: Store pie dough wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Did you try this recipe?Let me know! Comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram @everydayhomemadebyashley.