Martha Stewart Pâte Brisée Recipe

By anabelle

Fact checked by Edward Harrington

Updated October 29, 2026

Martha Stewart pâte brisée is a classic all-butter French pastry dough that bakes into a tender, flaky crust with a rich, buttery flavor and a clean, crisp snap. The texture is light and layered rather than crumbly, and it holds its shape well under juicy fillings. This version is inspired by Martha Stewart’s timeless approach to home baking, and it comes together quickly in a food processor with just five ingredients. If you have ever bought a frozen pie crust out of habit, this dough is the reason to stop.

Total time is 75 minutes, and most of that is hands-off chilling, so the active work is only about 15 minutes. It suits a weeknight when you want a quick quiche, a holiday pie table, or a potluck where a homemade tart earns compliments. The dough is forgiving and easy to work with, even if you are new to pastry.

Why This Martha Stewart Pâte Brisée Works

The key is temperature and restraint. Cold butter cut into small cubes stays in visible flecks after pulsing, and those flecks melt in the oven to create steam and lift the layers. Stopping the processor while the mixture still looks like coarse meal with pea-sized pieces is what separates flaky dough from a sandy one.

Ice water is added gradually so you never overshoot. The dough should just hold together when you squeeze a handful, no more. Chilling the disks firm the butter again and relaxes the gluten, so the crust rolls out without fighting back or shrinking in the pan.

What You’ll Love About It

• Five ingredients — flour, sugar, salt, butter, and water are all you need.
• Food processor fast — the dough comes together in about 15 minutes.
• Make-ahead friendly — chill it for two days or freeze it for months.
• Versatile base — it works for pies, tarts, and quiches alike.

Ingredients

Use unsalted butter so you control the salt, and keep everything cold before you start.

• 2 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon (4g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
• 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter — cold, cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) cubes
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60-120ml) ice water — add gradually, you may not need it all

Equipment

• Food processor — fitted with the metal blade.
• Measuring cups — dry and liquid sets.
• Plastic wrap — for wrapping the dough disks.
• Rolling pin — a lightly floured one works best.
• 9-inch (23cm) pie pan — or a tart pan of the same size.

How to Make Martha Stewart Pâte Brisée

Step 1: Pulse the Dry Ingredients and Butter

Combine 2 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon (4g) granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse a few times to blend, then add 1 cup (227g) cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining, about 8 to 10 pulses. Don’t overprocess here, or you will lose the visible butter flecks that make the crust flaky.

Step 2: Drizzle in the Ice Water

With the processor running, drizzle 1/4 cup (60ml) ice water through the feed tube and pulse just until the dough begins to hold together when squeezed. If it still looks crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition. Stop as soon as it comes together; too much water makes the dough sticky and tough.

Step 3: Shape and Chill the Dough

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it in half. Shape each half into a flat disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Chilling relaxes the gluten and firms the butter, which makes the dough easier to roll and less likely to shrink.

Step 4: Roll Out the Crust

When ready to use, let one disk stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to soften slightly. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch (30cm) round, about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick, for a 9-inch (23cm) pie or tart pan. Dust the work surface and rolling pin with flour as needed, and rotate the dough a quarter turn after every few rolls to prevent sticking; if it cracks, press it back together with your fingertips.

What to Serve With It

• Classic quiche — a custardy quiche Lorraine-style filling sets beautifully in this crust.
• Fresh fruit tart — fill the baked shell with pastry cream and berries.
• Apple pie — use two disks for a double-crust pie with cinnamon-spiced apples.
• Coffee or tea — a hot cup rounds out a slice of tart or pie.

Tips for the Best Results

Keep the butter and water as cold as possible, and chill the dough disks thoroughly before rolling; warm dough tears and shrinks. Handle the dough lightly and patch any cracks with your fingertips rather than kneading. If your kitchen runs warm, chill the rolled crust in the pan for 15 minutes before baking.

Easy Variations

• Sweeter dessert dough — bump the sugar to 2 tablespoons (25g) for tarts.
• Savory herb crust — add 1 teaspoon dried thyme to the flour mixture.
• Whole wheat blend — swap 1/2 cup (63g) of the flour for whole wheat flour.
• Citrus note — add 1 teaspoon lemon zest with the dry ingredients.

Storing and Reheating

Wrap the dough disks tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before using. Once baked, a blind-baked crust keeps loosely covered at room temperature for a day; reheat it in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 5 minutes to crisp it back up.

Nutrition (per serving)

These values are estimates per serving, based on 16 servings.

FAQs

Can I make this Martha Stewart pâte brisée recipe ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out.

Can I make it without a food processor?

You can cut the cold butter into the flour with a pastry blender or two knives until you get coarse meal with pea-sized pieces. Then stir in the ice water gradually with a fork until the dough just holds together.

How do I know when the crust is fully baked?

For a fully baked crust, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C), line the chilled crust with parchment and pie weights, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake 10 to 15 minutes more until golden; for a partially baked crust, bake 15 minutes with weights, then 5 minutes more.

Where did pâte brisée come from?

Pâte brisée is a foundational French pastry dough whose name means “broken dough,” referring to the butter being cut into the flour rather than creamed. It became a standard in French home kitchens for tarts and quiches and remains a basic building block in pastry making today.

Martha Stewart-Inspired Pâte Brisée

Print Recipe

A classic French-style all-butter pastry dough that bakes into a tender, flaky crust, inspired by Martha Stewart’s timeless approach to home baking. It comes together quickly in a food processor and is ideal for pies, tarts, and quiches. The dough is rich, buttery, and easy to work with.

• Author: Anabelle Mclean
• Prep Time: 15
• Total Time: 75
• Yield: 16 1x
• Category: Baking
• Method: No-Bake
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon (4g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
• 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) cubes
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60-120ml) ice water

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse a few times to blend. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining, about 8 to 10 pulses. Do not overprocess; visible butter flecks are key to a flaky texture.
2. With the processor running, drizzle in 1/4 cup (60ml) ice water through the feed tube and pulse just until the dough begins to hold together when squeezed. If it remains crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition. Avoid adding too much water, which makes the dough sticky and tough.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it in half. Shape each half into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Chilling relaxes the gluten and firms the butter, making the dough easier to roll and less likely to shrink.
4. When ready to use, let one disk stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to soften slightly. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch (30cm) round, about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick, for a 9-inch (23cm) pie or tart pan. To prevent sticking, dust the work surface and rolling pin with flour as needed, and rotate the dough a quarter turn after every few rolls. If the dough cracks, press it back together with your fingertips.

Notes

The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using. For a fully baked crust, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C), line the chilled crust with parchment and fill with pie weights, bake for 20 minutes, remove weights and parchment, and bake 10 to 15 minutes more until golden. For a partially baked crust, bake for 15 minutes with weights, then remove weights and bake 5 minutes more. Let cool completely before filling. This recipe makes enough dough for two 9-inch (23cm) single-crust pies or one double-crust pie.

Nutrition

• Calories: 160
• Sugar: 0.3g
• Sodium: 122mg
• Saturated Fat: 7.3g
• Carbohydrates: 12.8g
• Fiber: 0.4g
• Protein: 1.7g
• Cholesterol: 31mg

Keywords: pâte brisée, Martha Stewart pâte brisée, all-butter pie crust, French tart dough, flaky pastry crust, homemade pie dough, easy pie crust, food processor pie crust, butter pastry, tart shell