Easy Sourdough Discard Pie Crust (Flaky!)

Last Updated on November 30, 2025 by Jamie Saechao

This easy sourdough discard pie crust is the perfect flaky crust for savory or sweet pies. We love simple recipes around here, and this pie dough requires just 4 ingredients: flour, salt, butter, and sourdough discard.  

This is a flaky and tender homemade pie crust that features sourdough discard for a little extra tang!

You do not need a food processor for this recipe, and we walk you through each easy step- ensuring you end up with a perfect crust.  

This recipe is for a double crust pie, which means there will be a crust for the top and bottom of the pie.  Cut the ingredients in half if you only need a bottom crust. 

For more sourdough holiday recipes, try this sourdough stuffing, sourdough bread croutons, and sourdough chocolate cake!

Ingredients

• Cold butter: butter gives this crust it’s flaky layers
• All purpose flour: use organic when possible
• Cold ice water
• Sourdough discard:  We use flat, runny discard for this recipe.  
• Salt: If using salted butter reduce the amount of added salt by half. 

Learn all about making a sourdough starter and how to feed and care for it here.

My daughter is the pie queen around here! She developed this recipe and helped me adapt it to sourdough. I call her the pie queen. 🙂

Tips

• Do not add too much water- stop when all the flour is incorporated
• Blind baking can be done on this pie crust before adding a savory filling.
• .When measuring flour, use the scoop and level method: scoop the flour into the measuring cup, then level off with the back of a knife.
• For best results, use cold ingredients!  Cold butter and ice create that flaky crust we all love.
• This dough is made with a sourdough starter at 100% hydration. You may need to add more or less water to your dough based on the moisture content of your starter.

How To Make Buttery Sourdough Pie Crust

In a large bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Cut up the cold butter into 1/4 inch chunks and add it to the dry ingredients.

Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend the butter into the flour mixture until small pea-size chunks form. Do not overmix.

Pour the sourdough discard into the pie dough, then stir with a fork until just blended.

Add the cold water to the dough 1 tablespoon at a time until all of the flour is incorporated and a rough ball is formed, using your hands to incorporate the dough.

Form the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour and up to 3 days.

When ready to bake, divide the dough into two equal portions with a bench scraper, about 310 grams each.  

How To Roll Pie Dough

Dust your work surface with flour. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out the dough. Start in the center, and rotate the dough as you roll it out into a rough shape of a circle, making sure it is larger than your pie pan by several inches.

If your dough is sticking, add more flour.

Roll the dough until it is about 1/8 of an inch thick. Cover the bottom of the pie dish with dough and cut off excess dough. Use the excess for pie cookies if desired!

Storage

Cover the pie crust with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days before using.  

The dough may be frozen by wrapping the disc in plastic wrap, then placing it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling it out. 

​Uses For Sourdough Pie Crust

This is the perfect double-crust pie recipe for apple pie, cherry pie, and chicken pot pie.  This recipe can be cut in half and used for pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and any other pie that does not need a top crust!

The dough can also be adapted for small fruit pies or hand pies.  

I hope you enjoyed this easy, tender pie crust!  We love how easy this recipe and how simple it is to make- even beginner sourdough baker’s can tackle it!