How to Make Pie Crust, in Pictures

POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Have a hankering for cherry pie, but find yourself intimidated by the process of making crust from scratch? Look no further! Not only do we have a near-foolproof pie crust recipe to share, but we've broken the procedure down into a few simple steps sure to elucidate the process for visual learners. So stop fretting (it's easy, we swear!) and start baking.

Measure Out the Dry Ingredients
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Measure Out the Dry Ingredients

Measure out the dry ingredients, preferably using a scale. Pictured: 12 1/2 ounces (or two and a half cups) all-purpose flour.

Combine the Dry Ingredients
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Combine the Dry Ingredients

Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

Cube the Butter
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Cube the Butter

Cube the butter. If it softens considerably during the process, don't fret. Simply corral the cubes into a bowl and chill it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes or until firm.

Cut the Butter into the Flour Mixture
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Cut the Butter into the Flour Mixture

Cut the cubed butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, rocking the blender back and forth. Alternatively, rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips.

Work Until You See Coarse Dough Clumps
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Work Until You See Coarse Dough Clumps

Keep working the butter into the dough until the largest pieces of butter are between the diameter of a dime and a nickel or as pictured.

Add the Water and Mix
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Add the Water and Mix

Add the water and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dough begins to stick to itself in large clumps.

Knead the Dough
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Knead the Dough

Knead the shaggy dough a few times (ideally less than 10 times), until it forms a cohesive mass. Shape the dough into a ball.

Wrap and Chill the Dough
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Wrap and Chill the Dough

Cut the dough in half and flatten each half into a rough disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour or up to three days. If you're not planning to use the dough in that time frame, simply move the wrapped dough disks into a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and freeze for use at a later date.

Dust a Clean Surface with Flour
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Dust a Clean Surface with Flour

Sprinkle flour on a clean flat surface (either a cutting board or a clean countertop). Place the dough disk on the floured surface and sprinkle both sides with a generous dusting of flour. Dust the rolling pin with flour as well.

Roll Out the Dough
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Roll Out the Dough

Roll out the dough, periodically lifting and turning the dough mass, and adding flour as necessary, to ensure that you're left with a roughly circular shape.

Transport the Dough to the Pie Plate
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Transport the Dough to the Pie Plate

Loosely wrap the rolled-out dough around a rolling pin for easy transport from the countertop to the pie plate.