Easy to Make Sourdough Pie Crust with Discard
Discover how to make a delicious sourdough pie crust using your sourdough discard! This easy-to-make recipe enhances both sweet and savory pies.
Sourdough has gained immense popularity in recent years. Many home bakers are drawn to it because of its unique flavor and the benefits of the slow fermentation process.
What about you? Have you recently jumped on the sourdough train? If not, it’s time and you can find my free guide for establishing a sourdough starter here. If you already have an active sourdough starter, chances are you’ve fallen in love with sourdough discard and its usefulness in any number of recipes.
What is Sourdough Discard?
Sourdough discard refers to the portion of sourdough starter that is removed before feeding it with fresh flour and water. This process is essential to maintain a healthy starter and prevent it from growing too large.
While many home bakers find themselves tossing this leftover starter, it can be a valuable ingredient in various recipes, adding unique flavor and texture. I always keep a labeled jar of sourdough discard in my refrigerator.
What Are the Benefits of Sourdough Discard?
One of the best things about using sourdough discard is the flavor it brings. Because it’s fermented, the discard has a tangy, slightly nutty taste that can really enhance your baked goods. This extra flavor can make a big difference, turning a simple recipe into something special.
Using sourdough discard also improves the texture. The natural acidity helps make baked goods softer and more tender. This is especially helpful in recipes like pie crusts, where you want a flaky crust and light texture.
Using Sourdough Discard in Sweet and Savory Pies
Using sourdough discard in pie crusts offers several benefits including:
- Enhanced flavor: Adding even just a small amount of discard gives a depth of flavor to sweet fillings as well as savory like quiches and pot pies.
- Improved Texture: The acidity in discard helps to break down the proteins in the flour and gives a flaky, tender pie crust.
- Increased Nutritional Value: There are beneficial probiotics and nutrients from the fermentation process and therefore makes the pie dough more nutritional.
Ingredients Needed for a Sourdough Pie Crust
Homemade pie crusts are remarkably simple, requiring just a few basic ingredients that most people already have in their kitchens. Typically, you’ll need flour, fat (such as butter), salt, and water. In this recipe we will add sourdough discard as well.
For this recipe, we will use:
- 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 sticks of cold butter
- 3/4 of a cup of sourdough discard
- 1 Tablespoon ice water
- 1 Tablespoon sugar* (optional for sweet filling pies)
This pie recipe will make 2 single crust pies or 1 double crust pie.
Equipment Needed
It’s likely you have everything you need to make a homemade pie crust. Using food processor can significantly speed up the process of making pie crust. It’s an easy way to save time. However, there’s no need to make a purchase just for this recipe. A pastry cutter will work just as well, you’ll just need a little more muscle to manually cut the butter into the flour mixture.
Additionally, pie weights are not necessary. I typically use dried beans to weigh down the dough if I’m pre-baking the bottom crust. Using things you already have is a great way to save money.
- Food Processor or pastry blender
- Rolling pin
- Pie dish or pie plate
- Plastic wrap
- Pie weights or dried beans
How to Make a Pie Crust Using Sourdough
Prepare the Dough:
Begin cutting the butter into cubes or use a cheese grater to grate the cold butter into a medium-sized bowl. Using very cold butter will make this task much easier.
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Once the butter has been shredded or cubed, add flour, salt, and butter pieces to a food processor. Pulse until the dough becomes crumbly.
*If you are making a sweet filling pie, you can add 1 Tablespoon of sugar into the food processor as well.
Then add sourdough discard and pulse until the dough comes together. If you see that the dough is too dry, add 1 Tablespoon of cold water and pulse.
Chill the Dough:
Now that your dough has come together, remove it from the food processor, divide it in half, shape it into a disk, and wrap both halves in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
Roll Out the Dough:
When you’re ready to use your pie dough, remove it from the fridge. Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough onto a lightly floured work surface to fit the size of your pie dish. Depending on how long it’s been refrigerated your dough may be too hard to work. If so, allow it to sit out until it’s soft enough to work with.
How to Bake A Homemade Pie Crust
Pre-bake or Fill and Bake:
Now that you’re pie crust is ready to bake, there are 2 options; pre-bake for a custard or cream-filled pie OR fill and bake.
To pre-bake your pie crust, preheat your oven to 375°F and place the pie crust in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This helps to prevent shrinking during baking.
Line the crust with parchment paper and fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans to keep it from puffing up. Place the pie crust in the preheated oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Carefully remove the pie weights and parchment paper.
Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the bottom is golden and cooked through. If the crust bubbles, gently press down with the back of a spoon.
Remove the pie crust from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack before adding your desired filling.
To fill and bake, simply fill your pie with the desired filling and bake. Baking times and temperature will vary depending on the filling. In general, 375°F is a good baking temperature and baking times are approximately 45-60 minutes.
How to Store and Freeze Pie Crust
You can store an unbaked pie crust in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Just be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
If you want to save time around the holidays and make a pie crust ahead of time, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Make sure to wrap each disk of dough individually in plastic wrap. I like to double-wrap and place the dough in a freezer bag. This will help prevent freezer burn.
Tips for Success
It’s important to use ice-cold water and butter for this recipe. This will ensure that the butter stays in tiny pieces and will create a flaky, tender, and buttery sourdough pie crust.
I should also note that the sourdough starter used in this recipe is a 100% hydration starter. That means that the starter was fed with equal parts flour and water.
Please note that I do make a small commission from affiliate links. However, I only share links for items I use and love.
Additional Recipes
This sourdough discard pie crust can be used in any pie recipe. It’s buttery, flaky, and downright delicious. You can even use this sourdough pie crust recipe for homemade pop-tarts or galettes!
A few of our favorite pies to make are:
- Apple Pie
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Hand Pies
Ready to elevate your baking game? Try our easy sourdough pie crust recipe and make the most of your sourdough discard! Don’t forget to share your creations and favorite fillings in the comments below. Happy baking!
Sourdough Pie Crust Using Discard
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 sticks of cold butter
- 3/4 of a cup of sourdough discard
- 1 Tablespoon ice water
- 1 Tablespoon sugar* optional for sweet filling pies
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
- Begin cutting the butter into cubes or use a cheese grater to grate the cold butter into a medium sized bowl. Using very cold butter will make this task much easier.
- Once the butter has been shredded or cubed, add flour, salt, and butter pieces to a food processor. Pulse until the dough becomes crumbly.
- *If you are making a sweet filling pie, you can add 1 Tablespoon of sugar into the food processor as well.
- Then add sourdough discard and pulse until the dough comes together. If you see that the dough is too dry, add 1 Tablespoon of cold water and pulse.
Chill the Dough:
- Now that your dough has come together, remove it from the food processor, divide it in half, shape it into a disk, and wrap both halves in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
Roll Out the Dough:
- When you’re ready to use your pie dough, remove it from the fridge. Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough onto a lightly floured work surface? to fit the size of your pie dish. Depending on how long it’s been refrigerated your dough may be too hard to work. If so, allow it to sit out until it’s soft enough to work with.
Pre-bake or Fill and Bake:
- Now that you’re pie crust is ready to bake, there are 2 options; pre-bake for a custard or cream filled pie OR fill and bake.
- To pre-bake your pie crust, preheat your oven to 375°F and place the pie crust in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This helps to prevent shrinking during baking.
- Line the crust with parchment paper and fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans to keep it from puffing up. Place the pie crust in the preheated oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Carefully remove the pie weights and parchment paper.
- Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the bottom is golden and cooked through. If the crust bubbles, gently press down with the back of a spoon.
- Remove the pie crust from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack before adding your desired filling.
- To fill and bake, simply fill your pie with the desired filling and bake. Baking times and temperature will vary depending on the filling. In general, 375°F is a good baking temperature and baking times are approximately 45-60 minutes.
