I perfected a Ridiculously Easy Press-In Tart Crust that I call my Easy Tart Crust, and in under five minutes I reveal the one simple trick that lets you skip the mixer and food processor.

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I love recipes that feel like a tiny kitchen miracle, and this Ridiculously Easy French Press crust is one of those. It’s a press-in tart crust that somehow turns out buttery and crisp every time, even when I’m rushing.

I make it with all-purpose flour and cold unsalted butter, and I’m always surprised how forgiving it is. People call it an Easy Tart Crust and some even swear it’s the Perfect Tart Crust for both sweet and savory fillings.

I messed up the first time, forgot a step, and it still flaked beautifully, so yeah, you should try it.

Ingredients

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All-purpose flour gives structure, carbs and some protein, makes crust chewy yet pleasantly tender inside.
Adds sweetness and browning, mostly simple carbs, skip for savory tarts or reduce.
Tiny bit boosts flavor and balances sweetness, no real nutrition in small amounts.
Cold butter creates flaky layers, mostly fat and calories, it’s what makes pastry rich.
Yolk adds fat, color and richness, helps bind dough and give tender crumb.
Just a splash hydrates flour, controls dough texture, keep everything cold for flakiness.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar, omit for savory tarts

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small-ish cubes

1 large egg yolk

1 to 2 tablespoons ice water, if needed

How to Make this

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1. In a large bowl stir together the all purpose flour, granulated sugar (omit for savory tarts) and fine sea salt until evenly mixed.

2. Add the cold unsalted butter cut into smallish cubes. Use your fingertips, two forks or a pastry cutter to rub or press the butter into the flour until the mix looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits of butter left, work fast so the butter stays cold.

3. Add the single large egg yolk and stir with a fork until the dough starts to come together in clumps. If it still seems too dry add 1 tablespoon ice water and stir, add up to 1 more tablespoon only if needed so it holds when squeezed. Dont overwork it.

4. Dump the mixture into a 9 inch tart pan or pie plate and press evenly into the bottom and up the sides using the back of a measuring cup or your fingers. Patch any thin spots and make the rim a little thicker so it wont tear.

5. Chill the pressed crust in the fridge for at least 15 minutes or pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up, this helps prevent shrinking in the oven.

6. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). For prebaked crusts line the shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans, bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment then bake another 5 to 8 minutes until golden. If your filling is going in raw bake the crust 18 to 22 minutes until golden all over.

7. Let the crust cool before adding fillings. For extra protection from soggy wet fillings brush a thin layer of melted chocolate or a slurry of beaten egg white on the warm crust and let set, this creates a little barrier.

8. Store any leftover crust wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze in the pan for up to 1 month, thaw in the fridge before using.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl — big enough to stir and rub the butter in, dont use something tiny
2. Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale — for the flour sugar salt and butter
3. Pastry cutter or two forks (or your fingers if you gotta) to cut the butter into the flour
4. Knife and cutting board to cube the cold butter
5. Small bowl and a fork for the egg yolk and a quick stir
6. 9 inch tart pan or pie plate to press the dough into
7. Parchment paper plus pie weights or dried beans for blind baking
8. Oven and oven mitts to bake and handle hot pan
9. Pastry brush and plastic wrap or an airtight container for sealing and storing leftovers

FAQ

1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar, omit for savory tarts

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small-ish cubes

1 large egg yolk

1 to 2 tablespoons ice water, if needed

Q: What does "French Press" mean for this recipe? A: Use a coffee French press like a mini food processor. Put flour, sugar, salt and butter cubes in the carafe, press the plunger up and down until the butter is cut into pea-size bits. Then add yolk and pulse a few times. It saves on dishes and works surprisingly well.

Q: Can I use a whole egg instead of just yolk? A: Yes, you can, but the dough will be slightly less tender and may need a tad less water. The yolk makes the crust richer and more tender, so it's the preferred choice.

Q: How do I know when the dough is ready? A: It should look like coarse crumbs that hold together when you squeeze a handful. If it falls apart add 1 teaspoon ice water at a time. Don’t overwork it.

Q: My dough is sticky, what do I do? A: Chill it 10 to 20 minutes in the fridge, or add a little flour to the surface when shaping. If it’s just slightly tacky, flour your hands and press gently instead of rolling too much.

Q: Can I make this savory? A: Absolutely. Skip the sugar, add a pinch more salt, or fold in herbs, grated cheese, or some ground pepper before you press the dough. Works great for quiches and tartlets.

Q: Can I freeze the dough? A: Yes. Wrap tightly and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling or pressing into your pan.

Q: Any tips for using the French press safely and getting a good texture? A: Don’t slam the plunger hard, pump gently so you don’t smash the butter into a paste. Work cold, keep butter cubes small, and clean the press right away so butter won’t stick. If your press is cheap plastic, be gentle so it lasts.

Ridiculously Easy French Press Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Flour: swap in pastry flour or cake flour for a more tender crust, use equal amounts; whole wheat pastry flour gives a nuttier, firmer crumb, replace up to half the AP flour; a gluten free all purpose blend with xanthan works too, you may need a little extra liquid.
Butter: chilled lard or vegetable shortening will give extra flakiness; chilled coconut oil or a plant based stick margarine if you need dairy free, keep it cold and cubed.
Egg yolk: 1 whole egg works fine, just omit about 1 tablespoon of ice water to compensate; 1 tablespoon heavy cream or full fat yogurt adds richness without extra liquid; for a vegan option try 1 tablespoon aquafaba though the dough will be a bit less tender.
Sugar: brown sugar swaps 1 to 1 for deeper flavor; coconut sugar 1 to 1 as a less refined option; liquid sweeteners like honey or maple syrup need less amount and less other liquid so use about 3 quarters of the sugar amount and reduce other liquids, or just omit it for savory tarts.

Pro Tips

1) Keep everything really cold, work fast. Chill the bowl or even the flour for 10 minutes if your kitchen is warm. If the butter starts feeling soft, stop and put the dough in the fridge for a few minutes so you dont end up with a greasy heavy crust.

2) Want faster, less fiddly mixing? Grate frozen butter on a box grater or pulse brief bursts in a food processor until you have pea sized bits. It gives the same flaky pockets without overworking the dough and saves your fingertips.

3) Use the egg yolk, then only add ice water a teaspoon at a time until the dough just holds when squeezed. Dont add more than you need or knead it; overworking makes gluten and that makes the crust tough. Optional trick: replace half the needed ice water with cold vodka for an extra tender crust, it helps stop gluten from forming.

4) Prevent a soggy bottom by chilling the pressed shell well before baking, blind baking with weights when needed, and for extra insurance brush the warm baked shell with a thin coat of melted chocolate or beaten egg white so wet fillings cant seep in. If you see thin spots while pressing, patch them and make the rim slightly thicker so it wont tear when filled.

Ridiculously Easy French Press Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected a Ridiculously Easy Press-In Tart Crust that I call my Easy Tart Crust, and in under five minutes I reveal the one simple trick that lets you skip the mixer and food processor.

Servings

servings

Calories

189

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl — big enough to stir and rub the butter in, dont use something tiny
2. Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale — for the flour sugar salt and butter
3. Pastry cutter or two forks (or your fingers if you gotta) to cut the butter into the flour
4. Knife and cutting board to cube the cold butter
5. Small bowl and a fork for the egg yolk and a quick stir
6. 9 inch tart pan or pie plate to press the dough into
7. Parchment paper plus pie weights or dried beans for blind baking
8. Oven and oven mitts to bake and handle hot pan
9. Pastry brush and plastic wrap or an airtight container for sealing and storing leftovers

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar, omit for savory tarts
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small-ish cubes
1 large egg yolk
1 to 2 tablespoons ice water, if needed

Directions

In a large bowl stir together the all purpose flour, granulated sugar (omit for savory tarts) and fine sea salt until evenly mixed.
Add the cold unsalted butter cut into smallish cubes. Use your fingertips, two forks or a pastry cutter to rub or press the butter into the flour until the mix looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits of butter left, work fast so the butter stays cold.
Add the single large egg yolk and stir with a fork until the dough starts to come together in clumps. If it still seems too dry add 1 tablespoon ice water and stir, add up to 1 more tablespoon only if needed so it holds when squeezed. Dont overwork it.
Dump the mixture into a 9 inch tart pan or pie plate and press evenly into the bottom and up the sides using the back of a measuring cup or your fingers. Patch any thin spots and make the rim a little thicker so it wont tear.
Chill the pressed crust in the fridge for at least 15 minutes or pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up, this helps prevent shrinking in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). For prebaked crusts line the shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans, bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment then bake another 5 to 8 minutes until golden. If your filling is going in raw bake the crust 18 to 22 minutes until golden all over.
Let the crust cool before adding fillings. For extra protection from soggy wet fillings brush a thin layer of melted chocolate or a slurry of beaten egg white on the warm crust and let set, this creates a little barrier.
Store any leftover crust wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze in the pan for up to 1 month, thaw in the fridge before using.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.