Egg-Free Yeast Dough for Pie
Universal, airy, enriched - great for any baking. Egg-free yeast dough for pie is made with a sponge (starter) and works for both sweet and savory fillings. Bakes up light, fluffy, with a springy crumb.
Updated : 16 March, 2026
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
300 grams
Wheat flour
250 milliliters
Milk
1.5 teaspoon
Dry yeast
50 grams
Butter
1 tablespoon
Sugar
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you knead egg-free pie dough? Prepare all the ingredients. Take the butter out of the fridge in advance. First, make the sponge: warm the milk to about 40°C / 104°F. It should be warm but not hot, otherwise the yeast will die. Add all the sugar and the fast-acting dry yeast, stir, and leave for 10-15 minutes.
Step 2
During this time, the yeast should form a thick foamy cap on the surface of the milk. If no foam appears, the yeast is dead and the dough won’t rise. In that case, you’ll need to make the sponge again - possibly using yeast from a different batch.
Step 3
Pour the risen sponge into a larger bowl. Add salt and the softened room-temperature butter.
Step 4
Whisk to help the butter disperse a bit.
Step 5
Sift in a little more than half of the flour and mix the dough.
Step 6
If the dough is too runny and sticks strongly to your hands, gradually sift in more flour, kneading thoroughly, until the dough becomes smooth and uniform. By hand, dough is typically kneaded for at least 15 minutes, until the flour releases its gluten. An electric mixer or other kitchen helper will do it much faster.
Step 7
You may need a little less or a little more flour. But don’t overdo it: too much flour makes baked goods tough. Once the dough stops sticking heavily to your hands, stop adding flour. Gather the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap, and leave in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours to rise.
Step 8
During this time, the dough will increase in volume (at least double).
Step 9
Grease your hand with a drop of sunflower oil and punch down the dough right in the bowl. The oil prevents sticking. Shape it into a ball again and leave for another 20 minutes in a warm place. After that, the dough is ready for shaping pies and the final proof.
Step 10
I baked a sweet berry pie with strawberries, wild strawberries, and blueberries. But this dough also pairs well with savory fillings. Enjoy your meal!
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