Easy Pie Crust
This easy pie crust is a must in every home baker’s repertoire. A truly great pie starts with one thing: the crust. While the filling gets most of the attention, a tender, flaky crust can turn an ordinary dessert into something unforgettable. The good news? Making a perfect crust at home doesn’t have to be intimidating. With a few simple tips and the right technique, you can create a crust that’s every bit as good as (if not better than) your favorite bakery.
If you are looking for a terrific pie recipe why not try my strawberry rhubarb pie, it’s delicious.
Why Homemade Pie Crust is Worth It
Sure, you can buy pre-made crusts at the store, but homemade pie crust has a flavor and texture you just can’t beat. You control the ingredients, the thickness, and — most importantly — the flakiness. Plus, once you master it, you can use the same crust recipe for sweet pies, savory quiches, and even hand pies.
The Secret to Flakiness
Flaky pie crust is all about cold fat and minimal handling:
- Cold butter or shortening – Keeping your fat cold prevents it from fully blending into the flour, creating layers as it bakes.
- Minimal mixing – Overworking the dough develops gluten, which makes crust tough instead of tender.
- Resting time – Chilling the dough before rolling allows the fat to firm back up and helps prevent shrinkage in the oven.
Rolling Tips for Success
Dust your rolling surface and rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking. Roll from the center out, turning the dough slightly after each pass to maintain a circle shape. If the dough starts to warm up or feel sticky, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes before continuing.
Baking and Beyond
Depending on your pie, you may bake the crust fully before filling (blind baking) or bake it along with the filling. Either way, a little egg wash before baking will give you that gorgeous golden color.
Make It Your Own
Once you’ve got the basics down, you can add your own flair — a sprinkle of sugar on top for sweet pies, or a pinch of herbs for savory ones. A decorative edge or lattice top can also add visual appeal without complicating the process.
Ready to try it yourself? Scroll down to my recipe for a step-by-step guide to making the easiest, flakiest pie crust you’ll ever bake.
Basic Pie Pastry
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour plus more for rolling out
- 1 cup shortening or lard (cold)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lg egg
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 5 Tbsp ice cold water
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, salt and stir to combine.
- Add in the lard or shortening in pieces then cut into the flour and salt mixture with a pastry cutter (or 2 knives) until the lard is the size of small peas.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup add the egg and vinegar and stir until well combined then add the 5 Tbsp ice cold water and stir.
- Slowly add the egg mixture to the flour and lard/shortening mixture stirring with a fork until it comes together into a ball (kneading as necessary), then transfer to a floured surface and continue kneading until it comes together into a smooth ball. Divide into 2 and flatten each piece into a disc then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes (or more).
- When ready to use, remove from refrigerator and roll out into a 12" circle (or larger for a deep dish pie) and place in your pie pan, ready to fill and bake. For pies bake as per your recipe, for pie shells bake docked shell at 450℉ for 10-12 min until lightly brown. Alternatively you can line your pie shell with parchment paper and pie weights to blind bake the crust for future use.