How to Make Flawless Pie Crust (It's Easier Than You Think)

• Also try: How to Make the Best Apple Pie You've Ever Eaten

Be A Pie Crust Expert

• If you have been given the task of making the pies for your holiday get-together, cheer up! Making pie crust is really not difficult or time consuming, and once you have the crust, making the pie is a piece of cake.

• Pie crust should not be sticky, gummy, tough, burned or soggy. To make it light, flaky, and hold together well is not that hard, but it does take a bit of practice to make perfect. Making flawless pie crust also takes a bit of planning and preparation, though the actual making of the dough is so simple and quick that once you master it, you'll never go back to premade crusts again.

• The following methods for making pie crust apply to virtually every type of crust you might want: single crust, double crust, deep dish, and lattice top. You can use the recipe for most sweet tarts as well.

Ingredients For Pie Crust

The Fat

• Many recipes call for unsalted butter, many call for shortening such as Crisco, and some require both. Crisco shortening does come trans-fat free now, and shortening based crusts are flakier than butter crusts, but the flavor of a butter crust can't be beat. Compromise is a good way to go here, splitting the difference and using half of one and half of the other, or 3/4 butter, 1/4 shortening. There are some advocates of using lard as your fat: for more information on that see the How to Bake an Apple Pie page.

• What matters most is that your fat is very cold. If it's not cold, your crust won't be flaky.

Basic Pie Crust Ingredients

• For two nine-inch pie crusts (enough for two single crust pies, one double crust pie, or one lattice topped pie with decoration) you will need:
  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose white flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, any variety. Recommended: sea salt or kosher salt.
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 cup (16 tablespoons) very cold unsalted butter or shortening, cut into cubes. Just cut the stick once lengthwise, then four or five times across to make about ten chunks. You can also use half butter, half shortening if you like.
  • Approximately 8 tablespoons ice water. This water must be very cold: put some ice cubes in a bowl or measuring cup of water to keep it cold.

Tools You'll Need to Make Pie Crust

• Bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Pastry cutter or Food processor
  • If you are in the market for one, check out Mahalo's Guide to Food Processors
• Plastic wrap
• Rolling pin
• Knife, fork
• Parchment paper
• Pie weights
• Pie dish: Pie dishes come in metal, glass, and ceramic forms and most are 9 inches in diameter. Many people prefer a plain Pyrex dish.

• Amazon.com has a large selection of pie dishes, pie weights, parchment paper and pastry blenders.

Making Flawless Pie Crust

• It is not impossible to make pie crust by hand, but it is faster to use a food processor. There are advocates on both sides, but what it ultimately comes down to is the temperature of the ingredients. Food processors make the dough come together in seconds, while hand cutting the fat into the flour can take a while, letting the fat heat up. Some say a food processor also heats up the ingredients too much, and you should only use it to cut the fat into the flour, then finish the process by adding the water and forming the dough by hand. That is unnecessarily complicated. Just use a food processor for the whole thing, if you have one.

Food Processor Crust

1. Combine the 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl and stir with a fork. Chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
2. Dump it into the bowl of your food processor and add 16 tablespoons butter or shortening. Pulse to combine several times, or until the mixture starts to look like small pebbles.
3. Add a few tablespoons of the water, then pulse again. Add the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough starts to stick together.
4. Stop pulsing and touch the dough. Ideally you want it to be soft but not sticky or too crumbly.

• • If it is very sticky you have added too much water and will need to add a bit of flour to compensate. You can also turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll it in flour to offset the stickiness.
  • If it is really hard you have mixed it too much and might want to start over, but you can probably make it work.
  • If it is too crumbly, you can add a touch more water to try to make it come together more.
• Tip: If you don't have a food processor, you can use a strong blender instead.
• Why does everything have to be so cold? Cold keeps the fats from softening too much and becoming too bound to the flour. The fat is what makes the crust flaky, and if the dough is too wet, the flour becomes too absorbed in the fat and therefore not as flaky.

Crust By Hand

1. Combine the 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl and stir with a fork. Chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
2. Take out of the freezer and add 16 tablespoons butter or shortening to the flour. Coat each piece of fat with flour, then use your fingers, two knives, or a pastry blender to cut the fat into the flour. Work gently and quickly, forcing the flour into the fat to create a sandy, moist mixture.
3. Add the water a tablespoon or two at a time, using it to bring together all the crumbs into a lovely supple dough. Stop adding water when the dough holds together without being too crumbly and before it starts getting sticky.

• All Recipes has a helpful photo tutorial showing Making a Pie Crust, Step by Step

Chilling The Crust

1. Once you have the perfect dough, divide it in half and form each half into a flattened round disc a little larger than a CD in diameter and a couple of inches thick.
2. Wrap each disc completely in plastic wrap so that no air can touch the dough.
3. Place the discs flat in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.

• Tip: If you don't need to use your crust right away, you can securely wrap the disks in plastic wrap and then in a plastic resealable bag and put them flat in the freezer for about a month. Be sure to let them defrost overnight in the refrigerator when you want to use them again.

Rolling The Crust

1. When you are ready to roll out the crust remove it from the refrigerator.
2. Cover your work surface lightly with flour, or put down a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle some flour on it. Be careful not to use too much flour; it can cause the dough to become tough.
3. Unwrap the dough and set it on your work surface. Sprinkle with some flour or some flour and a second piece of parchment. If you are using only flour be sure to flour the rolling pin as well.
4. Working from the middle out, roll the dough into a large circle, until it is uniformly about 1 cm thick and slightly larger than the diameter of your pie dish. Try to roll it into as close to a circle as you can get. Remember to lift the dough off the work surface several times to make sure it isn't sticking.
5. Roll out the second disc following the same method. This crust can be used for a second pie, a top crust for a single pie, or to be cut into lattice strips or decorations to top your pie.

• Tip: Once you have rolled out the crust, it can rest for a little while before putting it in the pie dish and making the pie. Don't let it sit out too long, however, just stick it back in the fridge until you are ready to use it. You can also put the dough in the dish and let it sit in the fridge for a while until you are ready to make the pie.

Filling The Crust

1. Preheat your oven to the desired temperature.
2. Transfer your circle of crust to your pie dish. To easily do this fold the circle in half, then in half again and carry the quarter-sized piece over the the dish, then unfold it into the dish.
3. Pat the crust down on the bottom and sides of the dish. If there is overhang, cut away the excess. Use a fork to press down the top edge of the crust, or use your finger to make a pretty fluted pattern if you are making a single crust pie.
4. Add your pie filling.
5. If you are adding a top crust, do so now.
6. Bake according to your recipe's instructions.

• Tip: Place a baking sheet on the rack beneath your pie to catch any drips or juices that might bubble over.

Crust On Top

1. For a double-crust pie, roll out the second disc of dough the same way you did the first.
2. After adding your filling, cover loosely with the crust and pinch the edges together with the edges of the bottom crust.
3. Cut away any excess crust from the edges. Seal the two edge together with a fork or pinch it with your fingers into a pattern.
4. With a sharp knife cut several slits in the top crust to allow steam escape as the pie cooks. Cut these in a pretty pattern if you want.
5. Add the egg wash now if desired and then pop in the oven.

• For more tips read Fine Cooking's article "How to Bake a Double-Crust Fruit Pie".

Prebaking The Crust

• You may need to bake the crust first depending on your recipe. Most custard based pies require a prebaked crust, and any no-bake pie will call for one, too. Make sure you know what your recipe calls for in advance to leave yourself enough time to bake and cool the crust. Many bakers simply keep a prebaked pie shell on hand for a quick dessert option. To prebake your crust:

1. Once the crust is rolled out, transfer your crust to your pie dish.
2. Prick the crust all over with a fork, which will prevent shrinking and air bubbles.
3. Press the edges of the crust down with the tines of a fork or create a ridged effect by pinching the dough with your fingers around the top edge.
4. Now you can preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and set your pie crust inside to bake for 15-20 minutes.
5. If you notice air bubbles forming on the base of the crust, remove the pie from the oven and place a sheet of buttered parchment paper over it. Weigh the paper down with pie weights, if you have them, or dried beans. They should be something heavy but not too heavy. Put the crust back in the over for another 10-15 minutes, until the edges are a golden brown and the bottom is cooked, not moist, but before it burns.
6. If you notice the edges of the crust getting burned before the bottom of the crust is cooked, place pieces of tin foil around the edges to protect them, leaving the bottom uncovered.
7. Remove the crust from the oven and let cool to room temperature. The baked crust will keep uncovered for a day or two. Use it before it becomes stale.

Pie Crust Variations

All Butter Crust (Pate Brisee)

• An all butter crust gives the most flavorful results. Here are some recipes:
  • Simply Recipes: All Butter Crust for Sweet and Savory Pies (Pâte Brisée) Recipe
  • The New York Times: Recipe: All-Butter Pie Crust (With Variations)
  • Martha Stewart: Pate Brisee

All Shortening Crust

• An all shortening crust makes for flaky, easy to handle crust. Here is the classic recipe: Classic Crisco Pie Crust

Crust with Cheese

• For a cheddar cheese crust substitute two tablespoons of the fat for 1 cup grated cheddar cheese. Yellow cheddar gives the crust a nice color. Also try this recipe from Martha Stewart: Cheddar Crust

Lattice Top Crust

• A lattice crust adds a decorative touch to a fruit pie.

1. To create a lattice formation, roll one disk of dough as detailed above.
2. Cut the circle into strips that are about an inch wide that cover the length of the pie.
3. Spread them out evenly, threading each piece over and then under the strips they are running perpendicular to.
4. Cut off any excess dough from the edges of the pie dish.
5. Using your thumb and forefinger, seal together the ends of the dough strips with the dough from the bottom crust.

• Try Simply Recipes' method for How to Make a Lattice Top for a Pie Crust, or watch this All Recipes video about Making a Lattice Top Pie.

Finishing Touches

Egg Wash

• To give your double crust or lattice topped crust a golden sheen, you can make an egg wash and coat the crust with it. Lightly beat an egg, add a small amount of water, about a tablespoon to thin it, and brush onto the crust with a pastry brush, the back of a spoon, or a clean paper towel. Bake as usual.

Sugar Topping

• To add a frosty twinkle to your pie, brush an egg wash or some milk over the top crust of your pie. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the crust and bake as usual.

Pie Crust Decorations

• Once you have mastered basic pie crust, you might want to try your hand at making decorative crust designs. Use part of the crust to cut out shapes such as leaves, flowers, or apples. You can cut them out with a sharp knife freehand, or use small cookie cutters to make whatever shape you like. Adhere the decorations to the top of the crust with milk, then do the egg wash after all the decorations are fixed to the top crust. You can add them to a lattice top pie, a double crust pie, or to a dense pie like pumpkin straight on the pie filling. For more detailed instructions see All Recipes' guide to Making Fancy Pie Crust Toppers and wikiHow's directions on How to Put a Fancy Edge on a Pie Crust.

Tips for Perfect Pie Crust

1. Begin well in advance of when you want to make your pie, as your crust will have to chill and in some cases be prebaked before you can use it.
2. Always use very cold ingredients. This means cold butter, shortening and water, but you can make life easier by sticking a bowl with the flour, salt and sugar in the freezer for half an hour before you begin.
3. Don't overwork the dough. Simply do what's necessary to get the mixture to come together in a soft ball and no more, lest you end up with tough crust.
4. Don't use too much flour when rolling out the dough. If it becomes sticky, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
5. Cook's Illustrated developed a method in which you replace part of the water with cold vodka, which when combined with flour does not make gluten, which is what can make pie crust tough. Therefore, you can use more flour when rolling out the dough, it is easy to handle, and turns out flaky and tender.  

• For more tips and tricks, try these great links:
• Crisco Kitchen: Pie Crust 101
• All Recipes: Perfect Pie Crusts | Pie Troubleshooting Guide
• Julia Child: Pie Pastry Made Possible 
• Fine Cooking: How to Mix Flour, Fat, and Water for a Flaky Pie Crust
• Martha Stewart: Pie Crust 101 | Extra-Crispy Pie Crust

More Pie Crust Resources

• Mahalo's Guide to Pie Crust
• Rose Levy Beranbaum: Rose's Favorite Flaky & Tender Pie Crust
• Alton Brown: Pie Crust Recipe  
• Cook's Illustrated: Foolproof Pie Dough    
• Eggbeater: pie! (Pie Crust Recipe and Technique)
• What's Cooking America: 5 Pie Crust Recipes  
• wikiHow: How to Make Pie Crust
• eHow: How to Make Pie Crust
• The New York Times: Heaven in a Pie Pan: The Perfect Crust (November 15, 2006)
• San Fransisco Chronicle: What's the best pan to use? (November 10, 2004)  

Now That You've Made Flawless Pie Crust...

• Check out Mahalo's Guide on How to Make the Best Apple Pie You've Ever Eaten

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