How To Make The Perfect Pie Crust

Pie crust is one of those things that can terrify new bakers. I always left the pie making to my mom, whose delicious crust was something of an art. Why mess with perfection? But luckily, she taught us all her secrets to her perfect pie crust. Now that we are all grown up, we can make this recipe for our families! And here’s the truth: making flaky, light pie crust is really simple and does not have to make you nervous, once you know a couple of tricks.

Start with the Right Tools

When you are tackling a baking project, it helps to have the right tools. Besides the pie dish or pie pan itself, here’s what we recommend for this recipe:

Silicone Pastry Mat with measurements – This is the perfect surface to roll out your dough. You will still need to lightly flour the mat, but it works so much better than the countertop. It has measurements on it so you know how big to roll out your crust. Rolling Pin with offset handle – This will help you to make a perfectly smooth crust. Adjustable Measuring Cup – An adjustable measuring cup is perfect for measuring shortening. You won’t have to worry about it getting stuck or getting it all over your hands. Pastry Blender – This is the easiest way to blend the shortening and dry ingredients together. You can also use a food processor. Fluted Rolling Pastry Cutter – If you plan on making a lattice top, this is a must! Large Plastic Bowl – Get a bigger bowl than you think you need. You don’t want flour flying all over the place. *Optional: Cookie cutters for decoration

What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Pie Crust?

First of all, you probably already have all the ingredients for pie crusts in your pantry right now. Here’s what you need:

Flour – All-Purpose Flour works great as the base of this recipe Salt – for flavor Baking Powder – helps the crust to rise and adds a savory flavor Sugar – for a little bit of sweetness Shortening – serves as the fat in this recipe, making those light, flaky layers Egg – makes the dough more pliable and easier to roll out Ice Water – acts as a binder for other ingredients, helps keep shortening cold White Vinegar – keeps your pie crust nice and tender – don’t leave this out!

That’s it! For real. This is the easiest and most delicious crust you will ever taste!

What is the Trick to Making Pie Crust?

The trick to getting that fluffy, light texture is how you mix the dough.

How Do You Make a Pretty Pie Crust?

There are so many options when it comes to topping your pie! You can leave the crust totally open, add some pretty designs, or cover the whole thing with a top crust. See below for a few fuller coverage tops. However you top your pie, make sure to brush it with a little milk and sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top. You can also use cookie cutters to create a fun decorative edge around your pie crust. As you can see in the picture below, we used acorn and leaf cookie cutters to make a fun Fall pattern for our Pumpkin Pie.

How to Crimp Pie Crust

If you are doing a full top crust, this simple “pinching” method makes your crust look beautiful and holds all of that pie filling in place. Our lovely mom is demonstrating this method in the photo below. Isn’t that pretty? Check out this video to see just how easy it is.

How to Pre-Bake Pie Crust

Pre-baking is when you bake the crust on its own without filling. You’ll use this method when you want to fill it with a no-bake filling. You’ll want to avoid throwing it in the oven as is though, because pockets of steam will make the pastry puff up. To avoid puffing up, poke holes in it with a fork, and/or add pie weights, dry rice, or beans on a sheet of tin foil inside the crust. If you are using pie weights, chill for about half an hour. Bake at 425 for about 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. You’ll have perfectly shaped, perfectly flaky pie crusts in no time. Read More: 33+ Easy Dessert Ideas (with Pictures + Simple Recipes)

Now for the Filling!

There are so many possibilities with a good pie, and from apples to egg wash, we’ve got you covered. Here are just a few delicious ones to try:

Peach Pie with Perfect Pie Crust Traditional Pumpkin Pie Brown Butter Pecan Pie Lemon Meringue Pie Coconut Cream Pie from Scratch Butterscotch Pie Easy Berry Pie Easy Turkey Pot Pie Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie