I bet you have found your way here after checking out my apple pie or banana cream pie recipe. Well, that’s no accident; we’ve got to start with the delicious pie crust first! Don’t worry, I won’t keep you waiting any longer.
Why Everyone Flocks To My Flaky Pie Crust Recipes
- Have you ever wondered why pie crusts are so flaky? It’s all thanks to the layers of dough separating during baking! As pockets of fat melt and create steam, they give us this light, airy, and crispy texture that just melts on the tongue.
- And thanks to the perfect balance of ingredients, our crust is firm enough to hold all those luscious fillings while still being super tender.
- Oh, and don’t forget about the butter! High-quality butter not only adds a rich, decadent flavor but also brings out that amazing flakiness we’re all after.
- Tender pie crusts are truly a friendly neighbor. They don’t just play nice with sweet delights like apple, pumpkin, pecan, cherry, or key lime pies (although they do pair perfectly with those!). You can also use them for savory treats like chicken pot pie, shepherd’s pie, or quiche.
8 Basic Steps To Make Pie Crust From Scratch
Ingredients
Alright, let’s break down the five must-have ingredients for our pie crust dough!
- Flour: All-purpose flours aren’t created equal, you know? So start with a quality one!
- Salt: This little guy adds that extra oomph of flavor.
- Butter: Ah, butter – the secret to that rich, buttery taste and those flaky layers we all love!
- Vegetable shortening: It gives our crust the stability and structure it needs.
- Ice water: Ice water content brings our dough together. Many bakers even suggest using a 50:50 mix of water and vodka (Alcohol never promotes gluten formation like water, which keeps our crust flaky and tender!). If you want to try that, use about ¼ cup each of cold water and cold vodka for my recipe.
Instructions
Step 1.
Grab a big bowl and whisk flour with salt.
Now, add the cold butter and shortening. Beat them in with two forks or one pastry cutter until the mixture looks like a coarse meal!
It’s okay if you see some pea-size bits mixed with larger pieces of fat. We’re not trying to blend everything in completely, so don’t overwork it!
Step 2.
Next up, we’re gonna prepare our ice water.
Measure out half a cup of water, then toss in some ice cubes and stir. After a few minutes, grab another ½ cup of that water (the ice will have melted a little) and slowly drizzle this cold water into your dough mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time. Give it a good stir after each tablespoon until your dough forms big clumps.
I often use just ½ cup of water for the dough, but you might need more if it’s super dry (in winter, for example). Just be careful not to add too much!
Step 3.
Once your dough is ready, plop it onto a floured surface. Use your hands to fold it over itself until all the flour and fats mix nicely. It must come together smoothly and not feel too sticky!
Does it still feel too crumbly or dry? A little dip of your fingers into the iced water should do the trick! And if it’s sticky, just sprinkle on some extra flour and keep kneading.
Step 4.
Shape it into a small ball and half it with a clean, sharp knife. Each half should weigh about 1.5 pounds in total (1 pound = 16 ounces if you want to keep track). Gently flat out each half into thick discs (about 1 inch) under your fingertips, and you’re all set!
Step 5.
Wrap each dough ball snugly in plastic, then pop them in the fridge. They only need to chill for 2 hours, but if you plan ahead, feel free to leave them there for 4-5 days!
Step 6.
It’s time to roll out your chilled dough! This recipe yields two crusts, so deal with one at a time and leave another in the fridge until ready.
Sprinkle flour on your work surface, hands, and rolling pin, and dust the dough a little, too.
Don’t go all mad on the pie dough when rolling – be gentle! Begin from the middle and roll outwards in every direction, turning the pie dough as you keep going.
After every few passes of your rolling pin, flip and rotate the crust to make sure it’s not sticking. If it does start to stick, sprinkle on more flour! And if it’s becoming a wonky, lopsided circle, no worries — just gently use your hands instead of the rolling pin to mold it back into a nice, even circle.
Keep rolling until you’ve got a 12-inch circle – perfect for a 9-inch pie plate. Your dough should be around ⅛ inch thick (quite thin), and it’s totally normal to see specks of fat and butter scattering. That’s what we need for a perfect pie crust!
Step 7.
Let’s use the rolling pin again. See that dough circle? Gently roll one of its ends onto your rolling pin and back to you (like you’re making a tiny dough burrito), slowly lifting it off the flour-coated surface while you’re at it. Then, carefully unroll it over the dish’s top.
Step 8.
Carry on with the rest of your pie following the recipe’s instructions. Simple!
Note
Always remember that cold ingredients are the backbone of our flaky crust, so keep your flour and butter chilled before using. You can even freeze the butter for a short time before cutting it in.
Use ice water to bind the dough — just enough to bring it together, as I already said. Do not go crazy over it!
FAQs
Does The Crust Need Blind-Baking?
Yes, for some pie fillings (especially very juicy ones). You need to partially pre-bake the crust empty to set it before adding the filling.
You must be freaking out now since I did not mention any of that in my instructions earlier. But no worries; I already laid out that step in my apple/banana pie recipes!
How Can I Give It A Fancy Finish?
You can crimp the edges with a fork or get wild with cutouts and leaves. I sometimes brush the top crust with egg wash to make it golden brown (again, you will see this step in my pie recipes).
So that’s my homemade pie shell recipe. Happy baking!
Discover More Unique Pie Recipes:
Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour (+ extra for rolling and shaping)
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted, chilled, cubed butter
- ⅔ cup chilled vegetable shortening
- ½ cup iced cold water
Instructions
- Whisk flour with salt in a bowl. Add the cold butter and shortening with two forks or one pastry cutter until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. Don’t overmix; we’re not trying to blend everything in completely.
- Measure out half a cup of water, then toss in some ice cubes and stir. After a few minutes, grab another ½ cup of that water (the ice will have melted a little) and slowly drizzle this cold water into your dough mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir after each tablespoon until your dough forms big clumps.
- Plop the dough onto a floured surface. Use your hands to fold it over itself until all the flour and fats mix nicely. Dip your fingertips into the iced water if the dough feels too crumbly or dry. If it’s sticky, just sprinkle on some extra flour and keep kneading.
- Shape it into a small ball and half it. Each half should weigh about 1.5 pounds. Flat out each half into thick crust discs (about 1 inch).
- Wrap each dough ball snugly in plastic, then refrigerate for 2 hours to a few days.
- Roll out your chilled dough. (This recipe yields two crusts, so deal with one single crust at a time and leave another in the fridge until ready).– Sprinkle flour on your work surface, hands, and rolling pin, and dust the dough a little, too. Be gentle when rolling. Begin from the middle and roll outwards in every direction, turning the pie dough while you're at it.– After every few passes of your rolling pin, flip and rotate the crust to make sure it's not sticking. – If it starts to stick, sprinkle on more flour! If it's becoming a wonky, lopsided circle, gently use your hands to mold it back into shape.
- Keep rolling until you have a 12-inch circle that fits into a 9-inch pie dish. Your dough should be about ⅛ inches thick (quite thin).
- Pick the dough circle. Gently roll one of its ends onto your rolling pin and back to you, slowly lifting it off the flour-coated surface while you’re at it. Carefully unroll it over the dish’s top.
- Carry on with the rest of your cream pie.
