Homemade Pie Crust-Tender, flaky pie crust sets the stage for all your pie needs.
I am so excited to share this recipe with you today! I love, love, love to make a homemade pie crust. There is something very therapeutic about working with pie dough. I know that a lot of people are intimidated by making their own pie crust, but once you practice a couple of times I believe anyone can master it.
I have made a couple of different pie crusts before. I have used some that call for butter and shortening, but I always go back to this one which uses shortening only. As you can see in my photos, my pie crust is not the prettiest, but I like to think that's what makes it authentic.
The two important things to remember when making a pie crust:
- use COLD ingredients. I chill my shortening, in the measuring cup, in the freezer for about half an hour before I begin the dough making process. The water I use is ICE COLD. I use a measuring glass that I fill with ice and water, then remove a tablespoon at a time until my dough is wet enough.
- Handle the dough as little as possible. When you work with the dough a lot you increase the temperature of the cold ingredients which has an impact on the outcome of the dough.
I have always used a pastry blender and not sure I would know how to make a pie without one. With the upcoming holidays I hope you try my homemade pie crust recipe. I always get great feedback from people who try it! Here's a recipe for one of my VERY favorite pies.
Homemade Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 cup shortening I place mine in the freezer for about 30 min
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425
- Add flour to a large glass mixing bowl.
- Add salt.
- Add shortening.
- Cut shortening into the flour mixture, using a pastry blender, until it looks like coarse meal.
- There will be small crumbles of flour and some large pieces of shortening.
- Using a tablespoon at a time add the water (I begin with at least 4 tablespoons) add water as needed, the dough should all be wet, but not saturated. Mix with a fork after each tablespoon of water is added.
- Use a fork and mix until all blended.
- Roll into a ball and flatten onto a well floured surface.
- With a well floured rolling pin roll out the dough, starting in the center and rolling to the edges.
- Use the rolling pin and left one edge around the pin and allow to overlap.
- Transfer to the pie plate by unrolling.
- Press the dough into the bottom and up the edges of the pie plate.
- Trim the excess dough and crimp the edges.
To bake without filling
- Prick bottom and sides with a fork and bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
To bake with filling
- Preheat oven to temperature directed in the recipe you are using. Do not price pie shell.
- Bake as recipe directs.
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Your crust is absolutely gorgeous! Funny thing...I think I use the exact same recipe. 🙂 But mine never turns out looking as nice as yours. Pie making is definitely an art!
Tiffany
Thank you, Christina! Pie making is an art and I think I got lucky with this one. 🙂
Christina Lakey | Food Apparel
Love love love homemade pie crust! I'm so excited for "pie season" as I like to call it.
Tiffany
Tis The Season, Christina! 🙂
Jessica
I like to make my homemade crust with butter. It tastes so good!
Tiffany
Jessica, I've made it with butter, too and it is good!
Tabitha Willette
You make this look so easy. I will have to try it this year instead of buying pre made thank you.
Tiffany
Tabitha, practice a couple of times and you will know why I make this look so easy. 🙂 Best of luck. Yours will be delicious!
Allie | Baking a Moment
I love making pie crust too! Once you get the hang of it it can be so fun and easy. You have some really great tips here and I love the beautiful fluted edge! <3
Tiffany
Thank you, Allie! Making pies really are fun! 🙂
Erin @ Strawberry Mommycakes
Nothing quite beats homemade pie crust! I'm always disappointed when I try restaurant pie 🙂 This recipe is really close to mine so I'm sure it's delicious 🙂
Tiffany
Thanks, Erin!
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm
This is really beautiful and informative!! Love all the pictures and graphics and complete instruction!
Tiffany
Thank you,Sophia! I hope the images are useful! 🙂
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
Great recipe! Love, love, LOVE your images for this post!!
Tiffany
Thank you, Patricia! You're very sweet! 🙂
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter
What a wonderful post and tutorial! Your pie crust looks beautiful! Love your tips and photos 🙂
Tiffany
Thanks so much, Kelly! 🙂
Margot Core
I feel a bit dense asking this, but I have a question; when you say 'shortening' do you mean those sticks of crisco? I ask this because ... well ... I don't think I like those. I try to make crusts with just butter (chilled, no salt butter type) and really the results are not what they should be. Everyone says 'shortening' but maybe I just don't understand what they mean. Is 'shortening' code for Crisco? Is there anything else that is called shortening? If so, what is it?
Tiffany
Shortening is just short for all-vegetable shortening. Crisco is a great and very popular brand to use. They make shortening in sticks or in a tub. I usually buy the tub and measure out how much I need. I have made pie crusts with shortening and butter and I prefer this recipe. Shortening is kind of code for Crisco, since Crisco is the "queen bee" of the "shortening" market, if that makes sense. 🙂 If you see a recipe that calls for Crisco or shortening, then yes, they are the same thing. Here's a link for you to see what I am talking about. http://www.crisco.com/products/all-vegetable-shortening-17-315 I hope you try this recipe. I think you will like it. I hope this helps...Thanks for stopping by!
Jhoei
The ingredients are very accessible in the market. Your pie crust looks very nice. I hope I can make it the same as yours.