Making pie crust isn’t hard, but it can be daunting. I can help.
I come from a long line of pie ladies, and we’ve made thousands of crusts, both flaky and soggy, tender and tough.
Here’s what I have learned, from my mom, grandma, and many years in the kitchen.
Start with cold ingredients. I keep my flour in the freezer, and chill the butter before I start. Put ice cubes in the water/vinegar mixture. Cold hands help.
The fats
I use salted butter and shortening, either Crisco sticks or Spectrum Organic. I like the sticks because they are easier to cut into cubes. Butter brings the rich flavor and shortening makes the crust flaky. Cube the butter and the shortening and put it in the freezer so it gets nice and cold.
The flours
All-purpose flour mixed with a little whole wheat pastry flour makes a pliable, flavorful crust, but you can use just white or pastry flour too. I’ve experimented with gluten-free flours, but today we are going old school. Other types of flour will work, but the texture will be different – more crumbly, possibly gritty.
The liquids
Some people swear by vodka, others use an egg. I keep it simple: cold fizzy water and a little vinegar. Measure it out and then add a couple of ice cubes. The vinegar makes it a little more tender and adds a tiny bit of tang, deepening the flavor.
The method
A light touch is the key here. You can use a food processor, a pastry blender or a couple of forks. Even your fingers if you are gentle. You just don’t want to over-handle the flour and develop the stretchy gluten that will make your crust tough. When you roll it out, start in the middle, gently pushing outward in one direction. Lift the rolling pin and start in the middle again, gradually forming a circle. Don’t roll back and forth.
Once it’s rolled out to about 10 inches, place the dough in the pie plate and shape the edges. Again, gently! Put the plate in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
The gear
- A food processor makes cutting in the fats easy, but if you don’t have one, a fork or pastry blender works just fine.
- A large, shallow bowl is ideal for combining the flour mixture with the water. Use a flexible spatula to press the water into the flour.
- A heat-resistant silicone mat is ideal for rolling out dough, but you can also use parchment or waxed paper.
- If you don’t have a rolling pin, use a wine bottle.
- A glass pie plate is a must because it’s the best heat conductor for a golden bottom crust. And a rimmed baking sheet preheated in the oven helps to make sure the bottom crust is cooked.
Blind baking
If your recipe calls for a prebaked crust, prick it all over with a fork and weigh it down with pie weights. If you don’t have weights, lay a piece of foil over the crust and pour in a layer of dried beans to keep it from puffing up. Follow the preheating directions, and bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Fill and finish baking according to your recipe.
Troubleshooting
- If your crust develops cracks while you are rolling it, dab a little water on the edges and smush it back together. If it gets too wet, sprinkle on a little flour and just keep rolling.
- Our high altitude isn’t really an issue with pie crust, but the dry climate might make it necessary to add more water. Just add a little at a time until the dough holds together.
If you don’t have a pie plate, or if your crust is a mess, make a galette. Place the crust on a baking sheet, fill it, and fold over the edges to make a sort of round envelope. - This works best with fruit fillings. Bake like you would a pie. Call it artisanal.
- If your crust gets too brown before the pie is done, cover the edges with foil.
- Make crispas with the leftover crust. Just pat it out on a baking sheet, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake about 15 minutes. Eat while you wait for the pie to come out.
When I set out to test this recipe, I was a little worried (would it come out OK?), but I have to say, this was one of my best crusts ever. I just followed my own directions, filled it with Palisade peaches, and had pie for breakfast, lunch and dinner all week.
Classic Pie Crust
Makes two 9- or 10-inch pie crusts. Source: Kristen Browning-Blas.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (3/4 cup, 1 1/2 sticks) butter
- 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) shortening
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour or 2 cups all-purpose and 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- About 3/4 cup ice water (I use sparkling)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
Directions
1. Cut butter into 12 pieces. Place in a bowl or bag, and put in freezer for at least 20 minutes.
2. Cut stick shortening into pieces. If using bulk shortening, measure 1/2 cup and place measuring cup in freezer for about 15 minutes, then cut into chunks and return to freezer for 20 minutes more.
3. If using a food processor: Pulse flour, salt and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter cold shortening cubes over the top and process until mixture looks like cornmeal, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and pulse until it resembles chunky breadcrumbs, about 10 pulses. Don’t over-process. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
4. If mixing by hand: In a large bowl, mix flour, salt and sugar. Using a pastry blender, a fork or your fingers, gently cut shortening and butter into flour mixture. Incorporate fats with flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter chunks remaining.
5. Stir half of the water into the flour mixture and incorporate with a flexible spatula, using a light touch to press the liquid into the flour mixture.
6. Add the rest of the water and mix gently, pressing lightly with the spatula until it begins to hold together. (More liquid is better than not enough, as you can always add flour if the dough is sticky as you roll it out.)
7. Gather dough into two discs, patting gently into shape. Wrap in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate. Remove about a half-hour before you plan to roll out dough.
8. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees. This will help the bottom crust get brown and prevent the dreaded soggy bottom. (Pro tip: Wipe out the bottom of the oven first to prevent smoke.)
9. Scatter a dusting of flour over the rolling surface (waxed paper or a Silpat mat) and lightly coat the rolling pin with flour. Butter a 9- or 10-inch glass pie plate and put it next to your rolling surface.
10. Unwrap one dough disc and use a rolling pin to gently press it into a flattened 6-inch circle. Begin rolling, always starting from the center of the dough and moving outward like the hands of a clock. Do not roll back and forth, as this will toughen the dough. Lift the paper or Silpat and rotate it to keep the dough even and circle- shaped. Roll to a little less than 1/4-inch thick.
11. Lift the paper or Silpat and flip the dough into the buttered pie plate, centering it over the plate and letting it gently drop into the plate. Cut excess dough overhanging edge to about 1 1/2 inches all around.
12. Fold rim over, and with a pinching motion, gather the dough into a wavy edge that sticks up about 1/4 to 1/2 inch above the rim of the plate. Return prepared crust to fridge while you make the filling.
13. Fill bottom crust, and top with second crust, either solid or lattice. To make a lattice crust, roll out dough and cut into 1-inch strips. Gently place them on top of the filling and weave over and under. Sprinkle top crust with sugar or cinnamon-sugar.
14. Chill another half-hour. Place on preheated baking sheet and lower oven temp to 425. Bake for 25 minutes, then lower temperature to 375. Bake another 25-30 minutes.
15. Keep an eye on the crust. If it starts getting too brown, cover with foil. Once it is nice a golden, remove from oven, let cool, and enjoy!
Super Easy Sweet Crust
Makes one 9-inch pie crust. From Kristen Browning-Blas’ mom, Sue Henderson.
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
Directions
1. Mix dry ingredients. Add butter. Press into 9-inch pie plate and up sides, but not onto rim. Bake 15-17 minutes at 350 until toasty brown.
2. Fill with a pre-cooked or no-bake filling. This peach one is perfect for this time of year.
Kristen Browning-Blas was the Denver Post food editor for about 14 years, off and on. She recently retired from a communications role at Colorado State University, so she now has more time to make pies.