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How to Make a Pie Crust

Learning how to make a pie crust will really do wonders for your pies. A good, flaky, crust is practically universally recognized as a key part of any good pie.

This page describes how to make a flaky pie crust, the most common in pies. If you're looking at making a tart you might want to check out our sweet dough recipe.

A key part of making any flaky pie crust is cutting in the fat. If you're unfamiliar with this technique it's recommended you visit our page on cutting in fat.

Makes one flaky pie crust (double it if you are going to have a top crust):

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 c. butter or shortening, cold
• 3 Tbsp. ice water (more or less depending on your situation)

Directions

1. Cut up the cold butter into smaller pieces and place in with your flour.

2. Using your hands mash the butter into the flour, simply continue to work it until the fat pieces have reached the desired size.

3. Gradually add your cold water and mix gently just until the dough holds together, don't over mix or the final texture will be tough.

4. If you doubled the recipes, split the dough in half then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

5. On your lightly floured surface use a rolling pin to gently roll out one ball of dough, lifting and rotating the dough a couple times to keep it from getting stuck and to help keep it an even thickness. Don't use too much flour or the dough will get dry and tough.

6. Roll it out until it's at least 2 inches wider than the pie pan you're using; typically you want it about 1/8 inch thick.

7. Now add a little flour to your rolling pin and very loosely wrap the dough around it then unroll the dough onto the pie pan.

8. After forming the dough to the pie pan, remove any extra dough from the edges and crimp the dough with your thumbs and forefingers to make it look nice.

9. If you want to use some lattice work for the top crust please see the “Pie Crust Lattice Work” section below.

10. Follow these steps if the recipe you’re using calls for a pre-baked pie crust as many custard and pudding pies do (top crust not used).

    1. Complete steps 1-8 above then preheat the oven to 350°F.

    2. Place the crust in the freezer for about 5 minutes.

    3. Using 1.5 in. strips of tin foil cover the edges of the pie crust; this prevents the edges from getting burned while pre-baking.

    4. Line the inside of the crust with parchment paper or tin foil and fill about 2/3rds full with pie weights, beans or rice and bake for 20 minutes.

    5. Allow to cool slightly then remove the weights and lining except for the foil strips around the edge.

    6. Using a fork, poke holes a number of holes in the crust and return to the oven for another 10 minutes or until golden brown.

    7. Allow to fully cool before adding filling.

Pie Dough Tips

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when working with any form of pie or tart dough:

1. Flaky crusts need to be chilled, as well as all the ingredients when making them. Try not to let things set out too long before using them. It’s recommended to chill everything, even the flour and bowl before beginning.

2. Don’t overwork any of your doughs. Working the dough develops the gluten which in turn creates a chewy, tough crust. Work it just as much as absolutely necessary, no more.

3. If you make a large batch of dough at one time but don’t plan on using it all, only bring out what you need for that particular use. Don’t save for later use any dough that has already been rolled out.

4. Water amounts that you use will change with every dough you make due to the differences in the flour, the size of fat beads and humidity. So be ready to change the amount of water with each dough.

5. Don’t forget to wrap your dough in plastic wrap and chill it for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out and using it.

6. If baking a pie with a top and bottom crust, make sure the dough is sealed around the edges and has some form of air holes on top (lattice works well).

Making a pie crust can be a hassle, especially when you're just learning, but learning how to make a pie crust properly will really bring the best out of all your pies and is well worth the effort.

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