Pie Crust Made Easy – Flaky & Delicious
Does anyone else get intimidated by making pies? I used to, but not anymore. This pie crust recipe is super easy to make and turns out flaky and delicious!
My mother-in-law makes the best pies and for my husband to say that this pie crust was as good as his mom’s, was a HUGE compliment!
Whether you’re making a fruit pie or a meat pie, this crust is the bomb!
This recipe makes enough for 4 single crust pies or two double crust pies. If you don’t need this much pie dough, simply cut the recipe in half or make extra and freeze it.
Just a note: The more you make pies, the more comfortable you’ll get with the process. So grab your apron and let’s get started!
Pie Crust Ingredients
- 5 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups butter or shortening
- 2 TB white vinegar
- 1 egg slightly beaten
- 1 cup Ice COLD water
If you have a food processor, mixing the butter and flour to the right consistency is so much faster and easier. If not, no worries! I will give you instructions for both.
I seriously LOVE my food processor! To think I went for years thinking it was an unnecessary luxury appliance is crazy. But not that I have one, I wonder what the heck I was thinking. It makes chopping, shredding, mixing soooooo much faster and easier. I use it all the time.
Instructions without food processor
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl mix the flour and salt.
- Cut the butter into small cubes and then add half of the flour mixture.
- Stir to coat the butter cubes with flours, then add the remaining flour.
8. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour egg mixture into the well.
9. Start blending together a little at a time with a fork until just blended.
Instructions with food processor
- Cut the butter into small chunks and drop them in the flour mixture to coat.
2. Take the coated butter and place in the food processor bowl.
3. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture and pulse several times to mix it into pea size chunks.
4. Add the remaining flour and pulse until you have the whole thing mixed to a pea sized consistency. It doesn’t take long at all.
5. Dump the flour and butter mixture into a big bowl.
6. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour egg mixture into the well and proceed with STEP 9 above.
Rolling out the pie crust dough
1. Lightly but evenly flour your work surface.
2. Cut the ball dough in half and then in half again and form four dough discs.
Putting it all together
- Once you’ve rolled your dough, gently transfer it to the dish you intend to use. Wind the dough around your rolling pin, making sure it is floured and will not stick to itself. Unroll the dough over the dish, and gently press it into the corners of the pan. (Avoid stretching the dough)!
- Trim any excess dough, leaving an overhang of about 1/2 to 1 inch. Using whatever technique and design you want, crimp the edges to form the pie crust edge.
3. At this point, the pie crust can be frozen. I like to make a batch and use some for a chicken pot pie and then I can freeze the rest for another time. You should be able to get 2 full, double crusts pies out of this recipe and may have enough left over to make a shell for a cream pie or some cinnamon sugar sticks for the kids or adults. Just remember, if you are making single shells, poke holes in the bottom with a fork.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the fluted edge is golden light brown.
5. Now you are ready to add the filling.
Double Crust Pies
If you are making a double crust pie, fill the uncooked pie shell with the filling and then add the top shell. This can be a full sheet of dough or you can make a fancy lattice design of choice.
Bake according to your recipe instructions.
***TIP: To keep the crust edges from burning, place a big piece of aluminum foil underneath the pie. Check the crust after a bit and if it looks like it is cooking faster than the pie, fold the foil over the crust and continue to bake.
See. You got this! Throw on your apron and make PIE!
If you have leftover dough and it’s not enough for another pie, make pie dough cookies. This is something that my grandmother always did, and I liked it just as much as the pie!
Simply roll the dough out and sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. cut into rectangles and bake on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees. Watch carefully because they don’t take very long to bake. Oh so good!
Pie Crust Made Easy – Flaky & Delicious
This pie crust is a never fail, delicious crust. Great for fruit pies and meat and vegetable pies.
- Prep Time30 min
- Cook Time10 min
- Total Time40 min
- Yield4 Single pie crusts
Ingredients
- 5 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups butter or shortening
- 2 TB white vinegar
- 1 egg slightly beaten
- 1 cup Ice COLD water
INSTUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a large bowl, mix well: flour and salt
Cut the butter into small cubes and then add half of the flour mixture.
Stir to coat the butter cubes with flours, then add the remaining flour.
Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter.
Your goal is to get butter pieces that are the size of peas.
In a separate bowl, mix the vinegar, egg and COLD water ( iced water works best).
Form a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour egg mixture into the well.
Start blending together a little at a time with a fork until just blended.
Then, using your hands, form mixture into a ball. Do not over work.
The secret to a good pie crust is handling it the least amount possible. If you mix it too much it will not be flaky.
Rolling Out the Dough
Lightly but evenly flour your work surface.
Cut the ball dough in half and then in half again and form four dough discs.
Roll out the dough, pausing to rotate the dough to prevent sticking. This is crucial. After every stroke of the pin, rotate the dough. At any sign of sticking, throw a little flour underneath and keep going.
Once rolled, the dough should be approximately 1/8-1/4 inch thick. A common pastry mistake is to roll the dough so that it is thicker in the center than at the edges. Roll from the center of the dough to within 1 inch of the edge, rotate, and repeat.
Putting It All Together
Once you’ve rolled your dough, gently transfer it to the dish you intend to use. Wind the dough around your rolling pin, making sure it is floured and will not stick to itself. Unroll the dough over the dish, and gently press it into the corners of the pan. (Avoid stretching the dough)!
Trim any excess dough, leaving an overhang of about 1/2 to 1 inch. Chill the dough immediately for about 30 minutes.
At this point, the pie crust can be frozen. I like to make a batch and use some for a chicken pot pie and then freeze the rest for another time. You should be able to get 2 full, double crusts pies out of this recipe, and may have enough left over to make a shell for a cream pie or some cinnamon sugar sticks for the kids or adults . Just remember, if you are making single shells, poke them all over with a fork.
To keep the crust edges from burning, place a big piece of aluminum foil underneath the pie. Check the crust after a bit and if it looks like it is cooking faster than the pie, fold the foil over the crust and continue to bake.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until fluted edge is golden light brown.
Jan Howell
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Jan Howell
Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.
