Perfect pie crust, any way you like it.
When I was a kid, my mom always made pie crust with shortening. So I always made pie crust with shortening. Up until last year that was the only way I made pie crust. Then I decided to try an all butter pie crust. So delicious. But I still really like pie crust made with shortening, too. Shortening adds less flavor than butter and you can taste the salt. It somehow seems more like pie dough to me. I like both crusts. I tend to use a shortening crust with fruit pies. An apple pie made with shortening crust is perfect, almost old fashioned. I like to make all butter crust for cream pies. The buttery crust goes well with cream fillings. Either way, your pie will be delicious!
Single crust
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening or butter
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water
Double crust
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening or butter
8 to 10 tablespoons ice water
How to make perfect pie crust
Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and stir in the salt. Cut in the shortening or butter with a pastry blender or by rubbing it in with your hands. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time and stir it in with a fork. Add water just until the dough comes together.
For a single crust, form the dough into a disk. For a double crust, divide the dough in half and form two disks. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. It would be ok at 15 minutes. Or you can roll it out right away if you’re pushed for time.
Place the dough on a floured surface. Flour your rolling pin and begin rolling the dough out from the center, working clockwise to roll out evenly. Move the dough so that it doesn’t stick and re-flour under it if you need to. Roll the crust about 3 inches larger than your pie pan.
To move the crust to the pie pan, I gently fold it in half and move it to half the pie pan, then unfold it. Or you can roll it onto the rolling pin and unroll it over the pan.
If you’re making a double crust pie, fill the crust. Now roll out the second disk and move it to the top of the pie. Trim the edges. I gently tear off excess dough. Or you can use kitchen scissors. Tuck the dough under itself on the edge of the pie pan. For a single crust pie, trim the edge and tuck it under itself on the edge of the pan. Save the excess dough for decoration if you want. I like to make leaves to put on a pumpkin pie, or an apple and two leaves for the top of an apple pie.
Next you need to crimp the dough at the edges of the pan. You can put your right thumb between the thumb and first finger of your left hand and pinch the dough. I like to use a floured fork to crimp the edge of an apple pie. Keep flouring your fork as you go around. If you’re going to make a lot of decorations from dough, make enough for an extra pie crust. Cut a pattern of slits in the top of a double crust pie to let the steam escape.
Bake according to your pie recipe.
Perfect Pie Crust
Ingredients
- For single crust
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup shortening or butter
- 4-5 tablespoons ice water
- For double crust
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup shortening or butter
- 8-10 tablespoons ice water
Directions
- Step 1 Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and stir in the salt. Cut in the shortening or butter with a pastry blender or by rubbing it in with your hands. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time and stir it in with a fork. Add water just until the dough comes together.
- Step 2 For a single crust, form the dough into a disk. For a double crust, divide the dough in half and form two disks. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. It would be ok at 15 minutes. Or you can roll it out right away if you’re pushed for time.
- Step 3 Place the dough on a floured surface. Flour your rolling pin and begin rolling the dough out from the center, working clockwise to roll out evenly. Move the dough so that it doesn’t stick and re-flour under it if you need to. Roll the crust about 3 inches larger than your pie pan.
- Step 4 To move the crust to the pie pan, I gently fold it in half and move it to half the pie pan, then unfold it. Or you can roll it onto the rolling pin and unroll it over the pan.
- Step 5 If you’re making a double crust pie, fill the crust. Now roll out the second disk and move it to the top of the pie. Trim the edges. I gently tear off excess dough. Or you can use kitchen scissors. Tuck the dough under itself on the edge of the pie pan. For a single crust pie, trim the edge and tuck it under the edge of the pan. Save the excess dough for decoration if you want. If you’re going to make a lot of decorations from dough, make enough for an extra pie crust. I like to make leaves to put on a pumpkin pie, or an apple and two leaves for the top of an apple pie.
- Step 6 Next you need to crimp the dough at the edges of the pan. You can put your right thumb between the thumb and first finger of you left hand and pinch the dough. I like to use a floured fork to crimp the edge of an apple pie. Keep flouring your fork as you go around. Cut a pattern of slits in the top of a double crust pie to let the steam escape.
