The BEST Easy Pie Crust Recipe (2024)

Atender, flaky, andeasy pie crust recipethat tastes and smells like homemade buttermilk biscuits! It’s the best pie crust I’ve ever had!

My cousin: Can you make me a pie?

Me: Of course, what kind do you want?

My cousin: Just the crust. A crust pie. I just want to eat the crust.

LOL, she was dead serious, and I completely understood because I can (and have) eaten this pie crust as is. Hello, pie crust bites. It’s that good!

If you’re used to picking up a premade pie crust from the grocery store, let me nudge you just a little towards trying your hand at making one from scratch.

Once you taste the difference, you’ll think twice about returning to store-bought versions!

I experienced this realization not too long ago when I was craving a peach pie. I thought I’d take a shortcut and use a frozen pie crust. I mean, it couldn’t be too bad, right? LIES!

The pie filling was great, but theflavorof that crust just ruined the experience. Bless it! It just didn’t hold a candle to thishomemade pie crust. That pie lasted five days in my house before it was gone. That is soooo not normal for us. We finishpiesin 24-48 hours around here!

If you’re gonna take time to make a delicious homemade pie filling, it deserves a homemade crust! Whether it’s forapple pie,pumpkin pie, or chicken pot pie, thisflaky pie crustis it!

Thankfully, thispie crust recipeis also super easy to make!

What makes this the BEST easypie crust recipe?

If you have been following me for some time, you know this is the ONLY pie crust I use. I’ve posted a few others on this site, but I always come back to this one because it is just perfection, in my opinion.

• The taste:This is #1 for me. Magic happens when your pie crust AND the filling is incredible! Thispie crust recipetastes and smells like a buttermilk biscuit. It elevates ANY pie, whether sweet or savory.
• The ease:The pie crust dough is such a dream to work with and prepare. It rolls out with ease and is simple tobake.
• The appearance:This pie crust browns up beautifully for a perfectly golden pie and holds up well to liquid fillings.
• Makes extra-This recipe makes enough for two (9-inch) pie crusts with some dough to spare. It’s much easier to work with too much dough than to try to stretch it to make it fit! Plus, you’ll have extra if you want to add a pretty braid trim or crust decorations like leaves or hearts. You can also freeze the extra dough and make pie crust bites to go with soups or dips!

Is pie crust better with butter or Crisco (shortening)?

The answer is BOTH!! I’ve made this recipe with all butter and allshortening, and I’m team #butterandshortening!!

While I love the magic andflavorof butter, it just can’t seem to create a texture likeshorteningcan! They work together as the perfect duo in thispie crust recipe.

How To Make ThisEasy Pie Crust Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• All-purpose Flour– The foundation for the pie crust, which provides structure. I prefer all-purpose over bread or cake flour.
• Granulated sugar-helps the crust brown and adds subtleflavor(no worries, the crust won’t taste sweet)
• Salt– enhances theflavorof the crust.
• Unsalted butter–Cold butteradds to theflavorand texture of the pie crust.
• Butter-flavoredshortening– Adds additional fat, which createsflavorand a softer yet flaky texture. (Be sure to use butter-flavored for the best taste)
• Ice water– hydrates and binds the ingredients while keeping them cold.

INSTRUCTIONS (full printable recipe at the bottom of post)

1. In a largebowl, combine flour, sugar, andsalt. Whisk until combined.
2. Grate the frozen butter andshorteninginto the flourmixture(toss with aforkseveral times while grating so that it doesn’t all clump together)
3. Cut in the butter and shorten using apastry cutteruntil it resembles fine crumbs.
4. Stir in cold water just until combined and a dough forms.
5. Place dough on a floured surface and knead just enough until all the flour is incorporated.
6. Divide the dough into two equal halves.
7. Gently shape the dough into flatteneddisks.
8. Wrap withplastic wrapand refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until chilled.
9. When ready to use, roll one of the halves out evenly onto alightly floured surfaceusing arolling pin(about 1/4-1/8 inch thick) or press it out with your hands. Roll it large enough to fit a 9-inchpie pan. (about 12 inches in diameter)
10. Place into apie plateand trim off anyexcess doughif needed.
11. Chill in therefrigeratoruntil ready to use according to your pie recipe.
12. If storing it long-term, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in afreezerbag.

How toBlind-Bake(Par-Bake)

BLIND BAKE(Full or PartialBake)

Blind bakingis when youbakea pie crust before filling it. It’s usually done when a pie filling requires little or no cooking time.

1. Prep Your Crust:First, place your rolled-out crust into your piedishand shape it according to your recipe or preference. Make sure it’s nice and snug without any air pockets. (You may find it easier to shape the rim once it’s chilled a bit)
2. Chill It: Place your crust in the fridge for a bit just to get it super cold. This ensures the pie crust willbakeup flaky.
3. Line It: Line the bottom and sides of the chilled pie crust withparchment paper. (Crumbling the parchment paper up first will make it easier to line.
4. Weigh It Down: Fill the lined crust withpie weights,beans, or sugar to prevent it from puffing up or shrinking. Be sure to cover the bottom with pie weights completely. (If using sugar, the sugar will still be some good afterbaking,so don’t discard it)
5. BakeIt: Place your weighted pie shell into a preheated 375°Foven.Bakeuntil the edges are very lightly golden and appear set( about 15 minutes.)
6. Full or Partial Bake: Remove the pie fromthe ovenand lift off theparchment paper. For a partially baked crust, return tothe ovenandbakefor another 7-10 minutes or until golden. For a fully baked crust,bakefor about 15 minutes. (Timing may vary, so keep an eye on it.) You can also prick the crust before placing it back into the oven, but I usually skip this step.
7. Cool: Let crust cool before adding filling. Proceed with the desiredpie recipe.

How to Freeze Pie Crust

I usually make my pie crust fresh, but I like having a few of these stashed in the freezer for backup. Thispie crust recipefreezes like a charm! Here’s how!

• Flatten it: Flatten the dough into discs. This will make thawing and storing much more sufficient.
• Wrap It Up: Wrap it tightly in several layers ofplastic wrap. You want to make sure no air gets in and dries out the dough or give it that weirdfreezertaste.
• Bag It: Next, place your wrapped dough into a Ziploc bag for extra protection. I also place it in afreezercontainer as well.
• Label It: Don’t forget to label your dough with the date. It will last about three months in thefreezer(Truth be told, I’ve used a 6-month-old pie crust, and it tasted just fine!)
• Freeze It: Now, all that’s left to do is stick your dough in thefreezer.

How tothawhomemade pie crust?

If the pie crust is frozen, place it in the fridge overnight tothawit out. You may find that you need more time, especially if the pie crust is in a ball or thickdiskshape.

Pie crust that is not frozen will warm up quickly and become pliable just from kneading it a few times.

Common Questions:

Do I have to usepie weights?Pie weightsare used forblind-bakinga pie so that it doesn’t puff up whilebaking. If your recipe doesn’t require a par-baked crust, then you do not need to usepie weights.

Can Ibrushmy crust withegg? This isn’t necessary. However, it can be beneficial for certainpies. It can create a barrier between the filling and crust to prevent it from becoming soggy, enhance browning, and add a bit of shine to the pie crust if desired.

How many pie crusts does this recipe make? This recipe makes two pie crusts. You’ll have leftover dough, which is perfect for making a thicker trim if desired. Or you can simply cut away the extra dough.

Why do I have to let thepie doughchill before using it? Letting the pie crust dough chill in the fridge is crucial to this recipe. It allows the gluten in the dough to relax. This makes the pie crust easier to work with and helps prevent a heavy crust.

Can this pie crust be used for savorypies? Absolutely!

Ready to put this pie crust to work? Check out the recipe below!