Pie Crust Recipe and Tips

Making a pie can be intimidating, but with a little practice you can do it!  One of my more crazy ideas was to teach the 12 and 13 year old girls in my church how to make a pie crust.  But I'm proud, and relieved to say it was a success!  Each girl went home with a pie crust baked and ready to fill and a package of pudding to fill it with.  They were thrilled!  If they can do it, so can you. 

You can use your favorite pie crust recipe (if you have one.)  I get excited every time I teach someone how to roll a pie crust out between layers of plastic wrap.  You don't get flour all over the counter and clean up is easy!

Makes a single crust for 9 inch pie plate:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

½ cup butter flavored Crisco chilled
½ teaspoon salt
3 - 4 tablespoons cold water

"Fluff" flour in canister with large spoon or whisk before measuring flour.  (I don't think anyone sifts flour any more but I do suggest you do "fluff" your flour when making a pie.  It just takes a second.)
Put some ice cubes in some water, you want cold water.

In a large bowl combine 1 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Drop 1/2 cup chilled Crisco into flour.  I buy the Crisco Baking Sticks and keep them stored in the refrigerator.  I only use them for pies.  You can use regular Crisco but I would chill 1/2 cup before starting.

Cut Crisco with butter knife four or five times. 
 

 

With clean hands, pinch Crisco into flour.  You can use a pastry blender if you'd rather. 

Keep pinching till all the flour is mixed in.

 

Sprinkle one tablespoon of cold water over dough.  Toss with fork till the water is absorbed, do not over mix. 

Repeat till you have added 3 tablespoons water. 

Gently form dough into a ball.  If dough won't form a ball, sprinkle another tablespoon of water over dough.

Get your hand wet and dampened counter.  I know it's hard to see but I don't want you to forget this step, it keeps the plastic wrap from sliding around.  (I really wish I had nice, granite counter tops.)

Lay 2 pieces of plastic wrap over lapping in the center on dampened counter.  (Hard to take pictures.)

Place dough in middle of plastic wrap, flatten slightly. 

Place another sheet of plastic wrap over dough. 

Roll till crust is big enough to fit pie plate.  Roll gently from the center out to the edge.   To check that the crust will fit pie plate, place pie plate upside down on crust.  Crust should be one inch bigger  all the way around. 

If you need to you can take dough from one edge to add to another.

 Use plastic wrap to gently fold crust in half. 

Remove plastic wrap from top half. 

Gently lift crust into pie plate, with uncovered dough side down. 

Remove the other half of plastic wrap. 

Use the plastic wrap to help gently unfold crust. 

Fit crust to pie plate by lifting the edge of dough and lightly pressing dough into bottom edge of the sides of pie plate.  Do this all the way around the pie plate.  Remove second piece of plastic wrap.

Trim crust ¼ to ½ inch larger than pie plate.

Fold under edge.

Flute edge. 

If filling and crust are baked together use filling recipe for baking time and temperature. Such as a pumpkin pie.   If baking the crust empty prick bottom and sides well with fork.  Bake at 450 for 12 minutes or till lightly golden.   

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