Grandma’s Perfect Pie Crust
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By Alyssa Rivers
on Nov 01, 2023, Updated Oct 12, 2024 |
Tender, buttery, and easy-to-make, my Grandma’s perfect pie crust is everything you need this Thanksgiving. It’s so foolproof, you won’t use store-bought ever again!
A Reader’s Review
“Thank you for posting Grandma’s Perfect Pie Crust recipe! I have tried dozens of recipes but could never get the crust to stay together. It makes me happy to be able to make a good pie crust that not only stays together but tastes fantastic!!!”
Ginger
Super Easy Homemade Pie Crust Recipe
My grandma made the best pies for Thanksgiving—her crusts were always tender and flaky, and her fillings were divine! Every year, we looked forward to her cooking. She raised eight kids and still served home-cooked meals every night, all from scratch. I remember summers with her, enjoying freshly baked bread or peanut butter cookies straight from the oven. You can find that bread recipe here!
But the highlight of Thanksgiving was always her pies, especially the cherry pie—nothing compares! Her crusts were perfect, and I’m here to show you how easy it can be to make your own from scratch. This crust comes together in minutes with simple ingredients you likely already have. Trust me, it’ll take any pie to the next level! I’ve also included a printable graphic for your baking needs. Let’s keep this delicious tradition alive!
Ingredients to Make a Pie Crust from Scratch
Simplicity is key! The best pies start out with a flaky, golden crust with no frills. This pie crust will bring your whole pie together with just pantry staples! Measurements can be found in the printable graphic or recipe card at the end of the post.
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour works great for achieving a soft, flaky crust. It doesn’t have a high protein content, so it will keep the structure nice and light. You can also use a low-protein pastry flour.
- Salt: You need a little salt to enhance the overall flavor.
- Shortening: This is needed for fat content. You can also substitute it with butter, margarine, or even coconut oil!
- Cold Water: This is used to moisten the dough. Be sure to keep it cold! Cooler temperatures is the secret to a nice and flaky pie crust.
How to Make the Perfect Pie Crust
Making a solid pie crust isn’t difficult at all. All you need is a little love and attention to detail! You’re going to love it. It’s better than anything you can get from the store!
- Mix Dry Ingredients and Shortening: In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. With a pastry cutter, cut in shortening till pea-sized.
- Moisten: Next, we add some cold water. Sprinkle water on top one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side. Mix until all flour is moistened. Don’t mix too much, or your crust will be hard.
- Shape and Roll Out: Form into a ball and roll with a rolling pin on a floured surface. Turn and flour the dough a few times till it’s the size you need. It’s now ready for all of your favorite fillings! If you are using this for a cream pie, check out this How To Blind Bake a Pie Crust post on how to cook the crust first.
Tips and Tricks
Making a pie crust from scratch is both tasty and impressive! Here are a few simple tips and tricks to make your crust bakery-worthy. You’re going to love how it turns out!
- Use Chilled Ingredients: The secret to a flaky crust is to use refrigerated ingredients. Warm ingredients can make your dough tough and dense.
- Don’t Overmix: As with other homemade pastries, don’t overwork your dough. It can cause gluten to develop and make your crust chewy and hard. You only want to mix your dough until it sticks together, and you can start shaping it into a ball.
- Add Water as You Go: Add too much water, and your pie dough might be hard to salvage. Add too little water, and it will be dry and crack. To avoid these extremes, add a little bit of water at a time and mix gently until you have reached your desired consistency.
- Use a Food Processor: Instead of using a pastry blender to cut ingredients together, you can pop your mixture in a food processor and blend for short intervals. Once it is blended smoothly, you can remove it and add water to moisten it.
- Adding Flavors: One often overlooked tip is that you can flavor your dough! Whether it be a hint of pumpkin spice, fresh herbs, lemon zest, vanilla, almond extract, or sugar and cocoa powder, it can really take your pie up a notch! You’ve got a flavorful filling- why not add flavor to your crust, too?
Make Ahead of Time
You can easily store your pie crust and use it later if you’re not ready to bake! It will be just as flaky and delicious as the day you prepared it!
- In the Refrigerator: Wrap a ball of uncooked dough in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container. It will stay good for up to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature before rolling out, or it may crack.
- In the Freezer: Pie crusts are great for freezing and using later. I recommend shaping your dough into a pie pan before freezing. This way, you don’t need to thaw it; it can go straight into the oven. If you’ve frozen a dough ball, allow it to thaw overnight and then come to room temperature before rolling it out. Both shaped crusts and balls of dough need to be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap before freezing.
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In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. With a pastry blender cut in shortening till pea-sized. Sprinkle water on one tablespoon at a time tossing with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side. Mix till all flour is moistened. Don't mix too much or the crust will be hard.
Form into a ball and roll out on the floured surface. Turn and flour the dough a few times till it's the size you need.
Updated on November 1, 2023
Originally Posted on October 10, 2015
To double the crust: add 1 more cup flour1 more 1/2 t saltDouble the shortening Double the cold water
Calories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 73mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gCalcium: 3mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.