Mom’s Best Pie Crust
This is my homemade pie crust recipe, perfect for sweet and savory pies, tarts, quiches, crostatas and for chicken pot pie crust (meat pie). I make the pie crust by hand, instead of making the dough in a food processor, as I feel it gives me more control, which results in a light, crisp and flaky pie crust. I do make it in the food processor, if I’m in a hurry and need to make a quick pie dough, but I like making pie crust by hand for that real, old fashioned pie feel. It’s also kind of relaxing, plus there’s less clean up. Sometimes I just don’t feel like washing the food processor (I don’t put it in the dishwasher – don’t ask me why)! Anyway, it’s really easy to learn how to use a pastry blender to cut butter into flour and clean up is simple. When I first started baking, I learned how to cut butter into flour with two knives and with a fork. You’ll see the knife method in this recipe demonstration video, so don’t worry if you don’t even have a pastry blender. You don’t need any fancy tools to make the perfect pie crust recipe, just a few basic items and simple ingredients. Making pie crust with butter and with shortening, creates a pastry with buttery flavor and flaky texture, that everyone associates with the best pie crust recipe. A shortcrust pastry recipe (pate brisee) is similar to this basic pie crust recipe, but that is an all butter crust recipe or buttercrust recipe as some call it. Rolling the dough is simple, when it’s chilled in the refrigerator, but this pie dough can also be made ahead and frozen for 3-4 weeks. I make a few pie crust designs, but basically I pinch the edges with my fingers or press the edges with a fork. Pie crust crimping and cut out designs require another video tutorial.
My Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, and Pumpkin Pie, and Apple Pie recipe are among my favorites fruit pies. Recipes for savory pies, that I use this pie dough recipe for, include: my chicken pot pie recipe, cheese and spinach quiche recipe (Quiche Florentine), quiche Lorraine recipe, and mincemeat pie recipe/mince pie. When I show you how to make an apple crostata, which has a very rustic look, you’ll see there’s no fuss at all with that crust. You don’t even need a pie plate! There are lots of pie dough desserts, so get in the kitchen & watch my pie crust recipe demonstration video and I’ll show you How to Make Homemade Pie Crust! Mom’s Best Pie Dough Recipe!
What’s your favorite pie? Summer pie recipe? Holiday pie recipe? Leave me a comment! Go to this Recipe on YouTube or visit my Facebook Page! Let me know if there’s something you’d like to see.
What you’re craving could be my next recipe!
Watch The Video! Learn How To Make Pie Crust, From Scratch, By Hand! Recipe by: Diane Kometa
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Mom’s Best Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour – measured by pouring not scooping – plus more for rolling
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter – cut into small pieces – cold
- 1/2 cup shortening – cut into small pieces – cold
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4-5 Tablespoons ice water
- Deep Dish Double Crust
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour – measured by pouring not scooping – plus more for rolling
- 4 tsp. sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter – cut into small pieces – cold
- 2/3 cup shortening – cut into small pieces – cold
- 1 teaspoon. salt
- 6-8 Tablespoons ice water
- For savory pies, omit sugar
Directions:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt, until thoroughly combined.
- Add the cold shortening and butter. Cut in with a pastry cutter or two knives, until the mixture combines into small pieces no larger than the size of peas and resembles coarse meal. See video.
- Gradually add the cold water one tablespoon at a time and toss with a fork, until the mixture begins to stick together and starts to clean the sides of the bowl. It usually takes me about 5 tablespoons of water, for a regular double crust, but this varies. Test the dough by grabbing some and pressing it between your fingers to see if it sticks together. If it doesn’t, add a little more water, toss to combine and check it again. See Video.
- With your hands, gather the dough and press it into a ball. Divide the dough in half.
- Places each dough ball onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk about one half inch thick. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour or overnight, before rolling. If only using one dough disk, the other can be placed in a freezer-safe bag and frozen for 3-4 weeks and then defrosted in the fridge.
- Before rolling the dough, lightly flour your work surface, rolling pin and the dough.
- Place your rolling pin in the center of the dough and roll forward and back. Avoid rolling to the very edge. Lift the dough and turn it slightly, as you roll. To prevent the dough from sticking, place a little more flour on your surface every few turns and lightly flour you rolling pin when needed. If the edges begin to come apart, press them back together, as you roll. If the dough sticks to the surface, don’t try to pick it up with your fingers or it will tear. Lightly flour a spatula (the kind for flipping eggs) and gently slide it under the dough to release it from the surface and then add a little flour to the surface and continue rolling. Sticking like this usually means the dough is getting too warm, so try to work quickly. Measure the dough: Take your pie plate and turn it over and place it on your rolled dough. There dough should be about 1-2 inches larger than your pie plate.
- To move the dough to the plate: Lightly flour your rolling pin. Starting at the top of the dough, gently roll the dough around the rolling pin, towards you. Slide your pie plate in front of you, and then lift the rolling pin, so that you’re holding the dough above your plate. Starting at the part of the plate closest to you, leave about 1-2 inches overhang in the front and then unroll the dough into the pie plate. Once the dough is in the plate, gently position it evenly, if necessary and gently press the dough into the plate. Handling the dough too much or pulling on it, can cause shrinkage, so be gentle. If you notice any small holes or tears in the dough, try to lightly press them together with your finger. If necessary, take a small piece of dough from the excess and create a patch, by pressing the dough gently over the tear and smoothing it out. You can also do this, if you see any very thin spots. Excess dough can be trimmed. Edges can be tucked under and sealed, pinched, or pressed down with the tines of a fork.
- Cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, before filling and baking. Enjoy!
- Notes: 1) Use the Deep Dish Double Crust for a regular double crust pie if desired, especially if you’re new at making pies. It will give you some extra dough to work with. 2) The dough must be chilled for at least one hour before rolling, but longer is better. I prefer overnight whenever possible. If the dough is not cold enough, the butter and shortening will soften quickly making the dough difficult to roll. Enjoy!! Recipe by: Diane Kometa
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