This is my favorite pie crust! It combines the perfect ratio of vegetable shortening to butter. Flaky, buttery and perfect for any fruit pie or cream pie!
This pie crust recipe uses half shortening, half butter thus making it buttery, tender and flaky. It’s easy to roll out and makes a perfect crust. Beginner friendly!
I love pies and because I like to make everything from scratch, using store bought pie crust seems like cheating to me. However, there is no shame in using them and many store bought ones are very good. I should listen to myself, but rarely do so. Thankfully, this pie crust is easy to make and easy to roll out. Although I still need a bit of work on my rolling skills, practice makes perfect!
I find it easier to roll out my pie crust if the pie shell is not too cold. Yes, this is totally contradictory to most, but see what works best for you, and go for it! Also, I like to add a little sugar to my dry ingredients. This gives the pie crust just a little extra sweetness.
My Favorite Pie Crust-Ingredients
Butter, sugar, salt, vegetable shortening, ice water and flour.
My Favorite Pie Crust-Instructions
Cut the cold butter into cubes.
In a large mixing bowl, add dry ingredients together: flour, salt and sugar. Add the butter and shortening.
Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients.
Keep cutting until there are loose crumbs and some pea sized clumps of butter/shortening.
Add 1/2 cup of ice water and mix with your hands in a rolling motion. If dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until evenly moistened throughout but still crumbly. Gather the dough into a ball, pat into a disk.
Cut the dough in half and make 2 disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Add flour to your board and to the top of the pie crust.
Roll from the center outward, flip, add more flour, and repeat until you have a crust slightly bigger than your pie plate.
Carefully fold the dough into quarters, being carefully not to crease it and add to the bottom of the plate.
For filled pies…
Fill the pie, and repeat the same process for the top crust.
Cut off the excess dough leaving about a 1/2 inch below the pie plate. Fold the top crust under the bottom crust to create a seal. Then crimp with a fork, or flute (as shown) using your fingers. Use excess dough to fill in areas that may have become thin.
If you are going to bake your pie right away, cut 4-5 slits in the top of the crust in order to let out the stream. Continue on with your baking directions.
For pies that require blind baking…
If your pie requires blind baking, bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until the pie is starting to turn brown. Then continue on with your baking directions.
Freezing Pies Raw
Place the pie in the freezer until completely frozen. Take out after approximately 1.5 hours. Wrap in plastic then heavy duty aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Take out the pie when you are ready to bake it and bake frozen. Before baking, cut 4-5 slits in the top of the pie crust. Continue to bake as directed.
Enjoy your pie!
For an all shortening pie crust, try my Old Fashioned Pie Crust
My Favorite Pie Crust
Equipment
- Pie Plate
- Mixing Bowl
- Pastry cutter
- Rolling Pin
- Wooden board
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup ice water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, butter and vegetable shortening.
- Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter and shortening into the flour until there are loose crumbs and some pea sized clumps of butter/shortening.
- Add ice water and mix with your hands in a rolling motion. If dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until evenly moistened throughout but still crumbly.
- Gather the dough into a ball, pat into a disk.
- Cut the dough in half and make 2 disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Add flour to your board and to the top of the pie crust.
- Roll from the center outward, flip, add more flour, and repeat until you have a crust about 2 inches bigger than your pie plate.
- Carefully fold the dough into quarters, being carefully not to crease it and add to the bottom of the plate.
For Filled Pies
- Fill the pie, and repeat the same process for the top crust.
- Cut off the excess dough leaving about a 1/2 inch below the pie plate. Fold the top crust under the bottom crust to create a seal. Then crimp with a fork, or flute using your fingers. Use excess dough to fill in areas that may have become thin.
- If you are going to bake your pie right away, cut 4-5 slits in the top of the crust in order to let out the stream. Continue on with your baking directions.
For Pies that Require Blind Baking
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until the pie is starts to turn brown. Then continue on with your baking directions.
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