Robyn Stone
A homemade pie crust recipe that works perfectly for sweet and savory pies. This pie crust recipe is made by hand and makes a perfect pie crust every single time!
The perfect basic pie crust recipe makes any pie better – more magical even.
Growing up, I watched my Mother and Grandmothers quickly make pie crusts as if it were nothing in the world. However, when I first started baking my own pies, their knack for effortless pie crust escaped me. Well, that is until one day my Grandmother explained it all to me and the world of pie crust just made sense.
After that, I spent a whole afternoon practicing the art of the pie crust recipe until I got it just right.
Basically, the debate seems to exist on whether to use butter, shortening, lard, or some combination for the flakiest, best tasting pie crust. Some folks swear by using a food processor while my Grandmother only used two forks. Some people freeze all of the ingredients before mixing their pie dough and others do not. It can be quite confusing, really.
But, I thought I’d share with you what I found as the perfect pie crust recipe that works with most pie fillings and can be made by hand fairly quickly. It always provides a flaky crust with lots of flavor that is sturdy enough to hold even the heaviest of pies well.
In other words, it’s a keeper of a recipe. Here’s how I make it.
How to Make Homemade Pie Crust
Prepare your pie plate by buttering it, then set it aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter and shortening with pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Gradually add enough ice water (a tablespoon at a time) while mixing with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough is formed.
Pour the dough ball out onto a lightly floured sheet of plastic wrap and form into a disc. Lightly flour the pie dough disc and place another sheet of plastic wrap over top of it. Roll from the center until pie dough is about 1/8 inch thick.
Remove the top piece of plastic wrap, fold the dough over and lay across the pie plate and remove the bottom piece of plastic wrap. Press the pie dough lightly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Cover the pie plate with a piece of the plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
If pre-baking, use a fork and lightly prick the bottom and sides of the pie crust. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for about 8 minutes.
If not pre-baking, simply fill your pie crust with your chosen pie filling and bake according to the pie recipe.
Some Favorite Pies with this Pie Crust
Apple Pie
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Best Pecan Pie
Classic Peach Pie
French Silk Pie
Coconut Cream Pie
The Perfect Pie Crust Recipe
Here’s my basic pie crust recipe. I think you’ll love it for all sorts of delicious pies. It’s so great on savory pies too!
Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup butter + more for buttering pie plate or skillet
- 4-5 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Butter a 9-inch pie plate or skillet and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Cut in the shortening and butter with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
- Gradually add enough ice water to the mixture while mixing with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough is formed.
- Pour the dough onto a lightly floured sheet of plastic wrap and form into a disc. Lightly flour the top of the pie dough and place another sheet of plastic wrap on top. Rolling from the center, roll until the dough is about a 1/8-inch thickness. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap, fold the dough over and lay across the pie plate and remove the bottom piece of plastic wrap. Press the pie dough lightly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Cover the pie plate with a piece of the plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
- If pre-baking, use a fork and lightly prick the bottom and sides of the pie dough.Then preheat the oven to 425º F and bake the pie crust for about 8 minutes.
- If not pre-baking, simply fill the pie crust with pie filling and bake according to instructions for the pie recipe.
Video
Notes
- When using vegetable shortening, I use an organic shortening.
- To make an all butter pie crust, use 1/2 cup butter plus more for buttering the pie plate.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives, originally published 2012.
Thanks for the tips, Robyn! One question…do you bring the pie crust from the freezer to room temperature before baking or bake frozen? Thanks!
I bake it frozen. Thanks Paulette! xo
Thank you so much for this recipe! I didn’t use this the first time I made pie crust, and that one was a bit of a disaster so I was a bit skeptical about using this recipe. This is the second time I’ve made pie crust, and I used your recipe here and the crust was just so heavenly. Thank you so much! The plastic sheet thing for rolling out the dough helped me tons, by the way. 😉
I’m so glad you loved this pie crust recipe, Angela! xo
Can this pie crust recipe be used for pumpkin turnovers?
Hi Julie,
Yes! It is delicious for turnovers and hand pies, too!
Hi,
I am very excited to try this pie crust recipe! Does it make enough crust for just the bottom of the pie, or also for the top part if I wanted to do a basket weave or some other design?
This recipe is for one crust – the bottom crust of a pie. You would make a second crust if you wish to have a top crust or create a lattice design on top of pie etc.
Enjoy, Michaela! It’s delicious! xo
Hey,
Can you use 1/2 a cup of Margarine or Salted Butter instead of vegetable shortening and butter?
I don’t use margarine in this pie crust, Keri. I hope you enjoy it! xo
Margarine contains water, so make a poor replacement in baking. It’s not allowed in my house. 🙂
This Dairy Farmer and my cows thank you for not using margarine!!!! The real thing is always better than a man made substitute!
Saw this on Pinterest and made it for a chicken pot pie(even posted a picture????). It was the best I had ever made! Now I am going to make a blueberry pie and can’t remember if I used salted or unsalted butter. You just say butter, is that salted or unsalted? Thank you
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Ellen! I’ll have to go look for your pot pie picture!
I use salted butter.
I bet your blueberry pie will be delicious too! Thanks! xo
Can you use more butter instead of shortening?
Hi Ivona,
You can certainly make this pie crust with all butter if you don’t want to use shortening. I tell you how to make the all butter one in the Recipe Notes. Hope you enjoy the pie crust!
Thank you so much for this recipe! My husband and I have made this twice, one time with vegetable oil and butter and one time using Crisco shortening and butter. Both ways were very good. The one using crisco and butter was are favorite. They came out flaking and amazing! My whole family loved the homemade crust.
Glad you enjoyed the pie crust! xo
I’ve been craving Lemon Meringue Pie for couple days now but I myself have never made pie. I’m wondering if this recipe is good for the Lemon Meringue Pie crust. I have no idea which or what pie crust I should use or can use, I’ve been surfing the net for few hours but kinda nervous about baking it. Help me with this 🙂 thanks.
Hi Alexandrea, I usually like to use my Simple Graham Cracker Crust for a Lemon Meringue Pie if it is the icebox variety. If it is a cooked custard type Lemon Meringue pie, then I use this pie crust recipe.
Thanks so much!
I found this recipe with your recipe for mini quiches so I am excited to try it. When I pre bake the crust in the mini tins should I prick the bottoms?
Hi Susie,
Yes, I would recommend pricking the bottoms for the pie crust for the mini quiche for pre-baking. I hope you enjoy them! xo
Thanks for sharing such good recipes! I just used this one to make crust from scratch for the first time. I found it pretty manageable and was very happy with the result.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
At our summer camp and needed a pie crust for the fresh strawberries we bought yesterday at the farmers market. I’ve tried homemade crusts before with terrible results, but I found your recipe and it sounded easy. So I got everything together and it was a cinch to make! Looks beautiful even before baking! I filled it unbaked with the strawberry slices, then saw the recipe called for a blind baked crust…took out the strawberries and baked it, then refilled it. While the crust was baking I made the mashed strawberries (with sugar, cornstarch & vanilla) and it was ready when the crust came out of the oven. Looks awesome and flaky as can be, can’t wait to try it for dessert tonight. Finally an easy crust I can actually make. Thank you!!
I’m so happy that you gave it a try! Isn’t it simple?! Have fun at camp and enjoy the pie crust! Thanks Barb! xo
I have been using this recipe for years. I now work for a caterer and tried to make mini quiches using an industrial oven. The sides of the crust collapse inward while pre baking, I’ve tried several options and can’t get it to work. Help
I’ve used dried beans in pie crusts when prebaking to ensure the crust keeps it’s shape. Just pour them in, bake, pour them out
Hi! any substitute for vegetable shortening?
Haven’t made it yet but working on it. Looks like a good one. What you may have failed to mention was if the recipe was for one or two crusts? I assume it is for one but it did give me pause…Thank you for sharing your story about your Grandmother…heart warming and gives the recipe sustenance on an emotional level.
I hope you enjoy it Carmela! My Grandmother was a very special person. This makes one crust – I can’t wait until you try it! Thanks! xo
Do I double the pie crust for apple pie.
Hi Jess!
I make two crusts for my Apple Pie recipe. I hope you enjoy the pie! Thanks!
For a double crust do you simply double all ingredients?
When I make a double crust, I have the best results making two crusts so as to not have to overwork and over-handle the double amount of dough. It’s just easier to me to make two of them. Thanks Dana!
Could I just use shortening? I only have margarine instead of butter.
I made my thanksgiving pies with this pie crust, and they turned out amazing
So happy you enjoyed the pie crust too, Kaitlynn! Thanks!
I CAN’T WAIT TO TRY THIS AS ALL MY PIES I’VE MADE ALWAYS TURNED OUT LIKE A FLY SAUCER..LOL
I hope you enjoy the process of making this pie crust – and the delicious end results of course!
Thanks so much Wendy! xo
I have been making my pie crusts with lard, I will never go back to butter and shortening. But thanks for the freezer tip, I will be trying that with my Thanksgiving pies!
Molding the dough is the thing I’m always in trouble with whenever I make a pie. Sometimes it’s too thick, other times it’s thin😅 Your simple instruction does help me a lot 🙂
– Natalie
hi
i have to make this pie crust as vegan. what can i use instead of butter
This is a wonderful recipe. Amazing for my apple pies. I only had one problem. When I was trying to watch the video for it a commercial came up every three to five seconds. It was ridiculous. I ended up not even watching it.
Hi Jessica,
I do hope you enjoy the recipe and hope that you find the video helpful.
Just scroll down to the video within my written post as there are no ads in that full length video. Only the side bar videos have any ads. Thanks so much. Hope this helps.
Thanks for this easy delicious easy pastry. I made a fresh salmon pie…scrumptious !! I did make a change to the pastry…just added a quarter teaspoon of tartaric acid ad a small teaspoon of baking powder.
when making a coconut cream pie, The pie crust is cooked before adding the coconut cream.
how long do you cook the pie crust?
Thanks
Terri
Hi Terri,
Since you are pre-baking, use a fork and lightly prick the bottom and sides of the pie dough.Then preheat the oven to 425º F and bake the pie crust for about 8 minutes. I give instructions for pre-baking and not pre-baking the crust in steps 5 and 6. I hope this helps and you enjoy the crust! Thanks so much!
At what temperature should the butter and shortening be when they’re being cut into the flour, fridge or room temperature?
Hi Robert,
It should be cold from the refrigerator. Enjoy it! Thanks!
I would like to give a try to your pie recipe. However i don’t think that I find vegetable shortning in the stores nearby where I live. Can you suggest a subtitute for it.
You can use all butter, Tania. I detail how to do that at the end of my recipe instructions. Enjoy!
I made the coconut cream pie yesterday with your from scratch pie crust. It was very good.
But…there was no way I could “lightly” prick the frozen crust with a fork. It took all my strength. My oven was preheated to 425 degrees and I had to bake that crust in an aluminum pie plate for at least 23 minutes. It should have baked a couple minutes longer, but I was so far beyond the 8 minutes that I panicked and took it out. The edges were a little golden brown and tasted perfect, but the bottom crust didn’t seem baked. (My oven is calibrated correctly.) It took over 45 minutes of whisking before the custard started to boil, and I had the burner on medium. A home ec teacher friend who enjoyed a slice of the pie said I should have turned the heat up, but I was afraid it would scorch. Standing at the stove and doing nothing but stirring for that long is a huge investment of time for part of a dessert. The crust took time with the super chilled butter and shortening, the rolling it out, freezing it, etc., and the whipped cream and toasted coconut took time. I told our neighbor about the pie and he asked me to let him know the next time I make it because he’ll come over with his wife—it’s his favorite pie. Not sure I want to go through all that work again, but they are our favorite neighbors. Such a dilemma!
Hey there. I’d like to use this excellent crust recipe for a grapefruit pie that’s refrigerated rather than baked. I assume the 8 minute pre-baking time is for a crust that will bake a little longer with the filling. How long should I bake the crust by itself if it isn’t going back in the oven at all?
When making pie crust 4-5 tablespoons of water don’t seem like enough. The dough is crumbly and hard to roll out. I’m afraid to use too much water. Any suggestions?
Hi Sandy,
I only use 4 or 5 tablespoons of ice water for my pie crust. It might help if you watch the video of me making the pie crust that is on my post for the pie crust recipe. Hope it helps!
Hi Robyn,
Thank you for the reply. After viewing your video, I tried again, and there is still too much flour. I tried it with 1 cup of flour and it turned out great. Maybe 1 1/4 would work also.
Sandy
Sandy,
There could also be a difference in the brand of flour we used. I use White Lily all-purpose flour which is a soft wheat flour. It is less dense than many others on the market.
This will be my second attempt at making a homemade pie crust in my 49 years. I can bake anything and everything else without any issues but for some reason have always been intimidated by pie crusts. I can not wait to try your recipe as you have given me a new found confidence, but I have a silly question, is the butter at room temp or cold? Couldn’t really tell from the video.
Thank you
Hi Gina,
You will use cold butter for your pie crust. Don’t be intimidated with this pie crust. I’m sure you will do fine. Thanks!
Love this recipe, as does everyone that has eaten the pies. I’m using it for fried pies and they are wonderful. I’ve shared it with friends. The only thing I do differently, is to add a tsp of baking powder. Something I learned years ago from my Home Ec teacher. Thanks for receipe.
Thanks, Kim! So glad you like this recipe!
if I am making a chicken pot pie with this crust do I have to freeze it? I have a small freezer and don’t have room in the freezer. Can I put it directly on the pot pie and cook it straight away?
Thanks
Hi Krupa,
You can put the crust directly on the pot pie if you can’t freeze it first. I have just found that the crust does better if I freeze for at least 30 minutes. Thanks
You’ve earned my trust! This is, as you’ve said, the perfect pie crust. I don’t usually leave comments or reviews but after tasting how light and flaky this crust turned out, I wanted to let you know what a fan i am of this recipe. I decided to use all butter and it was amazing. Thanks so much! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Thanks so much for your comment, Mary. I’m so glad this crust turned out so well for you. I hope you do find many more recipes that you love. xo