Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

This Flaky Pie Crust Recipe is an old fashioned shortening recipe that makes the BEST pie! Follow our 10 simple tips for the perfect crust with amazing flavor. You can even freeze extra pie crusts for later!

Old Fashioned Pie Crust

A good pie just isn’t the same without a fantastic Flaky Pie Crust Recipe! You may have experienced the unappealing frozen pie crusts with their factory crimped edges. If so, you are probably craving a good old fashioned homemade pie crust!

Store bought pie crusts serve their purpose. I admit that in a pinch, I have use them on occasion. The fact of the matter is that they are usually dry and tough though. They don’t even compare to a tender and flakey homemade pie crust recipe like Grandma made.

Store Bought Pie Crust Options

Over time, I have played around with just about every imaginable alternative to homemade pie crust. There are a variety of options, some worse than others.

Frozen, pre-formed in the pie tin

Frozen chunk of dough

Refrigerated crusts you roll out

Box mixed that you just add water (Surprisingly, the best alternative I have found)

…and the list goes on! While some of those are better than others, nothing compares to old-fashioned homemade pie crust.

A flaky pie crust that is so tender it just flakes apart when you delve your fork in to it, can’t be beat. It is a must have for amazing pie recipe like Apple Pie, Cranberry Custard Pie or Homemade Peach Pie.

• Apple Pie
• Cranberry Custard Pie
• Homemade Peach Pie

Shortening Pie Dough Recipe

While I have and will continue to get plenty of people who scoff at me for using shortening over butter in any recipe. The fact of the matter is it provides a slightly different texture than butter.

Recipes like this Rhubarb Streusel Coffee Cake or Sour Cream Cutout Cookies are old fashioned recipes with shortening that our moms and grandmothers used and there is no reason to mess with perfection. This shortening pie crust is no exception!

• Rhubarb Streusel Coffee Cake
• Sour Cream Cutout Cookies

How to make a flakey Pie Crust

It may take a bit of practice to become comfortable making a pie crust recipe from scratch, but once you’ve mastered the technique, you will never go back.

I am sharing my family’s recipe and tips on how to achieve the perfect pie crust, in hopes of helping you master the art of pie crusts.

Check out my wonderful mom showing you how to make the best pie crust in step-by-step photos. She is using her old school Tupperware non-stick pastry mat, but you can simply use a well floured counter top.

Tips & tricks for a perfect pie crust

Add your water very slowly. If your crust has reached the desired consistency, stop adding water. Too much water will make the dough tough, but too little water will make the crust dry and it will fall apart when you are working with it.

Don’t over-mix the dough or it will become tough. Use a pastry blender for the best results.

Roll the dough out on a non-stick pastry mat to avoid it sticking to your work surface and tearing.

Use a spatula to slowly lift the dough on all the edges and release it from the work surface, being sure not to tear the dough.

When transferring the crust to the pie plate, fold it in half or quarters to transport it without it tearing. Unfold the crust on your pie plate.

You want plenty of dough to overhang the plate, so you can fold it under for a thicker crust on the edges.

If you are baking the crust with no filling, be sure to poke holes on the bottom and edges with a fork, so you don’t get large air pockets.

When baking a pie crust, filled or not, cover the edges with tinfoil for the first half of the baking time, so the crust on the edge doesn’t get overdone.

Can I freeze a pie crust?

If you make a double crust, but only need one at the time, freeze the second one in the glass or tin pie plate. Seal it tight and remove as much air as possible. It will store well in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Not only do the crusts freeze well alone, but most fruit pies freeze fantastic as well. Peach, blueberry and apple are just a few of the pies that you can prepare ahead of time. Seal them up and freeze them before baking.

This is a great way to preserve seasonal fruits in pie form. You can make lots of pies and enjoy them any time of the year!

When you go to use the frozen pie crust, you can grab it from the freezer and let it thaw a little bit on the counter while you prepare your filling such as Pumpkin. Bake it as you normally would and it will be perfect!

If you are baking a prepared frozen pie there is no need to thaw them. Pop the frozen pie directly into the pre-heated oven. You will need to add 10-15 minutes onto the normal baking time for the whole pie, but they will turn out great!

Favorite Pie Recipes

Be sure to check out some of my favorite pie recipes below. From adorable little mini pies perfect for hosting, to delicious homemade fruit pies perfect with fresh summer produce, they are all winners!

German Chocolate Pecan Pie

Fruits of the Forrest Pie

• Mini Blueberry Pies
• Rhubarb Custard Pie
• Mini Strawberry Pies

Notes

I use butter flavored Crisco shortening for the best results. To freeze an unbaked pie crust in a pie plate for late use, place the crust in plate in a 2 gallon resealable bag. Suck out as much air as possible and seal. Freeze up to 6 months. Thaw the crust before filling and baking a pie.

Serving: 1/8 crust | Calories: 159 kcal | Carbohydrates: 13 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g | Cholesterol: 6 mg | Sodium: 146 mg