Name: Homemade Buttery Flaky Pie Crust
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I use Crisco), very cold; 1/2 cup butter, very cold; 1/2 cup very cold water

Homemade Pie Crust made with few simple ingredients, using flour, butter, shortening, and salt. This recipe is so forgiving that you will never use another recipe again.

Homemade Pie Crust can seem daunting if you have never made it. At least that is how I felt the first time I wanted to make a pie using homemade crust.

I want to promise you that it gets easier and more comfortable the more you make the homemade. As my mother used to say, "practice makes perfect."

For years I use to make my homemade pie crust with just shortening and still do occasionally, but I find the added butter gives an excellent rich taste to the pie crust.

In my early years in home economics, "now you know how old I am," there was a recipe we would make for social events at the school with vinegar and an egg added. The recipe would make five pie crust.

I used this recipe for years and still do today when I want to make several pies, and I use the butter flavored Crisco to get the butter richness.

The salt is essential in a pie crust recipe. It's what causes the taste of the fat and flour to have flavor.

When making my pie crust, it is so much easier to roll the pie dough first and chill it in the pie plate verse, chilling the dough and then rolling it out. It is just a personal preference and not a must.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE HOMEMADE PIE CRUST

Large Bowl

Rolling pin

Food processor (optional)

Flour

Shortening

Butter

Salt

Pie plate

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE PIE CRUST

Using A Pastry Cutter or Two Forks:

Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the cold shortening and cold butter.

Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the shortening and butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. A few large bits of fat are ok.

Using very cold water (from a water dispenser in the refrigerator is helpful). Drizzle a tablespoon of the water at a time around the crumb mixture, stir with a fork in between adding the water. As the dough begins to form in a ball, stop adding the water.

On a lightly floured work surface, transfer the dough from the bowl and form a smooth disk like shape.

Divide the disk in half, forming two flattened disks. These may be wrapped and used for later. Place them in the refrigerator.

On a lightly floured surface, if making a pie, roll the pie dough out starting at the center and moving the rolling pin out toward the edge, creating a circle a little larger than the pie plate.

Once the pie crust is rolled out, place on a pie plate.

Arrange the crust to fit by tucking or cutting the edges next to the pie plate's edge.

Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or an hour before using in a recipe.

Bake according to the recipe that calls for pie crust.

Using a Food Processor:

Place flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.

Add cold shortening and cold butter and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Have your water measured and ready to pour. Turn the processor at full speed and immediately pour all the water in the processor while running.

As soon as the dough begins to form a ball. Stop the processor.

On a lightly floured work surface, transfer the dough from the food processor bowl and form a smooth disk like shape.

Divide the disk in half, forming two flattened disks. These may be wrapped and used for later—place in the refrigerator.

On a lightly floured surface, if making a pie, roll the pie dough out starting at the center and moving the rolling pin out toward the edge, creating a circle a little larger than the pie plate.

Once the pie crust is rolled out, place on a pie plate.

Arrange the crust to fit by tucking or cutting the edges next to the pie plate's edge.

Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or an hour before using in a recipe.

I hope you will give the homemade pie crust a try. It is so rewarding and super delicious.

Kay

WHERE WILL YOU SEE THIS RECIPE

Meal Plan Monday

Weekend Potluck

Looking for more recipes? Use the search bar in the top right-hand corner or click on My Recipe Box in the top menu.

MORE RECIPES TO ENJOY!

Southern Pecan Pie

Homemade Shortbread Crust

American

Yield: 2 (pies)

Author: Kay Little