This homemade pie crust surprisingly easy and  creates a light, flakey, buttery pie crust that pairs perfect with all pies! I always expect something this good to be so hard. It’s NOT! I’m going to show you step by step, tip by tip, how to make the best homemade pie crust.

How to make Homemade Pie Crust

This recipe calls for very few ingredients, but it is important that you use these exact ingredients as described.

STEP 1: Mix dry ingredients.

STEP 2: ADD in Shortening.You can use regular, or butter flavored. Pictured is a yellow butter flavored shortening, hence why it is yellow. Shortening is what helps the crust to rise and to have the buttery flaky texture everyone so loves.

STEP 2 CONT…Add in shortening to dry ingredients. Using two knives cut in the shortening.

*PRO TIP-It is VERY important to use cold water. ICE water. You want a nice cold dough. Even after you have formed this nice firm ball it’s a good idea to put it in the fridge for a little while. After you have rolled it out, once again you can put it in the fridge. The cold dough quickly heated up in the oven is what causes a nice flakey crust.

STEP 4: Mix until it pulls away from side. Keep cutting and adding  small amounts of water till firm ball.

STEP 5: Prepare a floured surface to roll out the crusts.

*PRO-TIP:  You also want to handle the dough very little. Don’t do any uneccesary kneading or tossing. Flour surface, roll and place in pie plate.

This recipe makes enough for 4 balls, and two pie crusts. Or you can make one pie and use extra for beautiful decorations on top and around the circumference. Remember the dough needs to remain very cold. It’s also easier to work with when it is cold. While you are working with one ball, refrigerate or freeze remaining dough balls while you work with one dough ball at a time.

Roll out each dough ball. Smaller balls will make thinner crusts. Use thinner crusts for the top. Fold the dough into 4ths or roll onto rolling pin to transfer.

You can use extra dough or extra dough balls to make your crusts more decorative! I love pie cutters for the seasons.

Roll out another circle for the top and transfer the same way. Crimp or style how you like, see here how to do a simple lattice pie crust. You can go all sorts of crazy creative at this point, or you can keep it simple.

5 from 1 vote

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Grandma Harding’s Famous Pie Crust

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 15 mins

 

This homemade pie crust is easy and creates a light, flakey, buttery pie crust that pairs perfect with all pie filling! Follow this step by step tutorial.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade pie crust tutorial

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 265 kcal

Author: Desarae

Ingredients

• 4 cups of flour
• 1 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 + cup Ice cold water

Instructions

1. 1.mix dry ingredients
2. 2.cut shorting into dry ingred. -use butter knives and criss cross them
3. 3.slowly pour in ice cold water and mix till pull away from side. keep cutting till firm ball
4. 4.divide into 4 balls and roll out. top dough circles thinner
5. 5.fold into halves with transferring so no rip.
6. 425 for 15 minutes
7. then lower heat to 375 for 45
8. roll out on generously floured surface
9. poke slits top crust
10. if fresh fruit or cream use fork and poke holes in bottom
11. bake 25 minutes 375-400 keep eye on it!!
12. sugar top crust before baking (my favorite

Nutrition Facts

Grandma Harding’s Famous Pie Crust

Amount Per Serving

Calories 265 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Sodium 146mg6%

Potassium 33mg1%

Carbohydrates 24g8%

Protein 3g6%

Calcium 5mg1%

Iron 1.5mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.