Perfect Pie Crust (Butter and Shortening Recipe)
One recipe to rule them all: pie crust with butter, shortening, and a touch of sugar.
There are so many opinions and different techniques in the crust world that it’s enough to make you throw up your hands and buy a premade one (for which I would NEVER judge you).
But making your own is no big deal. This recipe is easy to follow, and you can make it the day before so you aren’t stressed.
Pie Crust with Butter and Shortening
Equipment
- Food processor or pastry blender
Ingredients
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter 1 ½ sticks
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening such as Crisco (If you don't have shortening, you can substitute butter. All butter pastry is lovely too.)
- ½ cup water
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Instructions
- Cut the butter into the flour. Chop the butter into about eight pieces using a knife and blend them into the flour by pulsing with a food processor or using a pastry blender. Keep working until the butter is the size of small peas.
- Add the remaining ingredients to form a dough. Add the salt, sugar, shortening, and water and stir by hand or with the food processor. Mix until a dough forms. It will look slightly dry and crumbly, but should come together as a ball. If it is does not, add more water one teaspoon at a time.
- Allow dough to rest. Turn dough out onto a cutting board and divide in two. Shape the pieces into rough discs and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Place them in the fridge to chill for at least one hour, or up to overnight.
- Roll out and prepare for filling. Place discs to warm at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before rolling out. Unwrap the first one and place on a generously floured counter. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out to desired thickness. Carefully transfer to the pie plate and trim and crimp the edges.
Notes
I love this recipe so much that I bought a large food processor just so I could double it and actually have it fit. At Thanksgiving, I actually need to triple it. Which will not fit. But that’s okay.
Butter adds great flavor to everything, and baked goods especially, but Crisco has a magic way of improving texture. The solution? Use a pie crust recipe that uses both!
I know some of you hate Crisco, and that’s fine, but when it works, it works. You can, of course just use all butter, but it will slightly harder to work with.
If you have access to lard that will actually work even better.
Trimming and Crimping
If you use a baking dish with high edges, such as deep-dish or quiche pans, it might be that no trimming is needed. But if you want to use a regular pie dish, you’ll need to trim it a bit. You want a one-inch overhang, and the easiest way to do this is with kitchen shears.
For a one-crust pie, crimp before you fill. For a double crust, crimp at the end. Push the inner edge out with the index finger of one hand while pinching the outer edge in with the thumb and index finger of the other. Repeat over all edges of your pie. You’ll get a classic scalloped edge.
And there’s nothing wrong with just pressing a fork all along the edge if you don’t want to crimp!
Tips for Success
Roll the dough, don’t stretch it. If you stretch it, it will shrink when you bake.
Don’t overmix: handling the dough too much will make it tough.
This recipe makes enough for a double-crust pie. If you only need a single crust for your pie, freeze the other half.
Your butter and shortening must be cold!
Ingredients and Equipment
Butter: Unsalted and very cold, cut into cubes and chill again if needed.
Shortening: Regular Crisco or a store brand is perfect.
Food Processor: Makes quick work of cutting in the butter, but a pastry blender works too
Rolling Pin: A standard wooden pin is perfect – no need for anything fancy
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How to Blind Bake
Blind baking means you’re baking an empty pie shell. If your recipe calls for a pre-baked crust, here’s how you do it.
- Line the crust with parchment paper, then fill the pie with pie weights to prevent it from shrinking.
- Bake at 375 degrees until the edges of the crust are golden brown, about 30 minutes.
- For a partially baked crust, bake for about 10 minutes, and the crust will continue baking once filled.
Make It Your Own
- Add herbs or black pepper for savory pies
- Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar for sweet pies
- Use the scraps to make cinnamon-sugar pinwheels (a baker’s treat!)
- For a beautifully browned crust, brush the top with an egg wash before baking.
Focus on keeping everything cold, being gentle with the mixing, and giving yourself enough time for proper chilling. Do not stress out! The crust can sense it. At least that’s what my grandma always said. I know pies are for special occasions, so whatever you’re celebrating, I hope it’s beautiful.
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.