Easy Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

I have always dreaded making my own pie crust, especially around the holidays, but that all changed when I began making this Easy Homemade Pie Crust Recipe.

It is a no-fail recipe that I turn to time and time again. That is because it is so easy to make with just a few basic ingredients and it turns out perfect every time.

But what I love most about this recipe is that it requires only 15 minutes to make! Then you can use the crust right away to make your favorite holiday pie, or store it in the freezer to have it on hand whenever you need it.

Although I often have the rolls of store-bought pie crust in my freezer as well, I prefer to use those for quick dinner meals. I will use the pre-made crust to make Chicken Pot Pie recipe on a cold winter day when I need a warm and hearty comfort food meal.

Although these refrigerated rolled up pie crusts are great to use in a pinch, I prefer to make my own crust for special occasions. And for me, that includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and any time someone requests a pie instead of cake for their birthday.

In fact, because I make this recipe so often, I will often make a double batch and freeze the dough so that I have extra on hand. Then when the busy holiday time arrives, I can pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw while I prepare other recipes.

Easy Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

Yield: Makes 2 (9-inch) pie crusts

INGREDIENTS

• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Shortening
• Salted butter, cold and cubed
• Egg
• Ice cold water

More Info About The Ingredients

Because I get a lot of questions about the ingredients, I thought it would be helpful to answer a few commonly asked questions here.

1. All-Purpose Flour

Standard all-purpose flour works well in this recipe. However you can substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour if you prefer. I have done this on several occasions and the crust turns out just fine.

However, do not use cake or bread flour as they will make the dough too difficult to work with. Although, it is fine to use pastry flour if you have that on hand.

2. Salt

Because pie crust in general is rather bland, don’t omit the salt in this recipe. It helps counteract the bitterness in the flour and gives a sense of sweetness to the dough.

3. Shortening & Butter

Every good homemade pie crust has to have a good amount of fat content. Although you could use only butter or shortening, I find the combination of the two works the best.

This is what makes the pie crust so flaky when baked. However, the key is to make sure that the butter is very cold before you add it to the flour.

Do this by cutting the butter into cubes and place the cubes in the refrigerator until ready to use.

And although I typically recommend using unsalted butter in the majority of my recipes, this is one time to use salted butter. It makes the pie crust so much tastier!

4. Egg

Although most pie crust recipes do not require an egg as part of the ingredient list, this is what makes this recipe so good.

The lightly whisked egg allows the dough to be more pliable and easy to work with. However it is important not to beat the egg too much before adding it to the other ingredients.

Myth About Adding Acid To The Dough

You may have seen, heard, or have even used a recipe that uses a little vinegar to make homemade pie crust. The theory behind that is that the acid will help neutralize the gluten in the flour, making the pie crust easier to roll out.

However, the addition of just a little acid, actually enhances the gluten. Therefore, I have not included any white distilled vinegar in this recipe.

INSTRUCTIONS

The first step in making this easy homemade pie crust recipe is to place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Then use a whisk until well incorporated.

This step not only helps distribute the the two ingredients together, it also eliminates the need to sift the dry ingredients.

Next, use a pastry cutter or large capacity food processor to cut in the shortening and cold butter into the flour mixture. Continue to blend until the dough becomes like a very fine grain.

Then use a silicone spatula to gently stir in the lightly beaten egg and water just until blended. Once the dough is ready, remove it from the bowl and place it on a clean, floured surface.

Now form the dough into one large size ball. Then use a dough cutter or large sharp knife to evenly divide it in two pieces.

Lightly form each section into a round, flattened disc. Then wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour before rolling it out.

This allows the homemade pie crust time to absorb the liquid and firms the fat so that it is easier to roll later.

When you are ready to roll out the dough to make your favorite pie, place the refrigerated dough on a clean, floured surface. Then use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to the desired size.

Freezing Instructions

If you only need one pie crust, like when making pumpkin pie, you can freeze the other crust for later use. Simply place the plastic wrapped dough disc in a resealable freezer bag.

Then remove any air and seal the bag. Label it and place it in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Then when you are ready to use the frozen crust, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. However if you need to use it quicker place it on the counter and let it thaw for 60 minutes at room temperature.

Then place it on a floured surface and roll it to the desired shape.

Homemade Pie Recipes

Here are some of my favorite pie recipes that I use with my easy homemade pie crust recipe:

• Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
• Homemade Cherry Pie
• Pumpkin Pie
• Pecan Pie
• Classic Blueberry Pie
• Caramel Apple Pie

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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