Grandma S Perfect Pie Crust Recipe

Super Easy Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

My grandma made the best pies for Thanksgiving—her crusts were always tender and flaky, and her fillings were divine! Every year, we looked forward to her cooking. She raised eight kids and still served home-cooked meals every night, all from scratch. I remember summers with her, enjoying freshly baked bread or peanut butter cookies straight from the oven. You can find that bread recipe here! But the highlight of Thanksgiving was always her pies, especially the cherry pie—nothing compares! Her crusts were perfect, and I’m here to show you how easy it can be to make your own from scratch. This crust comes together in minutes with simple ingredients you likely already have. Trust me, it’ll take any pie to the next level! I’ve also included a printable graphic for your baking needs. Let’s keep this delicious tradition alive!

Ingredients to Make a Pie Crust from Scratch

Simplicity is key! The best pies start out with a flaky, golden crust with no frills. This pie crust will bring your whole pie together with just pantry staples! Measurements can be found in the printable graphic or recipe card at the end of the post.

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour works great for achieving a soft, flaky crust. It doesn’t have a high protein content, so it will keep the structure nice and light. You can also use a low-protein pastry flour. Salt: You need a little salt to enhance the overall flavor. Shortening: This is needed for fat content. You can also substitute it with butter, margarine, or even coconut oil! Cold Water: This is used to moisten the dough. Be sure to keep it cold! Cooler temperatures is the secret to a nice and flaky pie crust.

How to Make the Perfect Pie Crust

Making a solid pie crust isn’t difficult at all. All you need is a little love and attention to detail! You’re going to love it. It’s better than anything you can get from the store!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

1 hr 10 mins

Caramel Apple Pie

1 hr 40 mins

Sweet Potato Pie

4 hrs 10 mins

Amazing Decadent Pecan Pie

1 hr 50 mins

Use Chilled Ingredients: The secret to a flaky crust is to use refrigerated ingredients. Warm ingredients can make your dough tough and dense. Don’t Overmix: As with other homemade pastries, don’t overwork your dough. It can cause gluten to develop and make your crust chewy and hard. You only want to mix your dough until it sticks together, and you can start shaping it into a ball. Add Water as You Go: Add too much water, and your pie dough might be hard to salvage. Add too little water, and it will be dry and crack. To avoid these extremes, add a little bit of water at a time and mix gently until you have reached your desired consistency. Use a Food Processor: Instead of using a pastry blender to cut ingredients together, you can pop your mixture in a food processor and blend for short intervals. Once it is blended smoothly, you can remove it and add water to moisten it. Adding Flavors: One often overlooked tip is that you can flavor your dough! Whether it be a hint of pumpkin spice, fresh herbs, lemon zest, vanilla, almond extract, or sugar and cocoa powder, it can really take your pie up a notch! You’ve got a flavorful filling- why not add flavor to your crust, too?

In the Refrigerator: Wrap a ball of uncooked dough in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container. It will stay good for up to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature before rolling out, or it may crack. In the Freezer: Pie crusts are great for freezing and using later. I recommend shaping your dough into a pie pan before freezing. This way, you don’t need to thaw it; it can go straight into the oven. If you’ve frozen a dough ball, allow it to thaw overnight and then come to room temperature before rolling it out. Both shaped crusts and balls of dough need to be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap before freezing.