Grandma S Perfect Pie Crust

Tender, buttery, and easy-to-make, my Grandma’s perfect pie crust is everything you need this Thanksgiving. It’s so foolproof, you won’t want store-bought again! No matter the pie you want, this crust will make it shine. Chocolate, peach, and apple pies are some of my favorites on the blog. They’re all insanely good, I highly recommend you put them in the Thanksgiving pie lineup this year!

Super Easy Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

My grandma knew how to make the best pies every year for Thanksgiving. Aside from the absolutely divine fillings, the crusts she made were always tender and flaky! Every year we would look forward to going to my Grandma’s for Thanksgiving. She was the BEST cook. She raised 8 kids and had a home-cooked meal on the table for them each night. Everything she made was from scratch. Growing up, I remember staying a few weeks in the summer with her and she was always baking bread or a batch of peanut butter cookies. As soon as the warm bread came out of the oven she would slice it up and we would eat an entire loaf. You can find that recipe here and join in on the deliciousness! But really, the best part about Thanksgiving was her pies. You couldn’t wait to finish the meal to have a slice of her cherry pie. In all honesty, I have yet to try a better pie. She would make them all herself and you couldn’t get enough! Her crusts were tender and perfect. In my opinion the best! Sometimes making any kind of dough from scratch can seem intimidating, but today I am going to show you how easy it is! The crust comes together in just a matter of minutes and you probably already have all of the ingredients on hand. Trust me, it’s going to enhance any pie you make! If any recipe is a staple, it’s this one! I’ve included a printable graphic to have on hand for all of your baking needs. Let’s keep the tradition going!

Grandma’s Perfect Pie Crust Ingredient List

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 acheiving 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

Caramel Apple Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

Amazing Decadent Pecan Pie

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 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 and begin adding water to moisten. Adding Flavors: One tip that is often overlooked 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. 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 and it can go straight into the oven. If you’ve frozen a ball of dough, allow it to thaw overnight and then come to room temperature before rolling out. Both shaped crusts and balls of dough need to be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap before freezing.

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All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.