Flakiest Pie Crust
Fool proof flaky traditional pie crust! Easy steps, simple ingredients! This is enough for one double pie crust, or two singles. Add another half batch for any intricate decor.
Servings: 2 pie crusts
Ingredients
- 315 grams (2 ½ cups) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup shortening*
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- ~ 6-8 tbsp ice water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt.
- Pulse in shortening using a pastry cutter, fork, or food processor until you have pea sized bits of shortening evenly through out the dough.
- Add vinegar and ice cold water (don't include ice cubes, we just want the really cold water). Gently fold together until just combined. Do not vigorously mix or overwork the dough. Add additional tbsps of water as needed. You want just enough water that it comes together and is sticky, but not overly wet.
- Divide the dough into 2 sections and form each one into a thick disk. Gently wrap each one in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30-60 minutes, or up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
- When the dough is chilled, gently roll out one disk on a floured work surface. Always roll out starting from the center of the dough, working your way around to create an even circular shape. I love using a silicone mat for this for easy transfer to the pie dish. Rolling it between 2 pieces of wax paper or parchment paper also works well. Roll it out until the dough is about 1" larger than your pie dish. (Flip your pie dish over and place on crust for easy measurement against the dough)
- Using your silicone mat or wax paper, gently flip over the dough into your pie dish. Lift up the edges of the pie crust as needed to make sure the crust falls into the corners of the dish. Follow your pie recipe's baking instructions for the finished steps. Below are a few baking tips:
- Crimping tips: See notes above for crimping ideas! For a single baked pie crust: Using a fork, prick the bottom of the crust a few times. Line with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 400° F for 13 minutes, then take the pie weights out and bake for about 3-5 more minutes, until golden brown. You can use a pie crust shield or aluminum foil to cover the edges of your pie crust to prevent over browning. For a double pie crust: To prevent a soggy crust, sprinkle a teaspoon of flour on the bottom of the pie crust or brush with an egg wash. Add filling and top crust. Brush with an egg wash (1 beaten egg + 1 TB water mixed together) and lightly brush the top. Top with coarse sugar if desired. Bake as recipe directs.
Notes
*A note on shortening: if you'd like a more buttery flavor to your pie crust, I recommend using 1/2 classic shortening and 1/2 butter flavored shortening. You can use real butter or half of the amount in butter for flavor, which is a delicious option that you can't go wrong with, however, in my tests we found it wasn't quite as flaky.
MAKE AHEAD TIPS: You can refrigerate for 3-5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.