Homemade Pie Crust
Perfectly flaky and flavorful Homemade Pie Crust recipe made with only 4 ingredients- you can do this! I am excited to be a Crisco Pie Partner and to bring you the first in a series of delicious pie posts sponsored by Crisco.
My husband’s favorite dessert is pie- and can you believe that it’s the one thing in the kitchen that I am intimidated to bake?! It’s true! Oh how I get nervous even thinking about being asked to bake a pie. When I do summon up the courage to bake a pie I almost always reach for store-bought pie dough. Can we still be friends?! Actually there is no shame in that but I’m excited to show you really how quick and simple it is to make your own Homemade Pie Crust at home.
When I received the call asking to be a Crisco Pie Partner I just knew I had to accept. I am ready to challenge myself and get past this silly irrational fear of pie crust! Why is pie crust so intimidating? It is only 4 ingredients. FOR THE LOVE OF PIE we can do this!
Having said there are only 4 ingredients (Crisco, flour, salt, and ice water) I know there are plenty of opinions about the best method for making homemade pie crust. This all shortening Classic Crisco Pie Crust is flaky and flavorful and it comes together quickly. I used butter flavored Crisco for this particular batch.
It’s important to keep everything very cold when preparing a homemade pie crust. I put my Crisco in the freezer for 10 minutes before beginning to make this recipe. It is also helpful to chill your mixer bowl or pastry cutter if you are not using a food processor.
The method is pretty straightforward. After mixing your flour and salt together you want to pulse in your cubed, chilled shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea-sized pieces remaining. Sprinkle half the maximum recommended amount of ice-cold water over the flour mixture and pulse 10-12 times (about 10 seconds if using a mixer, or 20 seconds if using a hand-held pastry blender). Test dough for proper moistness by squeezing a marble-sized ball of dough in your hand. If it holds together firmly, do not add any additional water. If the dough crumbles, add more water by the tablespoonful, until the dough is moist enough to form a smooth ball when pressed together.
After chilling the dough for 30 minutes (or up to 2 days) roll dough on a lightly floured surface about 1 inch larger than your pie pan. Transfer the dough to the pie plate by loosely rolling around your rolling pin. Center the rolling pin over the pie plate, and then unroll, easing the dough into the pie plate.
I told you we can do this. The good news is that if you have a pie emergency you can call the Crisco Pie Hotline for holiday pie baking help! During the harried holiday season when pie baking is at its peak, live pie experts are on-call during extended hours, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET from November 18 – 27, and 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET from December 16 – 23. Additionally, recorded tips and tricks can be accessed 24 hours a day.
Speaking of winning you’re going to want to keep scrolling to enter to win an In Katrina’s Kitchen $200 Crisco Prize Pack including a Pie Pop Maker and Breville Personal Pie Maker!

Classic Crisco Pie Crust
Ingredients
- For a SINGLE CRUST:
- 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup well-chilled Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
- 3 to 6 tablespoons ice cold water
- For a DOUBLE CRUST:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup well-chilledCrisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
- 4 to 8 tablespoons ice cold water
- For a DEEP DISH DOUBLE CRUST:
- 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup well-chilledCrisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
- 6 to 10 tablespoons ice cold water
Instructions
- BLEND flour and salt in medium mixing bowl.
- CUT chilled shortening into 1/2-inch cubes. Cut in chilled shortening cubes into flour mixture, using a pastry blender, in an up and down chopping motion, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea-sized pieces remaining.
- SPRINKLE half the maximum recommended amount of ice cold water over the flour mixture. Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top, distributing moisture evenly into flour. Press chunks down to bottom of bowl with fork. Add more water by the tablespoon, until dough is moist enough to hold together when pressed together.
- SHAPE dough into a ball for single pie crust. Divide dough in two for double crust or double deep dish crust, one ball slightly larger than the other. Flatten ball(s) into 1/2-inch thick round disk(s).
- ROLL dough (larger ball of dough for double crust pie) from center outward with steady pressure on a lightly floured work surface (or between two sheets of wax or parchment paper) into a circle 2-inches wider than pie plate for the bottom crust. Transfer dough to pie plate by loosely rolling around rolling pin. Center the rolling pin over the pie plate, and then unroll, easing dough into pie plate.
- For a SINGLE pie crust, trim edges of dough leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Fold edge under. Flute dough as desired. Bake according to specific recipe directions.
- For a DOUBLE pie crust, roll larger disk for bottom crust, trimming edges of dough even with outer edge of pie plate. Fill unbaked pie crust according to recipe directions. Roll out smaller dough disk. Transfer dough carefully onto filled pie. Trim edges of dough leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Fold top edge under bottom crust. Press edges together to seal and flute as desired. Cut slits in top crust or prick with fork to vent steam. Bake according to specific recipe directions.
- Two Methods for Pre-baking Pie Crusts (Cream Pies):
- Pre-baking without weights: Thoroughly prick bottom and sides of unbaked pie dough with fork (50 times) to prevent it from blistering or rising. Bake crust in lower third of oven, at 425°F, 10-12 minutes or until edges and bottom are golden brown.
- Pre-baking with weights: Thoroughly prick bottom and sides of unbaked pie dough with fork (50 times) to prevent it from blistering or rising. Chill or freeze for 30 minutes. Line pie dough snugly with foil or parchment paper. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Reduce oven to 350°F. Bake 5-10 minutes or until edges and bottom are golden brown.
This Giveaway is CLOSED. A winner has been chosen and the prize(s) have been fulfilled.
Please use the giveaway entry form and leave a comment on this post to be entered. You will have the opportunity to earn bonus entries after you leave a comment. By entering this giveaway you are agreeing to the Official Rules. This giveaway is a sweepstakes. Open to continental USA residents over age 18. Winner(s) will be chosen by random, announced here, and will be contacted by email. Winner(s) must respond within 48 hours to claim the prize. This prize is sponsored by Crisco. I was compensated for my time; all opinions are 100% my own.
134 Comments on “Homemade Pie Crust”
My mom has used Crisco for years for pie crusts. I actually made my first pie using her recipe but I think I will give this one a try.
Homemade pie crust is super simple and tastes so much better than the pre-made ones… Great tutorial!
These is a wonderful tools for pie making! I love to bake!
Wow, this would really be a neat thing for me. I love to cook but my family laughs at my baking attempts. Thanks for the opportunity it win this giveaway!!
I usually by my pie crusts but this looks easy! I will have to try! Thanks.
This is a great recipe for crust. It’s easy to roll out and the flavor is incredible. It has become my new favorite. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Thank you for the opportunity. We use Crisco exclusively for homemade biscuits.
Is it just me, or is it really tedious to roll out a pie crust properly?
I have used the same Crisco recipe for years, and still think its the best. I don’t know why pie crust making can be so intimidating, but it shouldn’t be cause its not! Let’s get to making some pies. 🙂
When I was learning to bake my Mom taught me to make pie crust using the crisco recipe. I love their recipe and it always comes out great.
So….would a cuisinart with dough attachment work the same as a mixer?
Have always used Crisco for 50 years–fantastic
Pie: the dish that can be a sweet dessert or a savory dinner meal. I have not worked with pie crusts or dough much, and as a self-learning chef, this is very helpful. Thanks 🙂
This looks so fun ! I want to try
OK I’m convinced. 🙂 I sure would have liked a picture of the baked crust, though. Really enjoyed all the pretty food pics… all over your site, actually. 🙂
The baked pie is coming in an upcoming post! Stay tuned!! Thanks for stopping by!
wow that looks amazing!
Pie crust is something that has always been challenge for me! I just can’t get it flaky and yummy, but thanks to this post, I’m not going to give up and will try again! Thank you for sharing and for this awesome giveaway opportunity! 🙂
I truly believe shortening is the key to the flakes. And keep everything cold and handle the dough only as much as necessary. Good luck!
We love pie too! Thanks for the post !
I thought I would learn to make piecrust after I retire, but I don’t know when that will be so I should get started!
There’s no time like the present! You’ll have it perfected by the time you retire!
Crust is the best part of the pie!! I always use really cold ingredients for my crusts, straight from the frozen pie crust section! When I make it myself, much of it never gets rolled into pie crusts, it gets eaten!
Crust is my favorite part! You can often find me finishing off my husband’s discarded crust 🙂
I love to use butter flavor crisco for my famous cookies. Everyone raves about them. Usually, I’m an all-butter girl, but the texture of the cookies with butter flavor crisco is amazing.
Only four ingredients? I think I can do it! My mom always uses vinegar in her pie crusts, and hers are AMAZING!
I’ve heard that little vinegar tip too- will have to try sometime. I really liked this classic 4 ingredient crust. Hmmm now you have me hungry for cookies 😉
I ♥ PIE!!! I’ve got over 20 Crisco sticks in the pantry – I use them all.the.time.
Girrrrrrrrrrrl that is why we are friends 😉 Seriously you make the best treats!
this is a great giveaway idea. Hope I win
I need that lattice pie cutter!
You and me both! It’s so cool!
Love love love your pictures for this post! And I’m totally cheating and making crisp this year BUT you know I love pie 😉
Thank you! It was really really fun to shoot.
I was scared of pie crust too… until I found a recipe very similar to this one. So much easier and tastes great 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Pie crust recipes are fairly simple- why are we all so intimidated?! Not anymore!!
I didn’t know that you could make pie pops!
I cannot wait to try them!
I love to bake. but pies make me nervous!! I will have to give this another try!
You and me both! Let me know how it goes.
Looks pretty easy. I just have to remember not to work the dough too much. (And to keep it cold)
It’s hard not to handle the dough! I agree.
Love this recipe thank you I’m going to try and make it gluten free.
That’s a great idea!
The personal pie maker looks cute. We are baking a lot of pies today, but with store bought crust. Your recipe looks good, I will have to try it.
I cannot wait to play with that personal pie maker! Thanks for stopping by!
My grandma’s secret ingredient was a teaspoon of vinegar…my mom swears by it. I love pumplin pie!!
That’s such a great tip!
Thanks for the recipe and giveaway! I have never had any success with homemade pie crust 🙁 Mine normally ends up rubbery or cakes up in your mouth. I have never figured it out.
I know what you mean. Be sure to use very very cold ingredients and ice water. Try not to touch the dough too much when forming into a ball or rolling out. Warmth from your hands melts the shortening and will result in less flakes. Good luck- keep trying!!
I haven’t tried making pie before. I always thought that it was difficult to make pie crust but you make it sound and look so simple. I am going to try this ove the holidays. Thanks!
That’s great news! It comes together so quickly I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
I’m going to try it your way. Wish me luck!! 😀
Good luck for sure! I know you can do it!!
I am so intimidated by making pies too! But you made it look so easy I’ll have to try it!
I hope you do! It seriously comes together very quickly and with little fuss. Good luck!
How CUTE, I have never seen those before, how cool! That would be very handy.
My grandmother always made her biscuits and crusts with Crisco and I do too! So flaky and yummy! By the way, love the pics!
Yes Crisco really makes the best flakes for biscuits and crusts. I love having those memories of watching my grandmother’s hands in action baking up something delicious too.
Love your pictures! So cute, and I love this recipe too, so simple!
Thank you Angie! It was really fun to shoot.
mmmmmmm SUCH beautiful pie crust!!!
Thank you Kayle! I was afraid it was too simple but really simple can be good, right?!
Thanks for the recipe! My favorite is Pecan Pie. I’ll have to use this recipe for the crust.
I do love a good slice of think pecan pie!
Looks like an easy crust to make.
It comes together so very quickly it’s surprising!
What a great looking pie crust! Love this tutorial!
Thank you Jessica! I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m still skeptical of “butter flavored” Crisco… I think I would try regular Crisco when making this.
No problem! I’ve used both and was happy with the results each time.
I love these shots! So fun. This sounds like perfect pie crust to me!
Thanks Cassie! It was a fun project to shoot. Happy Thanksgiving!
I will have to try your recipe for pie crusts.
Let me know how it turns out!
Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for stopping by, Brenda. I hope you’ll enjoy the recipe.
Crisco really does make great pie crust. I love a combo of Crisco and butter because butter has a bit better flavour, but the shortening makes it flakier. Of course, I can no longer EAT pie crust, but what the hey!
Thanks Carolyn. I do love the flakes too.
Yum, I can’t wait to try this. I didn’t even know they made a lattice tool, I’ve been doing it the hard way!
I know! I’m so excited about that tool too.
Looks simple enough to try out today for tomorrow’s festivities. Thank you for this recipe!
Pie crust is such a simple recipe. I hope you’ll try it! Happy holidays!