Ruth's Grandma's Pie Crust
This recipe is over 100 years old. My sister-in-law's grandmother said it was a no-fail recipe. It's the best I ever had.
This recipe is over 100 years old. My sister-in-law's grandmother said it was a no-fail recipe. It's the best I ever had.
I've recently entered the world of pie making and this was my first pie crust ever (with my first apple pie - Grandma Ople's found in Allrecipes as well). I've heard so many horror stories and thought I'd just use the store bought ready made dough that you just lay in a pan and bake - it was good (enough) when I used it for my first pie (pecan). But my friend urged me to just try to roll out my own. And, I am no longer afraid! This was so easy to make and handle, and I am still shocked it came out so pretty (I posted a pic). I used butter flavor Crisco shortening as suggested and brushed the pie with lightly beaten egg before baking. Crust was super flaky, but sturdy enough. I am going to use this again and again - have plans for a pot pie dinner using this crust. (I do agree this recipe only makes enough for 1 double crust and 1 single crust pie. I'm making another pecan with the single crust I have left.) Anyone want the remaining ready-made pie crust I have in the freezer? :-) EDIT: I've now made 5 pies using this crust - and EVERYONE raves about this crust. I'm SO happy that I used this in my first attempts with pie crust because I don't need to keep trying recipes. Seriously, I'm not even a bread/crust person but i CRAVE this pie crust! A pie crust CAN totally make a pie!
Read MoreI found this difficult to work with, and not all that tasty. I'll stick to my butter crusts ...
Read MoreI've recently entered the world of pie making and this was my first pie crust ever (with my first apple pie - Grandma Ople's found in Allrecipes as well). I've heard so many horror stories and thought I'd just use the store bought ready made dough that you just lay in a pan and bake - it was good (enough) when I used it for my first pie (pecan). But my friend urged me to just try to roll out my own. And, I am no longer afraid! This was so easy to make and handle, and I am still shocked it came out so pretty (I posted a pic). I used butter flavor Crisco shortening as suggested and brushed the pie with lightly beaten egg before baking. Crust was super flaky, but sturdy enough. I am going to use this again and again - have plans for a pot pie dinner using this crust. (I do agree this recipe only makes enough for 1 double crust and 1 single crust pie. I'm making another pecan with the single crust I have left.) Anyone want the remaining ready-made pie crust I have in the freezer? :-) EDIT: I've now made 5 pies using this crust - and EVERYONE raves about this crust. I'm SO happy that I used this in my first attempts with pie crust because I don't need to keep trying recipes. Seriously, I'm not even a bread/crust person but i CRAVE this pie crust! A pie crust CAN totally make a pie!
This makes a very tender, flaky and flavorful crust. I had used the same pie crust recipe for 25 years with only good results and compliments. Very similar, but mine did not include the egg. But I like to try new things sometimes, so I thought I would give this recipe a try. Now, I will be using this recipe all the time. I found that since my eggs were extra large, I did not need to add all the liquid. Next time I will beat the egg into only 1/4 cup ice water, sprinkle into the flour mixture, mix lightly and then add more ice water, if needed. Thank you for posting!
This crust is simply perfect! The first time I tried it, I had no shortening on hand and so I used unsalted butter instead. The result was a very nice flaky crust. The second time around I used animal shortening (the vegetable kind is not available in the country I live in and I personally don't use it anyway because it is simply so bad for you). The crust came out perfect! It was very flaky and so very tasty! I tried other recipes but the difference with this recipe is the 3 tablespoons of sugar and the egg: this gives the crust a nice flavor, just perfect for fruit pies! I was able to roll it out pretty thin (0.2-0.3 inches) and so I got two 11" crusts and one lattice top out of the dough the recipe yielded. I used my dough roller to pick up the crust and lay in my extra large pie pans and it worked pretty well as long as I was quick to transfer. The crust baked nice and golden and the pies looked great. I wanted to make a note of the difference between the crust made with butter and the one made with shortening. The one made with shortening is definitely flakier, but if you don't have shortening or don't like using it, you can safely use unsalted butter instead. The crust made with butter is slightly denser and tends to harden a bit after a day, but the difference is not so big as to discourage you from using butter in your recipe. Besides, who would want to let the pie stay on the shelf for so long? We gobble up ours as soon as it is cool enough to eat!
Ruth's Grandma and I must have been related. I use this recipe and love it - I also divide the crust (if not using all), wrap in plastic wrap and put in freezer bag for later use. Good to have on hand!
Awesome awesome awesome awesome! I will never use another recipe. I followed the recipe and the crust was easily the best I've had in my life (and I've had a lot of pie in my day) Helpful tip of the day! Freeze your butter/shortening, then grate it into the flour mixture. The little pieces are the perfect size and you don't have to fuss with it! The frozen bits don't get creamed into the flour so the pastry puffs up perfectly!
I don't often remember to come back and rate and/or review recipes after I print them out and make them. I either like them and add them to a pile of recipes that I occasionally make (the pile of recipes for an excess of some fruit or veggie, the need something special for guests, or recipes for party food, etc. OR I don't like it and toss it. But this recipe is one that is do good, I simply couldn't NOT come on the site and rave about it. The recipe is perfect as it. Don't touch it, don't mess with it. Period. I have never been able to make a good pie crust ever. I always seemed to mess it up and make it too dry or too mushy, no matter how careful I was about adding the water a teaspoon at a time. This recipe is the best thing I have ever seen in terms of foolproof. If you take this recipe and just add everything and follow the directions, you will have the best pie crust you have ever tasted. Add to that the fact that it is by far and away the BEST tasting pie crust I have ever eaten (and I have french grandmothers and have lived in Italian bakery neighborhoods of NYC) bar none. If you are reading this, throw away every pie crust recipe you have and put this one in your heirloom recipe book. And then thank the lady who submitted this!!
I made a peach pie with this crust recipe, and everyone raved about it! I used butter-flavored shortening, and the crust was tender and flaky. The total baking time for my double crust pie was around 46 minutes. This has gone into my recipe box!
Wow, was this wonderful! I had never made a successful pie crust, but I needed two for the Chicken Pot Pie IX. This recipe works! My mom-in-law has made MANY wonderful pie crusts, and she advised me to use 2/3 butter : 1/3 shortening for a flaky crust when I told her I didn't want to use so much shortening (she learned this from a chemist). So changed the shortening to 1 1/4 butter + 1/2 cup Crisco. This made 2 full pie crusts, but it looked a bit short for a third crust. It turned out light, flaky and a wonderful flavor. Enjoy!
Absolutely Fabulous! Sugar gives the crust a great crunch and makes sure it isn't tasteless like some other recipes i've tried! Try it!
Simply THE best pie crust! It's easy to throw together, easy to handle, tastes yummy, and looks beautiful, turning a nice golden brown. I do agree with some, concerning the odd amount of dough the recipe produces. I ended up just making my French apple pie's crust a little thicker. The crust is satisfyingly flakey and 'authentic,' but for those who are making a pie with little filling, it would be best not to use to much, otherwise this crust could overwhelm the flavor. just stick the leftovers in the freezer and your all set for next time!
This pie crust is fantastic! I was sceptical the first time I made it because of the amount of liquid it called for, but it is perfect! It is very important to make it ahead of time though, because it does need to chill in the fridge in order to make it workable. I divide the dough into 2 balls and wrap them in plastic wrap then place in the fridge. If I am short on time, I will put them in the freezer for a few minutes before attempting to roll it out. Also, be sure to roll it out between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, lightly floured. This will be very helpful when it comes time to transfer the crust to the pie plate.
The best pie crust ever. Be sure to let crust rest 30 min in fridge before rolling out, and another 30 min in the fridge after you get it in the pans and before you fill. :)
I used it for meat pies the first time and now using it for pies - will be the main crust used from now on.
Great flaky crust! My husband is quite picky when it comes to pie crusts but this one he had nothing but good things to say about it. This will be the recipe I use from now on! Thank you!
I rated this recipe with only four stars because it doesn't give baking times or suggestions. I baked mine at 425 for 15 minutes and then turned the heat down to 325 (fahrenheit) for an additional 30 minutes. The bottom of my crust came out doughy instead of firm and flaky which I would've liked. Aside from this the recipe was great! Thanks for sharing.
Delicious and flakey. You can NOT prebake the crust with this recipe with the high shortening content it will melt in your pan. Keep it cold.
I found this difficult to work with, and not all that tasty. I'll stick to my butter crusts ...
I have been making pies for 45 years(started cooking in wheat harvest when I got married), and was making what I thought was a very good crust. Everyone loves my pies. I had a dinner party last night, so I decided to try Ruth's Grandma's Crust. WOW! It was fantastic. I have never used egg in my crust before, but I love to try new receipes so I went for it. I made a Banana Cream and a Chocolate Cream Pie. My sister who also makes great pies and crust, had to have the receipe. Everyone raved about how good the crust was. I guess I will have to use Ruth's Grandma's Pie Crust from now on. Thanks so much for sharing this receipe. Shirley from Touchet, Wash. September 6, 2011
My favorite. very easy, very fast, and very tender. I use it for anything that requires a pie crust. Make sure you dont over work the dough. I just rake my fingers through it until it is mixed and then plop it in a gallon sized zipper bag to refrigerate it. Then I knead it in the bag plop it on the counter and roll. wonderful results every time!
This is the PERFECT recipe for pie crust. I used it for chicken pot pie last knight and it was the best pie ever! I tried many recipes por crust pie trough the years and this is THE recipe. This crust is flaky and when you put it in your mouth it melts. The flavour is buttery yummy. I had 1/2 cup of shortening so I used butter for the rest and it was great. The best part is that it looks so preatty once baked. Other people said that the dough comes out to wet and it is hard to handle. Where I live is very dry so I usually when I make doughs I do not use all the flour that calls for , but if you live in a humid area you probably should use a little bit less of the liquid that calls for if it is to sticky, so just add little by little the liquid ensted of all at once. Be shure to put a big pice of wax paper on the counter top so you can roll the dough much more easy, and do not be afraid to use flour under your dough when you are rolling so it do not stick to the paper. Thanks so , so , so much for this recipe.
If I could give this more stars I would. I have tried making pie crusts a few times, with no success. I am proud to say that I have finally found my forever pie crust recipe. That's a big statement isn't it?! Well first a big thank-you to Ruth's Grandma for perfecting a crust. Normally I use recipe as a guideline and make quite a few changes along the way. I didn't change anything about this, I was tempted to use butter but stuck with the shortening:D I also did make sure the water was ice cold (put in freezer for about 1/2 hour). I actually found that the consistency was easy to work with, only put in the fridge for about 1 hour before rolling out. Also a tip is not to overwork dough. Trust me it will come together when rolled. I filled the crust with a lovely fresh blackberry pie. Hope this helps some people out there!
What can I say, I've never seen better reviews for a recipe on this site. I think any time that I make pie crust, there must be a black cloud hanging over my head. My pie crust skills must be lacking because I always have problems, and yesterday's pie crust was no exception. I followed the instructions but even after chilling the dough for several hours, it was very soft, a little sticky, and difficult to handle. But somehow I managed to make it work, and ended up with an absolutely flaky delicious crust. I look forward to the day when I will mix up a pie crust, roll it out, and put in the dish with NO problems. My quest for the perfect crust continues.
Very easy to make, tasted good. Recipe needs to specify to use ice water and to refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling. Also make sure you blend in the shortening as little as possible so that you can still see small chunks of it. Don't over mix, will make for a tough crust.
3 stars for incomplete directions. Iced water is a must! And knowing the size of the egg used, would be helpful. I think the problem some are having, with sticky dough, may be in the way the flour is measured. If you use the scoop and level method, you'll have more flour than you would if you spoon and level. Not knowing the method used by the recipe submitter, poses a problem. Also you can't assume that if you used 1/2 cup water one day, that you'll need 1/2 cup the next time you make the same recipe. Your dough will need more/less liquid, depending on the dryness/humidity of the day. ALWAYS add liquid AS NEEDED to obtain desired the consistency.
I can't believe how much of a difference the crust makes on a pie! It completely changes the taste. This was my first time making pie crust. I've always been, well, afraid. Rolling out the dough always looked so intimating to me. I envisioned dough sticking to the rolling pin, dough sticking to the counter, dough sticking instead of stretching into a roundish shape. However, this really is no fail (if I can do it...). I needed more information that just a recipe so I followed the step by step instructions on the following link, but used Ruth's Grandma's Pie Crust recipe. Thank you for an excellent recipe. Allrecipes' article,Making a Pie Crust Step by Step
I'm adding my voice to the accolades for this recipe. Another reviewer said it almost made enough for two pies. I got more than that. With this one batch, I made 24 mini butter tarts, which I baked right away, plus two and a half 8" pie shells which I've frozen for another day. Excellent recipe and easier to deal with than my previous favourite which came from Fluffo. Ruth's Grandma's is the one I'll stay with from now on. Update: Dec 22 - used this recipe again and it yielded 8 full tart shells, plus several cheese straws which I made from the scraps. Put the scraps in the mixer, added about 1 tbsp water (depends on how dry the scraps are), 1/2 c. grated cheese,(could add some seasoning salt) blended well,formed into strips,and baked.
This is the BEST pie crust recipe I have ever made! I halved the recipe and had no trouble getting a double crust for a standard 9 inch pie dish. It made my rhubarb pie shine. Thank you for sharing.
This is my favorite pie crust. The flavor and texture are perfect. I like to use butter flavor Crisco, which makes it both flaky and tender. As some of the other reviewers have said, it is difficult to get four crusts out of this. I use it for one single crust pie (like pumpkin) and one double crust pie (like apple or cherry). It works fantastically for both.
Best pie crust I've ever tasted. I'm saving this for all future pies. It's not hard to see why it's lasted 100+ years. I substituted lard for shortening, because it's much healthier for you (surprise, surprise, who'd have thought) and I like the texture better. This is just perfect. I doubt it can be improved upon.
Very flaky pie crust. For those who've commented that this crust is too crumbly before baked...it is supposed to be. Otherwise, your crust will not be flaky. Do not be turned off by this; just be patient. I do live in an arid environment so I had to add a small amount of extra water (use a water bottle to spritz - think Alton Brown) maybe equivalent to 1 1/2 teaspoons since my flour is on the drier side. I am glad I read the reviews as this DOES NOT make four crusts. You do have to work to get three out of this recipe. Keep this in mind when planning.
I don't understand how this recipe was reviewed so highly! I do not agree! I followed everything to the word and had everything cold but it didn't turn out well at all. It was greasy to say the least. It was crumbly and fell apart after cooked. It was not too hard to work with, all pastry is delicate and I know that so I was careful. I just did not like the end product. It lacked flavor and completely fell apart. It may be a case of the the cook not the recipe, but this isn't my first pie by any means and I have never had this problem. Too much shortening.
My first time ever making crust and I used this recipe. SO EASY!!! And SO DELICIOUS!!!
Wasn't quite sure how I was going to rate this crust... As a few said, it was sticky rolling out and the first pie I made, the crust tore in several places. With the second pie (the recipe JUST about makes two double pies) one 9 1/2" one 8 1/2" for me, I was more generous flouring the waxed paper I used to rolled the crust and it rolled beautifully. Did not stick this time when I turned it into the pie plate. I melted a little preserves and brushed the bottom of shell before adding filling. When top of crust was added, I brushed the top with a little milk, then sprinkled top with cinnamon & sugar. Keep edges covered with foil because at 425, it was the first to be done. What won me over was the taste. Flaky and tasty. Will be using this one again and again.
This was very easy and tasty. It makes a total of 4 pie crusts, enough for 2 pot pies. I didn't have shortening and used 3 sticks of butter softened instead. I baked as my recipe call for. Perfect.
This is the worst recipe I have ever used. I followed the recipe to a "T" and it sadly disappointed me. I was on a time limit and ended up having to use pre-made pie crust from Pillsbury. Luckily, my pie turned out fine no help to this recipe. I only put a star there because I have to, or else I wouldn't give it any stars at all.
I have tried many pie crusts in the past, this is by far the best. Easy to work with, also works well for decorating (does not crumble). Great taste and perfect for just about any pie filling. Thank you for sharing
I've made this recipe twice - once with shortening and once with butter. Both came out great, although I think I prefer the shortening version. It was a bit flakier and tasted sweeter for some reason. I made a blueberry pie and got compliments on the crust. Definitely a keeper!
Followed the recipe exactly and it was HEAVENLY! Tip to the new ones on pie crust - roll out dough between two pieces of wax paper and peel off one piece in order to work dough into pie plate.
I loved this recipe! Easy to work with and tasted great. Always had issues in the past with tough or flavorless pie crusts, but no more. A whiz to throw together, I loved it>
Wonderful! Nice and easy, super simple, fast. Cannot say enough nice things about this recipe and process! Oh and absolutely DELICIOUS! I did use ice water and it was super flaky and just melted perfectly in your mouth! I will never use another recipe or buy another store bought crust!
OMG!!!!!!!!!! EXCELLENT RECIPE....I MADE A FEW CHANGES THOUGH...I USED UNBLEACHED FLOUR AND SINCE ITS NOT ALL PURPOSE I ADDED A TEASPOON OF BAKING POWDER AND USED BUTTER FLAVORED SHORTENING. THE CRUST CAME OUT SO LIGHT AND FLAKY...I WILL USE THIS RECIPE FOREVER. I HAD SO MUCH TROUBLE WITH OTHER RECIPES....THANKS SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!
This turned out beautifully. I used butter-flavored shortening and replaced 1/2 cup of the shortening with butter, because I love that buttery taste in a pie crust. I don't think it really needs 3 T of sugar if you are making a very sweet filling, but it's fine for most fruit pies. Be sure to chill your crust in the refrigerator, because it makes a huge difference in ease of handling, as well as the flakiness of the finished crust.
I used this crust with the Grandma Ople's Apple Pie and won first place! I did add a bit of flavored coffee creamer to the mixture for a bit more taste and had many comments about how great the crust tasted.
This is exactly the pie crust I use, except that I mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the egg/cold water mix before adding to the other ingredients, and just 2 tablespoons of sugar. I had never made pie crust before I got this recipe from a great-grandma. I found this to be very easy to make as a novice. It is good with either sweet or savory pies. I use the butter flavored shortening. To the reviewer who said she only got 3 single crusts, I find that I get 4 generous crusts, and can even stretch it to 5 from this same recipe. Everyone loves this crust recipe. I freeze them, and have even nuked them in microwave a bit if I needed to thaw them quickly.
Made this pie crust this past Sunday for dinner, and it was by far the best tasting and easiest to handle crust out there. I've always been in search of something similar to my grandma's crust, and sorry grandma...but this one is better! There would be enough dough for 1 whole pie (bottom and cover) and then a second base...think lemon meringue pie. You might even be able to stretch it a bit for a lattice pie top, but it's difficult if you don't want your crusts paper thin.
I read the reviews and they convinced me to make this pie crust instead of my usual one. If you want a mold-able pie crust that can be scuplted well, this deserves 5 stars. If you want a "short" (buttery) flaky melt-in-your-mouth crust, skip this recipe! It has the taste and texture of paper mache. I was so disappointed in it that I joined this site so I could place a word of warning for others before they waste good butter on it! I'm going back to twice the flour as cold butter and as little ice water and handling as possible. It's more work, as you MUST wind the flattened dough circle around your rolling pin or it will break and tear before you get it into the pan (it is very delicate) but at least it tastes good. Come to think of it, I don't believe that it is possible to get buttery tasting, flaky pie crust from an egg and that much water.
Perfect pie crust recipe! Nice and flakey and didn't get mushy from the apples
Very flaky and light crust, also easy to repair if you accidentaly tear it while putting into pie pan. I used this pie crust recipe with the Apple Pie by Grandma Ople found on this website. The combination of these two recipes is fantastic. Makes it look and taste like it came from a restaurant or store that makes them all the time. For those who are having trouble with enough crust, roll the crust mixture between two sheets of wax paper with a rolling pin. Then apply it to the pie pan. This will yield enough for two pie pan bottoms and two lattice tops. Depending on how thin you roll it you may have leftovers. This pie crust once baked is quite strong and will not leak any pie filling before it is ready to be eaten. So you don't have to make the crust on pie so thick on the bottom.
I was going to start experimenting to find the perfect pie crust. I started with this one. My search is finished. :)
This is the first time I have ever used egg or sugar in my crust and it was perfect for a peach pie! The crust came out tender and flaky and absorbed just the right amount of juice while still saying crisp and not soggy. The amount of water/egg liquid was pretty close but I didn't use all of it...so use your best judgment when adding it. The crust did chill well and rolled out beautifully. I even re-rolled the left overs to make a second mini-pie and it didn't get tough or overworked. I think I found my new favorite crust!
Awesome pie crust recipe! But I have to agree that it's a huge error to leave out that the water needs to be ICE water for a flaky crust. Experienced bakers will know this, but novice bakers might not and that will affect the outcome of the crust. Yes, this recipe does yield an odd amount of crust, but just take the leftovers, roll out to about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness and brush with melted butter. Take a pizza cutter or sharp knife and cut dough into triangles. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment or aluminum foil. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake in a 350 (or 375) degree oven for about 10 - 15 minutes or until golden and baked through. Let cool slightly and enjoy. Delicious!!
I DID IT! My first ever pie crust and everyone said this was the one to try. Fantastic, tender and flaky. Will be making lots of pies now...no more frozen store bought crusts for me. Thanks for a great no-fail recipe.
In my point of view, this recipe had it all. Flavor, ease of working with and looks. I used butter flavored shortening. I chilled my shortening in the freezer and also used ice cold water. Let is rest in the fridge until ready to use. I always roll my crust on parchment or wax paper and put the dish over once it is rolled and turned it over and carefully remove the paper. Like others have mentioned it didn't quite make 4 proportionate size crusts. The last one was on the short side but I made it work for lattice tops. Thank you for sharing this recipe Barbara!
Difficult to work with because it is so flaky that it falls apart. But was delicious!
I felt this crust tasted to much like shortening. I think maybe you need to use butter or butter flavored crisco ( I have never used the stuff, so I don't really know how much difference it makes). Also the recipe didn't say to use ice water and just said to chill until ready to use. Well, I thought the dough was way to sticky to roll out. Maybe there needs to be a minimum amount of time needed to chill. I only waited about 20 mins. Next time I'll try the changes.
best crust I've ever made or had. I used 1/2 cup of cold salted butter and 1 and 1/4 cups of shortening instead of all shortening. I used this crust for a chicken pot pie. Outstanding.
Haven't witnessed the finished product yet, but I will say that this was the MOST DIFFICULT pie pastry that I have ever worked with. It was way too wet; impossible to get into the pie pan...I finally just pressed pieces together to make it work. I worked in an extra cup of flour and it was still difficult...tears too easily.
So flakey and comes out perfect every time I make it. I will make no other crust from now on!
Best pie crust ever! When I made it the first time,I didn't have enough shortening to complete the recipe so substituted half the amount with butter. Came out perfect! I have also made it with butter flavored shortening and that is great too. I found that it makes enough for 1 double crust and 1 single.
I made this crust for a chocolate pecan and pumpkin pecan pie for my husband to take to work. Although I have not tried it, my husband and his co-workers RAVED over how flaky this crust is, and it was so simple to make. This is the first crust I have "mastered" and it is definitely a keeper. I will be trying it on Thanksgiving day - thank you for the recipe!
Delicious!!! I try to stay away from using shortening, but when it comes to pie crust I just have not found anything that makes crusts so well. This recipe is awesome. I have never had much luck making pie crust; it is always too dry or something, and never looks nice. I have made this several times, first for cherry pie, and second for chicken pot pie. I just love it, and it will be my favorite recipe from now on. I don't even worry about having cold shortening and water. I just mix it all together and roll it out right away; no fuss!
I'm not much of a baker, but I've never had a problem with this crust/recipe. Thank you.
This is the best pie crust I've ever had. I made it exactly per the recipe and I wouldn't change a thing.
This is a delicious recipe for pie crust. For the people mentioning about the crust not being enough for two pies: you are right, but all I did was increase the servings to 36 and used the ingredients based on that. That calculation made enough for two pies and I had no problems getting it rolled out for two pies.
This was my first ever pie crust, and it worked beautifully. I'd been warned that making pie crust dough was really tricky, but this turned out great. I had no problems with it being too wet or dry. I just chilled the dough in the fridge for a couple of hours before making the pie. I also don't have a pastry cutter, so I just used a fork to mix the shortening into the flour mixture. One more tip: I used 1/4 C water and 1/4C apple cider, which makes the dough more flaky - it was a trick my grandmother always used.
The taste of this crust is amazing. I used the butter flavor crisco as some of the other reviewers suggested, for a rhubarb pie. I did use cold water and refrigerated it for an hr, however it's the middle of August and my kitchen was sweltering hot...making the dough impossible to work with. It stuck to everything and I couldn't get it to roll out right. I am going to try this one again, but it was not the easiest dough to handle.
This crust was amazing. I've never made such perfect crust that tastes so good and is so flavorful. And I made mistakes! It was still delicious. I added all the liquid instead of seeing how much was necessary. it was hard to roll out but came out great! I also didn't use chilled water or shortening. I will next time, but still it came out great! Really is fail-safe!
I've used the refrigerated pie crusts for my pies for years because I just couldn't find a recipe that was any better, but now I can leave the pre-packaged pie crusts in the store, I have finally found the best pie crust recipe! My whole family agrees...this is now the only pie crust I will ever use. Thank you for sharing this!
I would give this recipe 0 stars but it actually tastes OK (raw). It was super hard to work with. It was really sticky and without HEAVILY flouring my workspace and my rolling pin I couldn't get it into the pie plate. Once heavily floured, it made it really really crumbly. My pie is baking right now and needless to say, it does not look pretty at all. It is pretty much the ugliest pie I have ever made. We'll see how it tastes once it's done baking. Even if it tastes great, it's really just too difficult. Maybe there are some more instructions they left out? I followed it to the letter.
This is a nice and simple, yet very tasty pie crust...I use it for almost at my deserts when I have to make a crust for them!
I have used a very similar recipe (my grandmothers!). For those who say it makes too much for a double crust pie, use 3 cups flour, 1 1/3 cups shortening, 5 tablespoons water & 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 egg. I don't use sugar in my crust, but if it is a fruit pie, I will sprinkle the sugar on top. I usually do not even put the dough into the refrigerator. I just roll it out on a floured board! It always comes out beautifully!
Sorry, I have never given a recipe one star before, but this was not good.
Yes, indeed! This is the best pie crust for ease of use and freezing. It browns nicely and is delicious.
F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C!!!!! I have found my go to recipe thank you Barbara!!!!
First time making my own crust. This was so easy and so good. I made apple pie and even the bottom crust was not soggy and tastes good! It did ration out to enough for 4 crusts for me. I made it a day ahead, plastic wrapped, put in a quart bag, and refrigerated. Then left it out awhile to soften the next day. I put half in the freezer for another time.
I'm truly awful at making pie crusts but now that I've tried this recipe I feel redeemed, pie crusts are no longer my enemy. I used this along with Grandma Opels Apple Pie recipe from this site. My boyfriend was disappointed that I didn't make a graham cracker crust but after tasting it he's a convert. The only modification I made was to use butter flavored shortening. The texture of the crust was buttery and flaky with a hint of sweetness. As others have mentioned you'll end up with an odd amount of leftover dough but I didn't find this to be an issue, more for me to snack on.
I am SO excited! I've never had luck with my mother's crust recipe so I just assumed I was the problem. That changed yesterday when I found this recipe for Pi Day! So easy to make, a cinch to roll, beautiful to look at, delicious to eat. If you fear making pie crust...try this recipe!!!
This pie crust is excellent. It was my first attempt at a homemade pie crust, and it turned out perfectly. I don't even own a rolling pin - I had my boyfriend roll it into a ball and flatten it with his own hands. Also, his aunt, who is a very good cook, said she wished she could make a pie crust like this.
I had never put egg in pie crust before and was not sure if I'd like this recipe. However, it turned out great!
Here's my scratch pie crust recipe that I have used for over forty years: 5 cups flour 1 tsp. salt 1 pkg (1 lb.) lard 1 egg mixed with 1 tsp. white vinegar plus enough water to make one cup of liquid 4 T. baking powder This can be stored in the fridge for a week or so or in the fridge for up to six months. Makes a very flaky pie...remember when making a single shell pie to put some dried beans in the pie shell while it is baking.
I have not tried this recipe yet but I have a suggestion for the issue of the dough being enough for 1 double crust and 1 single crust pie. Try using that extra bit of pie crust from this recipe for a cinnamon "tart". My sons never liked pie but they LOVED the crust with cinnamon sugar. So when I would make pie, I would make extra crust, roll it out, spread butter on it, sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. Fold the dough in half and crimp the edges with a fork, poke some holes in the top and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and voila - a cinnamon pie to make the boys happy. So yummy!
made this for two pies. a cherry and a pumpkin for Thanksgiving. It was fabulous!!! I need no other pie crust recipe!
This crust was definitely flaky. However, I could tell when I was mixing up the dough that the recipe calls for too much shortening. The crust ended up with a flavor that was too greasy, fatty. I had never made a crust that called for an egg, but I decided to give it a try. This dough tends to tear very easily, and I am NOT a beginner at baking and rolling out pie crusts. I tried the Pie Crust IV on this site and it's the most like my mothers growing up - flaky, very easy to manage and roll out, very forgiving and just perfect taste and texture.
This recipe was a nightmare, I have another pie crust recipe that works much better.
The crust tasted great (I used it for pot pie), but I wasn't able to roll it w/out it sticking or ripping. I may have done something wrong. I'm sure I'll make it again and give it another try.
The taste was good but I found the dough hard to work with. I kept the dough chilled at all times but still had trouble with it tearing when I tried to place it in the pan. Still prefer the Best Ever Pie crust recipe.
the recipe is super easy. the pastry cutter is a must. the rolling and the manipulation is time consuming. it does make enough for 3 pies, but its easier to have more than less so i didnt see it as a problem.
This is an extremely flakey pie crust!!!!...ABSOLUTLY BEAUTIFUL!!!!.....I have never made pie before and it turned out PERFECT!!!!!!....VERY EASY AND HARD TO SCREW UP!!!!!!
I am giving this recipe two stars because it is totally lacking in the directions. It says nothing about chilling the shortening, using ice water, or how long to chill the dough. It turned out ok, but I had to go look up another recipe to see how cold everything needed to be. Also, I made a half recipe and it made enough for a thick crust 9 inch pie, with a little bit left over. This would make very thin crusts for two pies...
I absolutely HATED pie because of the crust...... until I tried this! This is AMAZING! I have used it already a number of times and finally, after using it again today, I could not resist rating this any longer. Make this crust! You WON"T regret it! I personally use Animal Shortening (Lard) because it is far more flavorful and natural and healthy than hydrogenated vegetable shortenings. I can see exactly why this recipe has lasted over 100 years!
This crust is very buttery and flavorful. I have the third crust in the freezer awaiting an awesome pecan pie craving.
Truly awesome....been cooking over 30 years. This recipe even freezes well!
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