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I’m so excited to share my tips so you can make this Practically Foolproof Pie Crust too! This is one of the very first recipes I learned and definitely the first one I memorized. There are a lot of great pie crust recipes out there, but this one is perfect for beginners – or pros.

My History with Pie

I don’t know about you guys, but I grew up in a pie family. Not that we didn’t enjoy other desserts, but pie reigned supreme at our dinner table – or breakfast table for that matter. For birthdays, holidays and Sunday dinners we had pie! 🙂 Below my brother and I celebrate Grandma’s winning pies!

We even use our leftover dough to make what we call Cinnamon-Sugar Crust. (Really original naming, I know!) We like to take the scraps and cover them in cinnamon and sugar and bake them until golden to snack on later. Be warned – they cook fast!

This pie crust recipe comes from the Betty Crocker 40th Anniversary Edition cookbook my grandmother first gave me years and years ago. The pages are falling out and it’s covered in messy fingerprints – the sign of a loved cookbook – but it has served me very well over the years. The best part is that I get to remember my grandmother and all of the times we cooked together whenever I pull it out.

Making the Dough

You will need a rolling pin and a pastry cutter for this recipe. Although, in a pinch I’ve used a heavy drinking glass and forks as substitutes. Please see the suggested items section at the bottom of the page for my recommendations.

Begin by gathering all of the ingredients. You will need flour, salt, shortening and cold water. The reason this recipe is so easy is because of the shortening. Shortening has a higher melting point than other fats which help keep this pie crust extra flakey as it bakes. Crusts that use butter or lard take a bit more finesse. *Tip: I like to use butter flavored shortening. *Tip: You can also chill the shortening in the fridge to make it even easier to work with.

First, mix the salt with the flour in a large bowl. Next, add the shortening to the flour mixture. *Tip: I like to slice the shortening before adding it to the bowl to make cutting it into the flour mix a bit easier. Now cut the shortening into the flour using your pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I find that using a rocking motion works best. Make sure to run the pastry cutter along the bottom of the bowl to incorporate all of the flour mix with the shortening.

Add about half of the cold water to the crumb mixture. Cold water is important to keep the shortening from melting into the dough as you work. *Tip: I like to stick the water in the freezer for a few minutes to get it extra cold. Rake your fingers through the mixture to incorporate the water. Add the remaining water and continue to mix with your hands until the dough just comes together. You may need to add more water, but do so sparingly. Don’t over mix the dough as that causes it to become tough. *Tip: Remember to take off any rings or jewelry that might get in the way. This is a hands-IN recipe! 🙂

To make things even easier, this dough doesn’t need to be chilled so you can move right on to the next step!

I made a video to illustrate the process. And if you’re still having a hard time check out Cooking with Kate and I’m happy to lend some one-on-one help!

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Rolling Out Pie Crust

To roll out the dough to make pie crust, first flour your preferred surface. *Tips: A marble slab works best as it helps keep the dough cool. You can also use parchment paper or waxed paper to help keep counters clean.

This recipe makes (2) 10″ crusts so the dough needs to be split in half. Turn one ball of dough out onto the floured surface and push down slightly with your palm. Dust the dough and rolling pin with flour and slowly begin rolling out the dough. Do this evenly and slowly to keep it in a circular shape. Turn the dough over if it is beginning to stick to your surface and re-flour.

Turning the dough over is the same process you’ll use to transfer it to the pie dish. Simply fold the dough in half and then in half again, making a triangle.

Roll out to roughly 12″ across so there is plenty of overhang to work with.

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What to Make with Pie Crust

This pie crust is wonderful for tarts, sweet pies, savory pies, cinnamon-sugar crust… 🙂 A few of my favorites are peach pie, coconut cream pie and chicken pot pie.

If you’re looking for a perfect holiday pie to showcase at your dinner table I’ve created a few that are sure to steal the show! Try my Pumpkin Pie with Sage-Pecan Crumble or Apple-Pear Rose Tart!

What’s your favorite pie?

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Suggested Items

I offer affiliate links to help you find what you need to re-create my recipes. If you like what I do, you can support me through these links and I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

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