Crisco Pie Crust Recipe
This Crisco Pie Crust Recipe makes the most tender and flaky pie crust you'll ever try. With its light texture and buttery taste from shortening, it's a reliable base for everything from apple pie to pot pies.
Years ago, I dipped my toe into pie making and got tips from a grocery store employee on the best apples for apple pie. That sparked my Apple Pie a La Mode recipe, and her advice eventually led to my go-to homemade pie crust, it's never failed me.
This recipe works wonders for all styles of pie. I use it for my Dad's Turkey Pot Pie and Spinach Ham Quiche Lorraine.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Flaky and Tender: Vegetable shortening helps create layers for a flaky pie crust.
- Versatile Base: Works beautifully with both sweet pies and savory dishes.
- Beginner-Friendly: A straightforward method makes easy for any baker.
- Make-Ahead: The dough can be chilled or frozen for future baking.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review
"I always shied away from making pie crust but this recpie is so easy to make and it came out perfect!"
-Kelly
Ingredients
This pie dough comes together with a handful of pantry staples.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Light Brown Sugar: This has a more subtle molasses flavor than dark brown sugar.
- Baking Powder: Gives a slight lift, making the crust lighter and flakier.
- Large Egg: Acts as a binding agent for your crust.
- White Vinegar: Keeps the dough tender.
- Crisco Vegetable Shortening: The key to a classic shortening pie crust recipe with a flaky texture.
For this pie dough recipe, you'll want to have a stand mixer with dough attachment or paddle attachment, large bowl, whisk, measuring cups and spoons, plastic wrap and kitchen scale (to portion them out with precision). When you are ready to use your homemade pie crust, you will need a rolling pin and a pie pan.
Variations
- Butter Pie Crust Recipe: Swap half the shortening for unsalted butter for extra flavor.
- Double-Crust Pies: This recipe makes enough for 2 9-inch pies, ideal for a double crust pie like apple pie.
- Single-Crust Pie: Divide the dough and freeze half for later if you're making a custard or pumpkin pie.
- Gluten-Free Option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour for a crust that works in any pie recipes.
How to Make Crisco Pie Crust
All it takes is mixing a few simple ingredients, and you'll have flaky pie crust ready in no time.
In a large bowl whisk together all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
Crack egg in a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill with cold water. Add this, plus vinegar into a small bowl. Whisk just to break up the egg, then set aside.
In a stand mixer bowl add vegetable shortening, and slowly add both wet and dry ingredients while mixing on low with the paddle attachment or dough hook.
Mix for 60 seconds.
Lightly flour a working surface and knead just until smooth and not sticky.
Divide dough into 4 equal balls and tightly cover in plastic wrap. Chill for an hour or freeze for later use.
When you are ready to use your pie crust, roll out to ⅛" thick and place in your baking dish. Cut the edges off, leaving about ¾ - 1" overhang for crimping edges.
Use as needed or par bake crust with parchment paper and pie weights (or dried beans), at 425F for 15 minutes. Your crust is now ready for the filling to be added, and to be baked.
Hint: Chill the dough for at least 60 minutes as cool dough is easier to roll. while warm dough stretches too thin and cold dough tends to crack.
Recipe Tips
- Cold Ingredients: Use cold water and shortening to keep the dough tender and prevent melting.
- Don't Overwork: Over-mixing creates tough dough, so stop as soon as it comes together.
- Rest the Dough: Chilling helps relax the gluten and makes rolling easier.
- Rolling Technique: Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin to avoid sticking.
- Pie Weights: When blind baking, line the crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or beans to prevent bubbling.
Love this crust? Try it in our Ham and Swiss Quiche next - it bakes up just as perfectly.
More Homemade Staples Recipes You Will Love
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then allow it to sit out for about 30-60 minutes before rolling.
Serving Suggestions
- Sweet Pies: Our Pumpkin Pie using Sweetened Condensed Milk, Chocolate Pecan Pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and Costco Pecan Pie.
- Quiche: Spinach Ham Quiche Lorraine or Spinach and Bacon Quiche.
Crisco Pie Crust Recipe FAQs
Depending on the pie, you may need to pre-bake the crust. We recommend it for no-bake pies, quiche, cream or pudding fillings, or anytime you want a crispier crust.
You can sub half for maximum flavor. Butter tends to spread more with baking so keep in mind you may want to chill the dough longer.
Keep your ingredients cold, avoid overworking the dough, and let it rest before rolling. These steps help create layers that bake into a tender, flaky pie crust.
More Recipes You Will Love
Check out some more of our recipes you will want to try!
Ready to get cooking? Save time by having a grocery list automatically generate for you by clicking the "Add to Shopping List" below.
Crisco Pie Crust Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Plastic Wrap
- Kitchen Scale
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 656.25 grams all-purpose flour about 5 ¼ cups
- 12.5 grams light brown sugar about 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg see instructions
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 pound Crisco vegetable shortening
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
- Crack egg in a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill with cold water. Add this, plus vinegar into a small bowl. Whisk just to break up the egg, then set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl add vegetable shortening, and slowly add both wet and dry ingredients while mixing on low with the paddle attachment or dough hook.
- Mix for 60 seconds.
- Lightly flour a working surface and knead just until smooth and not sticky.
- Divide dough into 4 equal balls and tightly cover in plastic wrap. Chill for an hour or freeze for later use.
- When you are ready to use your pie crust, roll out to ⅛" thick and place in your baking dish. Cut the edges off, leaving about ¾ - 1" overhang for crimping edges.
- Use as needed or par bake crust with parchment paper and pie weights (or dried beans), at 425F for 15 minutes. Your crust is now ready for the filling to be added, and to be baked.
Notes
- Chill the Dough: Chill the dough for at least 60 minutes as cool dough is easier to roll. Warm dough stretches too thin and cold dough tends to crack.
- Cold Ingredients: Use cold water and shortening to keep the dough tender and prevent melting.
- Don't Overwork: Over-mixing creates tough dough, so stop as soon as it comes together.
- Rest the Dough: Chilling helps relax the gluten and makes rolling easier.
- Rolling Technique: Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin to avoid sticking.
- Pie Weights: When blind baking, line the crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or beans to prevent bubbling.
- Nutritional information is for each "pie crust" when making this as written for 4. When baking, this would change depending on how many slices you consume.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and comment below. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you!
I made this recipe probably 4-5 times a year. It is great to have the extras in the fridge or freezer if I do not need them right away. So light and flaky, and great for so many different dessert or meat pies!
I always shied away from making pie crust but this recpie is so easy to make and it came out perfect!
Thanks for making our pie crust recipe! It really is easier than you think.