How to Make Your Pie Crust Pretty in 3 Easy Steps

Get a FREE Pie Crust Sheild! Add it to cart and use code “ZPIE” at checkout.

The pie crust shouldn’t be the most intimidating part of the pie, and it doesn’t need to be when you use these three easy steps and our pie crust mix. The perfect pie has a pretty, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth kind of crust. You can make your pie crusts look and taste just like a pie from a professional bakery, and we’ll tell you how to do it in just three easy steps.

The “Key Ingredient” to a Perfect Pie Crust

Pie crusts made from scratch often turn out hard and tough. This is because the butter or shortening in your pie crust melted before forming a proper crust. You can avoid this by using chilled ingredients and even the utensils to make the crust. Use a chilled pastry knife to cut the fat into the flour, add ice water to keep it from melting, and mix it together just until you form a ball.

It’s so much easier to make your pie crust from a pie crust mix. Our professional pie crust is what we like to call the “key ingredient” to make a perfect crust.

Your local baker doesn’t make pie crusts from scratch and neither should you. Chances are, he or she uses a pie crust mix. Add the water and beat with the paddle in your mixer for about a minute, just until a dough ball forms. You’ll have perfect flaky pie crusts every time.

How to Make Your Dough Into a Picture Perfect Pie Crust

Sprinkle a little flour on the counter and roll out the dough until it is a little thinner than 1/4 inch thick. You may need to sprinkle a little flour on the rolling pin. (Do yourself a favor and buy two of these shakers. Fill one with flour and the other with powdered sugar. You’ll be amazed how often you use them.)
Transfer the dough to the pie pan. Trim the edges using a sharp knife or a bench scraper.
Make the edges pretty. Using one finger to push in the edges from the edge of the pan and the other hand to pinch the edges as you go, flute your pie crust edges to make a picture-perfect pie crust. It’s easier to show you than to tell. Once you’ve done it. It’s simple.

You’re done. If you need a pre-baked crust, fill the crust with ceramic pie weights or a pie chain weight and bake. If not, load it with a filling. Sometimes, you’ll need a top crust. Add it, trim it, and flute it in the same way. (Make sure you press the bottom and top dough sheets together with a fork before forming the edge so it doesn’t leak.) Cut vent holes and bake.

Baking Your Pies

There are two faults with baked pie crusts: The top edges can burn and the bottom can be soggy or under-baked. You can solve both those problems with equipment.

Use dark pie pans. Dark pie pans absorb and distribute the heat. Your bottom crust will be browned and crisp without burning the edges.
Use a pie shield. Cover the top edge of the pie with a pie shield. That keeps the top edges from burning,

You’re ready to go! Grab some recipes and start making some easy pies. Once you’ve made a couple of pies, they’ll be as easy as peanut butter sandwiches—almost. You’ll be the designated pie baker at family reunions, church socials, and with friends. No more expensive trips to the bakeshop; you have a whole world of pies to explore.