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Grandma’s Pie Crust Recipe

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Learn how to make a pie crust the way Grandma did. Grandma’s Pie Crust is buttery, flaky, and takes just a few minutes to make. It’s our long-time family favorite!

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Grandma's Pie Crust 1

Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

I have always loved homemade pie crust. I grew up with homemade rather than store-bought crusts, so taking the extra time to make Grandma’s pie crust recipe is normal to me. It’s not that I’m above using store-bought crusts. I’ve used them in the past and will use them again in the future. Everyone needs a shortcut now and then. But there’s nothing like a homemade pie with flaky pie crust that almost melts in your mouth. To me, it’s the best part of the pie.

Today I’m sharing with you Matt’s grandma’s pie crust recipe. It’s been the only pie crust recipe I’ve used since I got married. It was in a family cookbook given to me at our wedding shower. The little cookbook falls open to this recipe automatically, the pages are worn and have stains from the many years of love it has endured. Don’t you love it when a favorite recipe card looks like that?

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So what makes Grandma’s recipe so good? To be honest, I’m not sure. It’s probably the fact that it is Grandma’s. But I’m here today to share with you our hints for making what we think is the best pie crust ever.

How to Make Pie Crust

Pie Crust Ingredients:

  • 3 cups Pastry flour. What kind of flour should you use for pie dough? Now you can use all-purpose flour if you’d like. We did for years. But when we switched to pastry flour, we started getting comments on how good our pie crust was.  Pastry flour has low protein content which means it doesn’t generate as much gluten as white flour.  This means you end up with tender crust. Perfect for pie. Here’s a great article on the different types of flours if you’re interested in reading up on them. A pastry flour crust is a little more of a fragile crust so you have to be careful that it doesn’t tear when you are moving it from the floured surface to the pie pan. If you choose to use all-purpose flour, make sure not to overmix the batter since this develops more gluten and makes the dough tougher.
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup butter. I believe butter vs shortening in pie dough is qutie the debate. As much as I like using real butter, I’ve found that I like a combination of butter and shortening in my pie crust. Shortening produces a tender, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth crust, but butter produces an awesome flavor. I solve the problem by using some of both. And there’s one other thing. The butter and shortening should be cold. Keeping your fats cold produces a flakier crust. Those fats melt during baking and make flaky layers. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
  • 1/2 cup ice water. Use cold water to help keep those fats cold.
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar. Adding vinegar helps to tenderize the crust and also inhibits gluten development, keeping your dough soft. You need just a bit of this and don’t worry…you won’t taste it once the pie is baked.

Learn how to make a pie crust the way Grandma did. Grandma's Pie Crust is buttery, flaky, and takes just a few minutes to make. It's our long-time family favorite!

How to Mix Pie Dough

We use a pastry cutter to cut the cold butter and shortening into the flour. This is one of our newest kitchen tools that we got for making scones. Don’t have one? You can get one here. It is easy to use for making crumbs out of your flour/butter mixture for pie crusts, streusels, scones and more.

How to Roll Pie Dough

Another kitchen tool we use when making pie crust is our pastry mat.  We happened to find an awesome deal on a new pastry mat at a garage sale this summer, but it is very similar to the one found here. I don’t know what we did without this mat. It’s a non-slip mat that makes rolling out your dough so easy. And you don’t have to clean all that extra flour off your counter after you are finished. Just pick up the mat and rinse it in the sink. Normally I am against using “extra” kitchen tools that are supposed to help the cooking process, but this one really does make life easier.

DSC_3821_edited-1Pie crust is the basis for so many of my favorite recipes. It doesn’t matter if the pie is filled with pumpkin, apple or even potato chips (yes, you need to check that one out).  But you know what? We mostly make this pie dough for things other than pie. We’ll be sharing some with you soon.  Here’s one, though….I love using a cookie cutter to make pie crust cookies to dip in pudding, or a whipped cream fruit salad. So much better than using a spoon!

Do you normally use store-bought pie crust or are you for homemade all the way? What’s your favorite thing to make from pie dough?

Best Pie Recipes

 

Tools I Use To Make Flaky Pie Crust

  • Pastry Cutter: I use this tool all the time. It cuts butter into flour perfectly for streusels, crusts and other pastries.
  • Pastry Mat: This silicone mat keeps your cupboard clean and makes rolling out pastries so easy.
  • Cute Pie Plate: Because if you’re taking the time to make pie, serve it up in style!
  • Pie Crust Decorator Wheel: Makes beautiful edges to your pie!
  • Pastry Guide: Makes perfectly round crust, every time.

Watch us make pie crust!


5 from 5 votes
Learn how to make a pie crust the way Grandma did. Grandma's Pie Crust is buttery, flaky, and takes just a few minutes to make. It's our family favorite!
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Grandma's Pie Crust Recipe
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Learn how to make a pie crust the way Grandma did. Grandma's Pie Crust is buttery, flaky, and takes minutes to make. It's our long-time family favorite!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 339 kcal
Author: Lizzy T
Ingredients
  • 3 cups pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/2 cup cold butter
  • 1/2 cup ice cold water
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Instructions
  1. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the shortening and the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix the water and vinegar together in a cup. Add the mixture to the crumbs. Mix together just until the dough is combined and handles well.
  2. Sprinkle flour on the counter before rolling out the dough. Split the dough into two chunks.
  3. Roll out one piece on a floured surface. Roll the dough about 1/2 an inch larger than your pie pan.
  4. Lay the crust in the pie pan and press down lightly on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
  5. If you are making just a bottom crust, turn the edge under and use thumbs "flute" the edges of the dough.
  6. If you are making a double crusted pie, fill the pie, roll out the other half of the dough and lay it over top the filling. Fold the top dough under the bottom dough and use your fingers to seal it together.
  7. Bake according to your pie recipe.
  8. This recipes makes enough for a double crusted pie.
Nutrition Facts
Grandma's Pie Crust Recipe
Amount Per Serving (63 g)
Calories 339 Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 38%
Total Carbohydrates 26g 9%
Protein 4g 8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Comments

  3. Grandmas’s pie crust looks just about perfect! This is definitely the time of year when everyone needs a great, go-to pie crust recipe! Thanks for sharing – have a fabulous weekend!

    Reply

  5. I took my mom’s original Betty Crocker cookbook when I moved out. That poor thing is covered in food splatters, has bent pages, and the binding finally fell off, lol. The old ways are still some of the best, and I love this pie crust. I have heard about using vinegar, but I haven’t tried it yet. 🙂

    Reply

  6. I have to be honest – pie is not one of my favorite things to make! I never get the crust right! This one sounds easy – and I love that it’s tried and true! Pinning and stumbling!

    Reply

  8. Yayyyy, you are the first person I have ever met besides me that uses vinegar (and the same amount) in their pie crust! The recipe was the only one my mom ever made and now it’s all only one used in our family. It makes a delicious and flakey crust…gonna make a pie in the morning…!

    Reply

  9. I have been using a version of this as well. Mine has an egg and no butter. I love the taste and always get compliments. I will give your recipe a try. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  10. I will try this when I make a chocolate pecan pie this week. One question: since i only need a bottom crust can I put the rest of the dough in the freezer to use at a later date?

    Reply

    • Yes! You can freeze the pie dough. Wrap the unused dough tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a ziploc bag. Defrost it in the fridge before you’d like to use it and then roll it out as usual. You could aslo roll the dough and freeze it right in the pie pan, which would be super helpful the next time you’d want pie. Another choice is to half the recipe. We half this recipe often when we only need 1 crust.

      Reply

        • Prepare the pie dough in the pie pan, then prick the bottom of the dough with a fork to prevent bubbling. Put a piece of foil over the crust and some dried beans on top of the foil, covering the bottom of the pie pan completely. This helps the pie crust to retain its shape while baking. Bake it at 375 for 15 minutes. Then take the foil off and bake it for an additional 5 minutes or until it is as browned as you’d like it. Have fun! 🙂

          Reply

  11. Thank You SO Much for Sharing! I Love Grams Recipes,hope I can do this,Homemade is Always Best,this dough looks Wonderful

    Reply

  12. There’s nothing like homemade pie crust! I’ve never tried the butter-shortening combination but I hear it makes the best pie crust. Grandma’s know best! 🙂

    Reply

  13. Great and easy recipe. Would you tell me what size of pie dish would be suitable for a single crust -like for your funny chocolate cake?
    I would be so grateful for a reply.
    Regards, Nessie

    Reply

  14. HI have you ever used cold Ginger Ail to replace the water? I do that ,you get a light flaky pie crust . I replace water in cake mix with Ginger Ail for a high and light cake Happy Baking Grandma Angie

    Reply

  19. This looks like a wonderful tried and tested recipe, Julie! Thanks! Going to give it a try. I often add some finely grated cheese to the dry ingredients when making something like a quiche. I love the added taste. Do you think I could do it here also?

    Reply

  20. I use AP flour and had great success with Crisco for years…until they changed it. But I am back to splendid crusts by using half the called for water (including a tsp or so vanilla) and the other half cheap vodka. Right amt if moisture to manipulate the dough, but the alcohol evaporates leaving the best tender flaky crust!

    Reply

  21. My crust dough was pretty wet! But I live in humid Guangzhou. I know better than to add
    all the water in at once, but did it anyway.

    Reply

  22. Oh my goodness! I used this pie crust recipe today to make a blackberry pie for a baking contest at our local community festival. I won first place and the judges said it’s the best crust they have ever had! (They have been doing the festival/contest for 22 years!) Thank you for posting this recipe, I will be using it more!

    Reply

    • Pastry flour is a low-protein flour that is perfect for delicate pastries to get that flaky texture. You can use all-purpose flour, but the pie crust won’t be as delicate as it would be with pastry flour. You can buy pastry flour in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.

      Reply

  25. I wondered if you can use the beans for cooking once you use them this way?
    I always wondered which type of flour to use. Thank you

    Reply

  26. I have seen a few recipes lately calling for pastry flour. When I inquired of one, they said get it at the store. I’ve looked. I don’t see it unless the term pastry flour is interchangeable with “cake” flour in the box. Can you tell me? Thank you.

    Reply

  27. I have been using this recipe for over a year and it is the best! It has always turned out. I’ve made savory pies, hand pies, little delicious tarts…this recipe is amazing. I usually just use all butter since I rarely have shortening on hand. Who knew homemade pie crust is actually quick and easy!? Thank you for this recipe! Cheers!

    Reply

  31. Is this your grandmas original recipe – with pastry flour? I would have thought long ago they only had regular flour. The reason I ask is if it’s been changed to accommodate the pastry flour do you have the original with regular flour? :-).

    Reply

    • We did update it to pastry flour, but all of the other ingredients are the same, so you can use all-purpose if you’d like. We think it is better with pastry though.

      Reply

  33. All other crusts say to refridgerate and hour.
    Im afraid the crust will stick while rolling.
    I have refridgerated it and have still had it
    Stick even after adding flour to it and the rolling pin.

    Reply

  35. Instead of using a pastry mat I dampen the counter top and place a sheet of plastic wrap on it. (The wrap will stick due to the moisture). I place the pie dough on top of the wrap, press into a disk, and put another sheet of plastic on top. Roll the crust out between the two layers of plastic – no extra flour needed. Peel off the top plastic and replace it loosely, flip over and peel off the bottom plastic. You can then slip your hand under the loose plastic and flip the crust to the pie pan. I have also used waxed paper for this but I find today’s wax paper too flimsy.

    Reply

  36. do you blind bake your pie crust for fruit pies, if so for how long. or do you just egg wash the crust before placing the fruit into the shell.

    Reply

  37. I am going to make my first homemade pie ever. Can I use a food processor for the dough? And some recipes say add a little water at a time. Do you mix the water and vinegar together and pour the whole amount in all at once?? Thanks Heather

    Reply

    • I usually pour in the whole amount of water & vinegar together. But you could do half if you wanted…then add the other half. And yes, people have used a food processor for this, but I don’t usually do that.

      Reply

  39. Oh. My. WORD! This is a great recipe! So flaky and delicious! I made my very first cherry pie (Im 56) for my Mom’s 83rd Birthday using your crust recipe. I decided after watching your cute video that I could do this! You girls are adorable. Thank you for sharing! I’m now on the hook for more pies…hahaha

    Reply

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Tastes of Lizzy T is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any highlighted, clickable Amazon link you see is an affiliate link.

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