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11/26/2007
Since most of the reviews for this pie crust are so positive you will be tempted, as I was, to use this recipe. Before you do, however, I urge you to pay careful attention to not only the one or two star reviews, but also to any reviews that indicate they made changes, or who comment that there was too much shortening in the recipe. They are all right on! My experience was the same...too much fat makes a dough that is too greasy, fragile and difficult to work with. I can't even comment on how it baked as I didn't get that far. I was so disappointed in the dough itself that I just pitched it and made it again using my old recipe. I didn't trust the dough enough to gamble with what the finished product would be. If you make the necessary changes to make this pie crust work then you really aren't using this recipe anyway!
11/20/2005
EASY WAY: To roll this out easily and perfectly center the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap, then roll it out. When you are finished rolling it out take off the top piece of plastic wrap, put a pie pan upside down over the dough, then turn the whole thing (pie pan, dough, bottom plastic wrap) upside down. Lastly, press the dough into place in the pie pan and remove the second piece of plastic wrap.
05/23/2003
I have baked more than 20 pies over the past year, and consistently get rave reviews about the crust. Of course, I use this recipe, but I add an extra trick. Chill EVERYTHING before beginning. I put the bowl and pastry cutter in the refrigerator, and I keep 1 ice cube in the water to keep it cold. It keeps the shortening from blending too much with the flour, leaving you with little pockets of shortening that result in extra flakes.
09/08/2006
I am a seasoned pie crust maker, our usual crust recipe is 3/2/1 Flour/crisco/cold water in that order. It has worked out pretty good for me, but I always have to work in so much flour. Many of my friends have tried that recipe, and think it is ruined, and toss it. They are daunted by the gooey appearance of the dough. This recipe changes the ratio just a little bit, and the crust is perfect. I skip the chilling, I just let it rest on the counter for 30 min. before I use it. I never plan well enough in advance to put things in the fridge. I avoid recpes that tell me to do that, usually. It is now my favorite crust recipe. I am entering a pie in a contest next weekend, I think it will win. Thanks for the great crust recipe. (the pie did not win the contest, but the crust got rave reviews, and I was asked for it many times.)
07/12/2002
Very good pie crust. I didn't have the 4 hours to let the dough chill, so I added an egg and made the the water ice water and it was great!
07/08/2006
I just love this crust and so does everyone else who has tried it! I have used it for pies and chicken pot pie. It's easy to roll out. I have to add a little extra flour usually just to get it smooth, but it bakes up perfect and flaky. Also, if you need the crust NOW, just stick it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Works just the same.
08/27/2006
I have tried different kinds of pie crusts in my life, looking for the very best one. I was sceptical about this one, because it sounded wayyy too simple, and I had tried one that used the exact same ingredients before,but different ratios, and didn't turn out so good. So I thought, I'd try it and see if it would make a difference. And did it make a difference! I used unsalted butter instead of shortening. It came out so flaky and fluffy and delicious! Even my mom (who can be pretty critical sometimes), said that it was the perfect crust! I was shocked! It really is the best ever pie crust! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
05/14/2002
This is the perfect pie crust.Over the years I have tried other recipes that cut down on the shortening but haven't been this light and flaky. Also, the less you handle it the flakier it is. I used about 5 Tbsp. of water and that was enough--but make sure it is ice cold. Sometimes the best recipes are so basic.
02/01/2005
Can a recipe increase your self esteem??? When it earns you the rave reveiws this pie crust will, it certainly does! I have never even attempted to make homemade crust, after hearing all sorts of horror stories, and knowing I am NOT the best baker in the world. I doubled this crust for a chicken pot pie, and was surprised that the recipe yeilded plenty enough pastry to line AND top a 13x9" pyrex pan. I used butter flavored shortening and added parmesan cheese, granulated garlic powder, ground black pepper and a TOUCH of seasoning salt. I folded in parsley flakes for color. Otherwise, I followed all ingredients to the letter. This crust was even flakier than premium frozen brands, even though I had to roll it out on more flour and probably handled it over-much. I also layered it between Saran wrap, as another reveiwer suggested, to roll out the crust evenly. I am not sure why the dough was sticky, but it probably was 100% my fault for not allowing enough chilling time. Despite my truely clumsy efforts this was a sturdy, flaky, and beautiful crust! Next time I am going to experiment with cookie cutters, to create 3-D shapes on the top crust. Hint: This is NOT a sweet crust, so keep that in mind when you are not preparing savory pies...and proper chilling is a MUST!
12/04/2008
Would not recommend this at all! Way too much shortening! And really not easy to work with, even after refrigerating. It ruined my holiday pies! Sorry - I wish it would have been awesome.
09/28/2008
I found this recipe to be too crumbly it is not a very good recipe at all.
05/23/2007
I re-joined allrecipes to write a review of this crust... I don't know why everyone gives it so many stars. I lost my regular recipe and decided to try this one and it was terrible. Way too greasy to work with, even after refrigerating for hours. It kept tearing when I tried to move it no matter what I did with it. I finally just pressed it out in the bottom of the pie pan, threw the extra away, and found a different recipe for the top crust which worked better. Way way too much shortening to be workable, and adding extra flour while rolling it out didn't help. I will never use this recipe again. It nearly ruined what I was trying to make.
06/23/2008
I made this pie crust, and it was terrible!!!! So I made the recipe again thinking that I had made an error the first time around but no. TOO much shortening for two cups of flour. I felt like we were eating a ball of lard. It really ruined my rhubarb pie. Then I checked some other pie crust recipes and none called for 1 cup of shortening to 2 cups of flour - just toooo much shortening.
06/29/2008
I know I am in the minority here but I would say this was the worst pie crust I have ever made. The dough was very difficult to work with and I ended up patching and patting it into the pie plate. I won't be making this again.
11/30/2006
This recipe nearly ruined our Thanksgiving dessert! It was awful! There is way too much shortening. It made a ball of dough even before I had added any water. It tasted terrible and I couldn't roll it out. I finally gave up and drove to the nearest store that I could find that was open on Thanksgiving day and bought a Pillsbury crust. I am an experienced baker and have made plenty of crusts from scratch in my life so I have no doubt that it was the result of a bad recipe. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere for a pie crust recipe!
12/01/2007
Greasy, tasteless, hard to work with. It was flaky though. I have started to question recipes where people give it 5 stars and then change the ingredients. I like to read the changes people have made over time but at least give the original recipe the rating it deserves.
06/02/2007
I guess you can't give a recipe a 0 rating. Terribly greasy and will not set up. The recipe is no easier than other crust recipes. I will NEVER use it again.
08/07/2005
I have been baking pies for 20 years. I don't know what went wrong, but this was the worst pie crust I ever made. When it's browned and cooked, it sticks to your fingers, like it's raw. It won't set. Just a mess! Doesn't taste very good either. I prefer a pie crust with mostly real butter and a bit of shortening, much better flavor and texture. I am sticking with my recipe next time.
09/04/2002
Terrible. I had a hard time working with the dough, kept falling apart. After baking, the crust was so moist, it stuck to fingers and crumbled completely. There also was a grainy texture. Basic Flaky Pie Crust is way better!!!
12/02/2007
Obviously so many people with high praise can't be wrong. My experience was not so great. I found the dough very hard to work with, and ended up having to do a fair bit of patching and grafting to the bottom and top crusts. The end result was flaky, but to the point of being biscuit-y. I've made a very basic crust many times (flour, salt, butter, sugar, apple cider vinegar, ice water), with great success. This crust was flakier than the crust I usually make, but I'd have to find a way to make the dough easier to work with and that comes out with more than just being really flaky as its strong point. Definitely recognize that it could be me, but I think the recipe's ratio of shortening to flour might be a little high.
11/29/2006
Yes, it was light and flaky. But it was a nightmare to roll out and get into the pie tin. It was way too sticky and ripping constantly. I didn't even use all of the water it called for and added tons of flour in the rolling process. I did manage to roll it and get it into the tins with the help of parchment paper. But it was way too troublesome and took an hour to roll, just to end up with a basically flaky but tasteless crust.
03/08/2008
This recipe does not get 5 stars from me because it needs several modifcations to get it right. For example, you should NOT use all the water they indicate in the recipe. I started out by using the 1/2 cup water suggested and the dough came out super liquid-had to do it all over again (by the way, the small print indicating "use less water if needed" does not help, because most of us do not see such small notations to begin with. The actual recipe should be changed to reflect this). I also recommend not being shy about the amount of flour used to manage the dough. After 3 tries, I finally got it right-so I suggest reading through all the reviews first before tackling this recipe!
08/07/2000
I tried this recipe today for a pie, I won't be using this again, I found it very hard to work with, when trying to put it into my plate it kept falling apart.
08/01/2009
I knew better than to use 1 cup shortening for 2 cups flour the flour to lard ratio is all wrong. I didn't want an oil crust for a fresh fruit pie.
11/30/2000
The crust was way too soft and didn't turn out at all. I think it needs 1/4c to 1/2c more flour
12/13/2004
Came out so awful. Followed the recipe exactly, but the crust was soggy and the sides slid down to the bottom.
06/08/2007
I do not know how this recipe got 5 stars. The only reason I even gave it 1 star was for flavor. It called for way too much water, which caused it to shrink so that I had no sides to my pie. Also, it was moist, not flaky.
11/28/2006
Do not refrigerate this over night! What a mistake!! I was making it ahead of time but the next day it tore when trying to roll it out.. It was awful! And this recipe does not make enough for two pies. We were able to put both halfs of the dough together and make one crust. The crust came out a little thick, but luckily, it worked. Taste was good - prep was horrible.
09/22/2009
I chilled everything and let the dough balls sit in the fridge for about 6 hours. I rolled it between sheets of plastic wrap (which worked ok but I hate doing that.) I peeled and poked and prodded and nudged and could NOT get it on my pie properly. EDIT: In going back through my reviews I decided my previous review was rude and have edited it to reflect a less rude tone. 7/27/10
11/04/2005
I found this crust to be very greasy... not a fan.
12/25/2008
So I tried this Christmas morning, and while it rests in the refrig, some helpful tips for the bakers that will follow. Its tempting to do this recipe by the book when you see all the rave reviews its gotten, but if you do, you'll find yourself sharing the opinion of the poor woman(man?) who reviewed just before me. Do yourself a favor, sub half the shortinging for butter, if your butter is salted use less salt (i used roughly 3/4's a teaspoon) and MUCH less water. I mixed mine with cold butter, so I had to do it by hand (dont you think it tastes better when you put in the effort and really feel the dough? I do!) and it reached balling consistancy WITHOUT water. It was pretty thick, so i put in a few small splashes of water (about a teaspoon, perhaps a bit more depending on your mix) and worked that in by hand as well. I plan on letting it sit for about three hours or so, maybe a little more. ((Edit!!!! Still a good recipe, but yah, the gooy appearance of the dough with all that water really threw me off, put in the half cup, if you dont when you go to roll it out it breaks all over the place, i had a heck of a time with mine, i ended up having to free form instead, as i was pressed for time. It still came out beautifully though.))
12/06/2006
I have a terrible time trying to roll out this crust. It rips apart when I try to put it into the pie pan. I can only use it for pies that only have a bottom crust because I have to piece it together by hand and press it into the pan. My husband loves the flakiness of it though.
07/28/2006
I did not like this crust recipe at all it is almost too greasy will not form up and we just struggled with it
10/29/2006
I must have done something horridly wrong with this recipe. All I got was goo. I tried it in the food processor, after just two pulses and no water added it was goo. I tried it by hand and it came out goo. I did not add the full amount of water. The second try I added much more flour and finally was able to get it rolled out, it would not come free of either wax paper or plastic wrap. I just pieced it together the best I could. I rechecked the amounts for flour and shortening thinking I had read something wrong but that wasn't the case. Shortening was chilled and I used ice water. I'm giving the recipe three stars, I'm sure it's a fine recipe. I just wish I could figure out what I did wrong with it.
07/25/2008
Alright, ive made this recipe at least 15 times in the past month (preparing for a 4th of July baking contest -- I won!) after trying various ratios of these ingredients the perfect combination I found is to keep everything the same EXCEPT leave out 1 tbsp of shortening (use butter flavored shortening) and as others have suggested chill everything, bowl, spoons, pastry fork, etc. Using the full amt of shortening makes this dough too fragile to work with, and leaving out two tbsp makes it gross like grocery store crust, but leaving out just that one tbsp makes this crust flaky and delicious and easy to work with -- I even perfected a latice top!
11/07/2006
THis Pie Crust was easy to make,but terrible to roll out without it breaking.
11/17/2006
I would NEVER make this pie crust again. Took me nearly half an hour to try to roll it out but the dough just keeps on breaking apart. I ran out of patience at the end and just roughly pushed the dough up the sides of my pie pan. It tasted just okay.
11/25/2000
I used this recipe to make a turkey pot pie after Thanksgiving. The crust was very doughy and fell apart easily. It could have been my fault. I may have overwork it a little. It was very sticky. I tried adding more flour and it seemed to soak it all up. Overall, I was not too impressed.
05/14/2003
This is the worst recipe I have EVER tried! Although I followed the recipe exactly and chilled the dough 4 hours, I couldn't roll it out. The dough kept sticking the the rolling pin and breaking apart. I had to throw the mess out.
11/09/2005
I'm not giving it one star only because it's still in the oven and I'm not able to taste it yet. I have never made a crust from scratch and I just may have not have the "magic touch". I let it chill for 4 hours and I could not get it to roll out. It stayed sticky even after sprinkling the flour and I could barely get it into the dish. I hope it tastes good, but I may have to stick to Mrs. Smith's Ready Made Deep Dish.
11/08/2008
This was a great recipie! And was the first time I had made homemade pie crust. The only changes I made were using 1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 cup of shortening instead of 1 cup of shortening. I put the dough in the fridge overnight before using it.
11/27/2002
I don't know if I did something wrong or what, but my crust did not turn out. I followed the instructions exactly, but I didn't have enough crust to do two pies and it kind of fell apart when I baked it. I may go back to Pillsbury! LOL
11/26/2005
I was really disappointed in this crust. I tried to pre-bake this crust for just a few minutes to make it a bit more flaky after pie was done and it COLLAPSED half way down the side of the pie plate - too much butter! Furthermore, I don't think this crust needed too be refridgerated for 4 hours. It made the dough hard as a rock - again too much butter - and very hard to work with. I don't think I'd use this recipe again.
07/16/2002
I've baked pies for a number of years, and thought I would try a slightly different recipe. But, mine did not work out well --- too sticky, and really not enough for a good 2-crust pie. Sorry, I think I'll go back to my old recipe.
05/22/2007
Used this yesterday for my first time making buttertarts (or any pastry for that matter)...pastry turned out really flaky and good but was fairly greasy not sure if it was something I did...or didn't do I will definately try it again but maybe a little less shortening
08/02/2010
As others have stated, the dough was not easy to work with. I managed to get the top crust on the pie pretty well, so it looked O.K. (the bottom one was a mess). Seems like a lot of water for a pie crust to me, so next time, I'll use less and see what happens. On the positive side, it was very tender, flaky, and delicious for a fruit pie.
10/07/2008
This has been my no-fail pie crust recipe for more than 20 years. Simple and excellent. I use butter flavor shortening and the coldest water possible.
05/15/2008
Does the job, but ended up very flaky and wasn't able to retain any shapes. (I had cut out leaves and wiped them in egg wash). Application of eggwash basically made it all fall apart in the oven.
12/02/2005
I'm sorry but this was not the best pie crust I have tasted. I was really optimistic because of all of the other good reviews, but it was a little disappointing. First of all, there wasn't enough pie crust to make 2 pies (maybe is works if you use very small pie tins). Secondly it was way too salty. If I made this again I would take out the salt and double the recipe.
11/30/2000
This crust is too sticky and falls apart trying to get it into the pie plate
08/11/2000
It's got almost all the right ingrediants but the essence of real pie crust making is missing unfortunately. The results of this pie crust will be very variable depending on the weather (hot or cold).
01/04/2010
Um, tasty yet greasy crust and it did NOT cook well at all. I even pre-baked the crust for 15 minutes but it remained doughy through 1.5 hours of baking my quiche. I did not want to ruin the whole thing so I suffered with an under baked crust. If you aren't planning on baking your pie for 4 hours or so then pre-bake it well first. Bottom line: I will not be using this recipe again and I'll stick to the recipe on the Crisco box.
04/19/2010
I halfed this reciepe and used butter instead of shortening (maybe that was my problem?) and this turned out horrible it was waaayy to buttery. Just no good at all. Def reduce the amount of fat.
12/28/2006
The crust was too salty for our taste. Also, I made a pie that takes 60 min in the oven, and the crust did not seem fully cooked. Sorry.
06/21/2009
this pie crust truely is the best pie crust ever!!!!! My husband LOVES it. So much in fact I have made 3 peach pies, a strawberry rhubarb pie AND a chicken pot pie with it in ONE WEEK!!!! i recommend mixing it all and throwing it in the freezer for 30 or 45 minutes and them rolling it out. i roll it out on floured wax paper that way I can flip the wax paper over and position it on the pie pan before removing it. bakes up great and taste so wonderful!!!
07/19/2010
this recipe was awful. i followed it exactly but the dough was somehow both sticky and flakey and fell completely apart -- was impossible to work with. :(
12/29/2004
sorry, it just didnt taste good to me or my family.
03/20/2008
I followed all directions and most suggestions. I don't know what I did wrong, but this came out hard as a rock. I don't own a food processor, so I just kneaded the dough by hand, which was very tiring heh. I'll give it one more try since it's such a highly-rated recipe.
10/11/2011
It was runny and greasy - I had to add an extra 1 1/2 cups flour and I only used 1/4 cup water. In the end it couldn't be rolled and had to be pressed into the pie plate like a child would do. I will continue to use my mother's old recipe - I just thought I would try something quick since I was already using a recipe from this website.
08/23/2011
This is almost identical to the ONLY pie crust recipe i'll use. I HIGHLY SUGGEST using ICE WATER and COLD SHORTENING for this however. I keep my shortening in the fridge. Also add the water by tablespoons or you may end up with a dough that's too wet. VERY AWESOME PIE CRUST! I use slightly less shortening for my crust though. Delicate but VERY LIGHT AND FLAKEY! I also suggest rolling out the dough onto wax paper for easy transferring =)
11/16/2010
I had a real problem with this recipe. Maybe it's just me, but I felt it had way too much shortening. I had an unworkable ball of dough before I added any water! For my second try at some crusts, I used my mixer, and added shortening until I had something between cornmeal and peas. Then I added water to make a rollable dough. Seems the secret is in the amount of shortening. More makes flakier dough, but is harder to work. Less shortening and more water, and the recipe starts to look like one for crackers! I guess that with more experience and better technique, one can work with the high-shortening crust. I'm not there.
01/12/2007
Came out good, but it was nothing fabulous, in my opinion. I think I prefer something flakier.
06/29/2008
I wish the crust was more crispy and dry.
10/20/2008
I've been using this recipe for a couple of years now with exceptional results. One thing I've noticed from some of the reviews is that many people aren't letting it chill for the minimum 4 hrs or preferably overnight. I've found that this step is crucial for being able to easily roll the crust. Also, I don't exactly understand why, but if you use it right away, it does have a stronger shortening flavor. When you let it sit overnight that flavor completely goes away. Another key is not overworking the mixture. Less really is more. If you are getting tired working the mix by hand, you are working it way too hard. When you cut in the shortening, add it in small chunks so it should only need a couple of stirs. The other comments made about working with cold ingredients and tools are key as well.
11/21/2007
This is the best pie crust I've ever made. However, this really is a recipe for experienced bakers, as it requires a "feel" for the dough, patience and know-how to roll it out, and consideration of the type of filling which may affect the texture and flakiness of the crust. Do NOT add all of the 1/2 c. of water if it starts getting too soggy, stop when it forms a ball (JUST like the recipe says!) Do NOT use butter unless you warm up the dough awhile before rolling out, or (DUH) it will crack. If a food processor is used, use a light tough, as it will quickly form a ball even before water is added, and the result will be very sticky. When rolling out, use a floured pastry cloth, and be generous with your flour (to a point). After you roll from center to edge all four ways (just once!), use a pastry scraper to loosen the underside to the pastry circle to make it easier to flip over. Repeat this gentle rolling - and don't be afraid to pinch the edges back if they crack, you won't over handle it - until large enough to transfer to a pie plate. This recipe IS enough for a two-crust pie, it's just that folks aren't able to roll each ball out large enough to fit. In a nut shell (or pie shell), don't be afraid to make adjustments. Cut back on the water if it's already too moist. Add some sugar if it's too blaa. Try a different method of rolling out your dough. I think this the flakiest crust I've ever tried and if it's bland, you have a blank canvas to add your personal mag
08/25/2011
This is a GO TO pie crust! Excellent and flaky as promised...I read previous reviews and made some modifications too! Used Crisco flavored butter about 3/4 c, 1/2 tsp salt and 6tbs of ice cold water (added in 2tbs increments) Refrigerated for 1/2 an hour and it was ready to use! I rolled it out in between 2 sheets of waxed paper which made it so easy to handle and actually used powdered sugar to roll it out since I was making a black berry pie. Like I said my go to crust from now on! Excellent in every way!
11/26/2010
I have been making pies for 45 years and this year thought I would try a new one and see what it tastes like. This pie crust was the worst I have ever ate. It was hard and flavorless. Best Ever is not best ever. It is horrible.
01/23/2010
Very salty. Was undercooked but i could not keep on cooking it because my pie filling was already done.
12/01/2010
Not that great. Way too much shortening! I should have read the reviews first.
08/12/2011
I'll be the 1st to admit I'm not the best pie baker and I've always had issues with my crust but this was the worst recipe I've ever tried. It was very unstable, when blind baking it lost all of it's shape and slid into a heap in my pie plate. I followed the recipe exactly so I don't know what happened, but I won't be using this recipe again. So I continue my search for the perfect pie crust recipe.
08/08/2001
Pie crusts have ALWAYS been hard for me, especially the rolling out. After many attempts with this recipe I found that two things helped most: 1) regrigerate the dough before rolling as directed, but NOT IN BALLS. Use flattened balls or pancake shaped to refrigerate and the edges will crack less when rolling even if cold. 2) Roll out on floured plastic wrap, and don't be stingy with the flour. At first I didn't want to "overflour" the crust, but it was impossible to roll out the dough without what I thought was a lot of flour (probably 3/4 cup for the top and bottom). Even with a lot of flour it still turned out delicious and was CERTAINLY easier to manage, so flour away!
04/26/2007
I used this recipe for everything...Always comes out perfect... Thanks :)
04/10/2004
First time making pie crust! Made a few changes and it came out delicious: instead of 1 cup shortening-1/2C butter, 4 tbsp shortening, 1 tsp sugar and 2 tsp vinegar. It came out flaky and tender. Also, I brushed it with some egg/milk mixture before baking.
10/08/2011
I don't really like this recipe... 1 C of shortening is a ridiculous amount.. I ended up just doing 1/2 c unsalted butter and 1/4 c shortening. It was so sticky even still. Had to only do about 1/8-1/4 c water.. Any more and it would have been soupy. Had to add more flour then.. Didn't bake it yet, but will update if necessary.. It's mediocre...
09/16/2011
Way to much fat. This recipe made me feel hesitant in the first place, I should have just tried to remember my old pie crust recipe. Thoguh thats what I get for doubting myself.
07/07/2006
I use this recipe every time I make a pie, and it turns out perfect every time. The trick is to only mix the dough until it is just forming together - you should still see chunks of shortening. I chill mine for at least four hours in plastic wrap, then I roll it out cold. If you let it get warm before or while you are rolling it out, the shortening will start to assiilate into the dough, and your crust will be tough instead of flaky.
06/11/2007
Worked perfect and so easy! Thanks for the recipe! This is the first pie crust that has ever turned out for me!! Will use over and over!
07/11/2006
Easiest crust I have ever made! It freezes wonderfully and always comes out flakey. My Grandmother was a professional pie maker back in her day (no exageration!) and my Dad said that this was the closest thing he has tasted since Gramma's pie crust! HUGE compliment. Thanks for the easy recipe. I will use it always!
05/26/2011
it stuck to everything...rolling pin, counter...even after i sprinkled flour...i rolled it all up and tried again, it rolled out okay but it was very difficult...hoping it tastes good...
08/15/2005
I am a avid cook and I have made a lot of pie crusts, some hard some simple. This by far is the best pie crust I have ever made and eaten. It goes to show some times a simple basic recipe is all you need. I only made two changes in this recipe( a first for me) the first is I used 1/2 cup of shortening and a 1/2 cup of cold butter and ice cold water and I only let it sit in the frig for a hour. I hope you will find success with it.
07/06/2008
This is a great pie crust recipe! I used lard instead of shortening and did what other reviewers suggested: (1) Making sure cold lard and ice-cold water were used; (2) Chilled the dough before rolling. The result was a super flaky crust! Definitely a keeper! Update: In my second attempt at this recipe, I added apple cider vinegar to the dough, one tsp as part of the liquid called for for every one cup of flour. The crust turned out to be more tender! Everyone raved about it. Will do this whenever I make pie crusts from now on.
05/22/2003
This recipe gets 5 stars from me not for taste, but rather simplicity and ease of use. It's also amazingly easy to remember. Scaled down (one pie crust) it's 1:1/2:1/4, 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup shortening, 1/4 cup water. I found that you only end up needing 1/4 cup water. Then of course the 1/4 tsp salt. The "Grandma's Secret Pie Crust" tastes marginally better, but I'm a bigger fan of quick and easy. Besides, the focus in a recipe for me isn't the crust. The trick is to add the water little by little while mixing, and stop when your dough clumps together. Too much water will lead to a clumpy mess. Refrigeration isn't necessary. Also, cutting in the shortening with a pastry mixer is much easier. A pastry mixer is much like a potato masher, only it has 4-6 wires that cut through the shortening. With a back and forth motion, you end up with small granules quickly. I found one for $1 in a dollar store. Well worth the investment. This pie crust recipe works very well with pies or tarts (I had fantastic results with the English Butter Tarts recipe on this website).
11/24/2010
I have made this twice now and both times I had a perfect, flaky pie crust. Watching the video that all recipes provided on how to make a pie crust also helped. Put EVERYTHING in the freezer before using it-important tip!!
02/17/2010
I made this precisely as written and unfortunately found it to be nearly impossible to work with. The crust would rip and tear at the slightest movement, making a lattice top nearly impossible. The taste was only 'ok'. I will need to keep looking.
03/02/2005
I've used this recipe for a few things: apple pie, apple rum tarts (I just used a mini-muffin pan and made tiny pies), and cherry pie pockets (just cut a cirlce, fill with cherry pie filling, fold in half and seal). The only changes I made was to use margarine instead of shortening (because I like a saltier crust with sweet fillings) and a lot less water, just enough to bring everything together. Also, I have a great tip to prevent overworking the dough: after mixing everything, roll it into a cylinder shape and chill, then slice off 1/4" slices and lay then in the pie pan. Smoosh the edges together to close the gaps. This works really well if you don't have a rolling pin or counter space for rolling out dough, and keeps you from handling it too much.
08/26/2002
Ive never had much luck with pie crust. This recipe is terrific! Even though I think I over-worked the dough after it was chilled, it still turned out light and flakey! Great taste too! I will definetly use this recipe again! Thanks for sharing Jean! One thing I did that may save future users: Dont add all the water at once. It is a bit to much. I had to add more flour to make the ball. But again, even though I screwed up a few places it still turned out great!
06/26/2010
I followed the recipe exactly and the crust was extremely difficult to work with. It was far too soft once rolled out even after refrigeration. I rolled the crust in a pastry mat and placed it back in the refrigerator so it would harden up but all it did was rip and crack. I've definitely used better recipes.
07/27/2009
this was super easy to make. it tasted good as well but i found it a little dense and not quite as flaky as i would have liked.
12/24/2008
This is a great recipe. Comes out perfect every time. I had to find a new recipe because I moved from a high altitude. During the past year I've made at least 25 pies with this. I chill everything,use ice water and definitely do not overwork the dough. Awesome recipe!!
05/22/2006
I opted for a healthier version of this pie crust by using unsalted butter instead of shortening, which has lots of trans fat in it, and it turned out great! Still very flaky and tastes great! This is such a fool-proof recipe that you can't possibly mess it up, like mine got frozen while in the fridge because the fridge was so cold, and I just microwaved it for 15 seconds and it was good to go again.
08/29/2009
I tried all kinds of crust recipes before a friend gave me this one years ago. None of the others that I tried had enough shortening or water and were impossible to roll out and have a good result. My mother gave up trying to make pies because of this. Try this recipe, you will have good results just as it is written. It is bland, that is what you want for a pie, the filling should be the star. You can try putting it in the frig. after mixing it, but I have always had better results mixing, rolling, and putting it in the pan. You can put it in the frig for a while after it is in the pan. I have a pastry cloth that works very well for keeping the crust from sticking. I've had mine for years, I suppose they still make them, and they would be easy to make yourself. If you don't have a pastry cloth or wooden counter to roll it out on I would use wax paper, I think it works better than plastic wrap. Sprinkle some water on you counter and put the wax paper on that, the water keeps it from slipping.
05/19/2011
Though i agree this can be a difficult dough to work with, but the key is to keep flour on your hands when forming the dough or any other surface. Also, the water should be ice cold. I use the dough immediately, it doesn't have to be refrigerated. I've used this recipe for years and never have a problem, just remember this doughcan be rolled, but it's more of a press and shape recipe. (and i don't add salt)
01/21/2008
I love pies, but I have yet to find a recipe that's easy and delicious enough to stop me from going to the grocery store and purchasing a ready-made crust.
11/28/2007
Excellent recipe. I used 1/2 unsalted butter and 1/2 shortening. I also used a couple of TBLSP of sugar, but that is just a personal preferance. As other reviewers have pointed out, everything (including shortening) should be chilled. Use ice water, only pour in what is necessary for the proper consistency. The dough should be soft but not tacky. Don't overwork the dough! I chill mine in the fridge for an hour before rolling out. I roll out between two sheets of parchment paper. I then put the dough back into the fridge for about 10 minutes before shaping into the pie plate. I have 2 Secrets For Pie Crust Success to share. I use Wondra Flour (yes the kind you use for gravy -- you must sift it into the measuring cup first). You can use pastry flour as well but it is not as readily available to the home baker. Also, I always bake my crust on the bottom of the oven for the first 20 minutes of baking to guarantee I never have a soggy crust! (Got that tip from the Pie & Pastry Bible!)
08/18/2010
Here's a tip for lattice crusts: chill the dough in the fridge for a few hours, then roll it out, cut your strips and build your lattice on a sheet of wax paper. Put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes. When you take it out, just center the crust on top of the pie and peel off the wax paper.
10/03/2009
Delicious. It was a little too fatty for me (which is saying something), so I'm going to try cutting back next time. Considering that this is my first pie crust ever, I think it went wonderfully!
12/30/2010
I did not care for this recipe. 1 cup of shortening -- REALLY?! This came out like cookie dough -- refrigerated it and everything. Couldn't use the rolling pin and didn't use the crust. Ruined my Christmas dessert. Don't use this recipe!
12/18/2005
I made an apple pie with this crust 3 times. The first time I only used it as a top crust. Everytime after that, I doubled up the recipe so I could have enough for both a bottom and a top crust. The last two times I baked a pie with this crust, tey turned out delicious. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
04/26/2009
Love this recipe.
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12111/best-ever-pie-crust/
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