Making Pie Dough By Hand

Combine the first portion of flour and butter: Combine 1 ½ cups of flour, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until mixed. Add cold butter cubes, coat them in flour, then use a pastry blender to cut the butter in until the mix is coarse and looks like breadcrumbs, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the remaining flour: Sprinkle the last cup of flour over the mixture, then keep blending for about 20 seconds until the flour spreads out. The dough should feel crumbly, and you’ll still see some small pieces of butter.

Add water and bring the dough together: Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and sprinkle 4 tablespoons of ice water over it. Press the dough together using a rubber spatula; if it holds when pinched, it’s ready, but if not, add more water in small amounts until the dough forms and sticks together.

 

Form and chill the dough: Take the dough out of the bowl and shape it into a ball on a clean surface. Cut the ball in half, press each piece into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and chill for at least an hour (or up to three days); you can freeze it for up to three months and thaw overnight in the fridge before use.

 

Rolling Out Pie Dough

Prepare the dough: Take one dough disk from the fridge and let it warm up for 5 minutes. Dust your counter, dough, and rolling pin with flour so nothing sticks during rolling.

 

Roll the dough: Roll the dough with a steady hand, turning it every few passes, until you form a 12-inch circle. Lift the dough as you work, dusting a little flour underneath so it doesn’t stick, and check the size by placing the pie dish upside down on the dough—all edges should extend about an inch beyond the rim.

 

Transfer to the pie dish: To move the dough, roll it loosely around your rolling pin, then unroll it over the pie dish. Press the dough in place, covering the bottom and sides without pulling or stretching.

 

Crimp the edges: Fold extra dough underneath itself to make a thicker edge about 1/4-inch wide that sits on the rim of the dish. To crimp, hold your pointer finger just inside the dough and press the outside with your other hand’s knuckles to set the shape.

 

For a double-crust pie, don’t crimp the bottom crust. Instead, roll out your second dough disk, fill the pie, then place the top crust over the filling. Trim the edges of both crusts and then crimp them together as described above.

 

Chill the crust: Slide the unbaked pie crust into the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

 

How to Blind Bake Pie Crust for Single Crust Pies (Quiches & Cream Pies)

Preheat the oven: While the unbaked pie crust is chilling, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

 

Bake the crust (phase 1): Pierce the bottom of the chilled crust all over with a fork. Crumple up a sheet of parchment paper in your hands, then uncrumple it and use it to line the crust. Fill with pie weights, dried rice, or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. This is where you would stop for a partially baked crust, used in recipes that will bake the pie with a filling later on.

 

Bake the crust (phase 2): For a fully baked pie crust, carefully remove the crust from the oven and lift out the parchment paper and weights. Return the crust to the oven and continue to bake until it is light golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Set aside to cool completely before filling.

 

Optional shiny, golden crust: For a shiny, golden finish, prepare an egg wash by whisking one egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of cream together. Lightly brush the bottom and sides of the crust, then bake for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the crust is dry and shiny. Allow the crust to cool completely before filling.

 

How to Make a Double Crust Pie

Note: Oven temperature and bake time will vary based on your specific pie recipe. Always refer to the recipe you are following.

 

Add the top crust: Roll the bottom crust out and place it into your pie dish as directed above. Then, roll out the second dough disk and place it over the filled pie. Use a knife or kitchen scissors to trim the dough so that it overhangs the edge of the dish by about 3/4-inch.

 

Seal and crimp the edges

Fold the edges of the top crust underneath the edges of the bottom crust, pressing to seal them together and create a thicker border that rests on the lip of the dish. Crimp the edges as desired. Refrigerate the pie for at least 30 minutes before baking.

 

Finish and bake: Just before baking, make an egg wash by whisking an egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of cream together. Use a pastry brush to coat the top crust lightly, then sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of sugar. Cut 3 to 4 slits in the top of the pie to vent steam. Bake as directed by your specific recipe.