Best 8 Foolproof Pie Shells Recipes

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In the realm of baking, mastering the art of pie crust can be a daunting task. Whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting out, creating the perfect foolproof pie crust that is both flaky and tender can seem like an elusive goal. This article will guide you through the essential steps and techniques to achieve pie crust perfection. With careful attention to detail and a few helpful tips, you'll discover the secrets to making consistently delicious and impressive pie shells that will elevate your baking skills and delight your taste buds.

Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!

MARTHA STEWARTS FOOLPROOF PIE CRUST



Martha Stewarts Foolproof Pie Crust image

Make and share this Martha Stewarts Foolproof Pie Crust recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Kaccy G.

Categories     Dessert

Time 15m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 5

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1 tbsp. pcs., very cold
1/4-1/2 cup cold water

Steps:

  • Put the flour, salt and sugar into a food processor and pulse once or twice.
  • Add the butter and process until the mixture looks grainy.
  • Then slowly, while pulsing, add the water until you can form the dough by pressing it between your fingers.
  • Decant the loose dough onto a piece of plastic wrap.
  • Using the wrap, fold the loose dough towards the middle and press with the back of your hands to form dough.
  • Split into two pieces and wrap each and chill for at least 4 hours before using.
  • Dough can be made ahead for up to one week.

PERFECT PIE CRUST



Perfect Pie Crust image

Try this recipe for Perfect Pie Crust from Food Network's Ina Garten.

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     dessert

Yield 2 (10-inch) crusts

Number Of Ingredients 6

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons (about 1/2 cup) ice water

Steps:

  • Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust.

FOOLPROOF PIE SHELLS



Foolproof Pie Shells image

"I received this recipe from my 94-year old sister. She suggested using egg, cold water and cider vinegar to keep the crust moist. If they eat all the crust of my pie, then I know it was good!"

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 20m

Yield 4 pie shells.

Number Of Ingredients 7

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1-3/4 cups shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Whisk the egg, water and vinegar; gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide into four portions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour., On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plates. Trim each pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Fill or bake shells according to recipe directions.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 157 calories, Fat 11g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 7mg cholesterol, Sodium 150mg sodium, Carbohydrate 12g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 2g protein.

FOOLPROOF PIE DOUGH



Foolproof Pie Dough image

Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavor - do not substitute. This dough, which was developed by a test-kitchen team led by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt for "America's Test Kitchen," will be moister and more supple than most standard pie doughs and will require more flour to roll out (up to 1/4 cup).

Provided by The New York Times

Categories     dessert, side dish

Time 10m

Yield 2 pie crusts

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup vodka, cold
1/4 cup cold water

Steps:

  • Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage-cheese curds, and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
  • Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 909, UnsaturatedFat 28 grams, Carbohydrate 74 grams, Fat 61 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 28 grams, Sodium 446 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 5 grams

FOOLPROOF PIE CRUST



Foolproof Pie Crust image

From the queen of entertaining in The Hamptons, Ellen Wright's beautiful "Bridgehampton Weekends" cookbook made me religious about perfecting a fruit pie with a crust that supports this delicious experience. I recommend popping in Tony Bennett's "Making of an American Classic" and invite a crowd.

Provided by Lalaloob

Categories     Pie

Time 40m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup milk

Steps:

  • Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a medium-size bowl.
  • Cut the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
  • You may also use a food processor.
  • Add the milk, little by little, working a fork until the mixture comes together.
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it out so it is about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Do not overhandle the dough.
  • Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate for your pie.
  • Or form it into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  • *Tips from Ellen:.
  • To make rolling the dough easier, flour your rolling pin and work surface. Don't be afraid to gently pick up the dough and turn it to prevent it from sticking.
  • To transfer the dough to the pie plate, loosely roll the dough around your rolling pin and unwrap it over the pie plate. This prevents the dough from tearing.
  • If you are using a food processor to prepare the dough, pulse on and off until the mixture resembles coarse meal. When the milk is added the dough will form a ball. Stop pulsing at this point so the dough isn't overworked.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 201.7, Fat 13.3, SaturatedFat 3.9, Cholesterol 1.1, Sodium 68.9, Carbohydrate 18.6, Fiber 0.5, Sugar 3.2, Protein 2.3

NO FAIL PIE CRUST I



No Fail Pie Crust I image

I found this recipe years ago, and have not made any other since. This dough freezes very well.

Provided by Lenn

Categories     Desserts     Pies     100+ Pie Crust Recipes     Pastry Crusts

Time 10m

Yield 24

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shortening
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¼ cup cold water
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Steps:

  • Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Mix egg, water, and vinegar together in a separate bowl. Pour into flour all at once and blend with a fork until dough forms into a ball. Divide into 3 equal-sized rounds.
  • Wrap with plastic and chill in a refrigerator until ready to prepare.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 125.9 calories, Carbohydrate 10 g, Cholesterol 7.8 mg, Fat 8.9 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 1.6 g, SaturatedFat 2.2 g, Sodium 27.5 mg, Sugar 0.1 g

FOOLPROOF PHILLY PIE CRUST



Foolproof PHILLY Pie Crust image

This pie crust recipe, made with cream cheese, is rich, delicious, and so easy.

Provided by Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Categories     Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips     Cooking with Philly Canada

Time 1h15m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 3

1 cup flour
½ (250 g) package PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened

Steps:

  • Place flour in large bowl. Cut in cream cheese and butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Shape dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.
  • Place dough between 2 lightly floured sheets of waxed paper; roll into 10-inch round. Discard top sheet of waxed paper. Spray 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray; invert over dough. Flip pie plate, holding pie plate and dough together. Discard second sheet of waxed paper.
  • Gently press dough onto bottom and up side of pie plate. Flute edge of crust, if desired, then use as desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 214.4 calories, Carbohydrate 12.5 g, Cholesterol 47.2 mg, Fat 17.2 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 2.9 g, SaturatedFat 10.7 g, Sodium 132.3 mg, Sugar 0.6 g

PERFECT PIE CRUST



Perfect Pie Crust image

The perfect pie crust is tender, light, flaky, and golden and lends itself to all of the Thanksgiving favorites.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Pie & Tarts Recipes

Yield Makes two 8- to 10-inch crusts

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, plus more for pie plate
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Steps:

  • Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces, and refrigerate until needed. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and mix to combine.
  • Add the chilled butter. Using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture; the mixture should resemble coarse meal with small pieces of butter, the size of small peas, remaining visible.
  • Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the flour-butter mixture, and blend. Repeat with an additional 2 tablespoons water. At this point, you may have to add more water: When a handful of dough squeezed together just holds its shape, you've added enough; if the dough crumbles, continue incorporating water, 1 tablespoon at a time, checking the consistency after each additional tablespoon.
  • Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide into two equal pieces, and place on two separate sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two disks. Wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Place the chilled dough in the center of the work surface, and dust the dough as well as the rolling pin with flour. Position the rolling pin on the center of the disk, and begin rolling the dough away from you. Give the disk a quarter turn, and roll again. Continue turning and rolling until you have an even 1/8-inch thickness. Turning the dough as you roll will prevent it from sticking to the work surface. A dry pastry brush is handy to remove any excess flour during and after the rolling process.
  • Lightly butter the pie plate. To minimize stretching when moving the dough, roll it around the pin, lift up, and unroll over the buttered pie plate. Using your fingers, gently pat the dough into place. Trim any excess dough with a paring knife or kitchen shears, leaving a 1-inch overhang; then fold dough under to reinforce the edge.

Tips:

  • Choose the right flour: All-purpose flour is a good choice for pie shells, but you can also use pastry flour or bread flour. Pastry flour will give you a more tender crust, while bread flour will give you a more sturdy crust.
  • Use cold butter: Cold butter is easier to work with and will help to keep your pie crust flaky. You can use unsalted or salted butter, but if you use salted butter, be sure to omit the salt from the recipe.
  • Work the dough quickly: Overworking the dough will make it tough. Work the dough just until it comes together, then stop.
  • Chill the dough: Chilling the dough will help to make it easier to roll out and will also help to prevent it from shrinking in the oven.
  • Bake the pie shell blind: To prevent the pie shell from puffing up, bake it blind before filling it. To do this, preheat your oven to the temperature specified in the recipe. Line the pie shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the pie shell for 10-15 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
  • Let the pie shell cool completely: Before filling the pie shell, let it cool completely. This will help to prevent the filling from making the pie shell soggy.

Conclusion:

With a little practice, you can make perfect pie shells every time. Just remember to use the right ingredients, work the dough quickly, chill the dough, and bake the pie shell blind. With these tips, you'll be able to make delicious pies that your family and friends will love.

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