If you’re looking for a tried and true, old fashioned pie crust recipe that’s easy to work with, try my Diner Style Pie Crust. This recipe is made with shortening. I know everyone likes something different. Some like making a pie crust using shortening, others like using all butter, and many have expressed the love of pie crust using lard. Whatever you like, you’ll find all versions of pie crust here. I like them all! You can replace the shortening with butter or lard, or use mix of fats. Please give this recipe a try. I think you’ll love it!
The key to making a flaky pie crust is all in the way you mix it. I like using a blending fork. I’ve tried all methods, including a food processor, a fancy stand mixer…but I always go back to small batches made by hand using a simple fork. Even when I had the task of making 40 pies for Thanksgiving, I made 2 at a time with my trusty fork. Trust me! You don’t need cold water or frozen butter, you need a gentle hand and the ability to stop mixing while you still see pockets of fat in the dough. This creates little flaky pockets as the crust bakes. See the picture of marbling in the unbaked crust. This is what you’re looking for. Please don’t completely mix the fat into the flour. Over mixing pie dough will result in a tough and lifeless pie crust. I hope these tips help! Let me know if try this recipe, and share these recipes with the ones you love. Happy Baking!
Marbling of fat in pie crust dough creates a flaky pie crust once baked.
I took this picture one Thanksgiving Eve. Pies Pies Pies! Some were pecan, and pumpkin, others were ready to be filled with chocolate or coconut cream filling. You may see one lonely graham crust thrown into the mix. That was for chocolate cream pie. If you’re looking for a good graham cracker crust, try my Thick Graham Cracker Crust recipe!
Diner Style Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3/4 c. shortening
- 7 1/2 Tbsp. water
Instructions
- This recipe makes enough crust for 2 pies or one double crust pie. In a mixing bowl, add 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp. salt. Mix together with a fork. Add 3/4 c. shortening and cut into flour mixture using fork until mixture turns into pea sized crumbles. (See some of my videos for mixing technique, like World's Best Pumpkin Pie or 1940's Diner Style Pumpkin Pie.) Mixture will look crumbly. Add 7 1/2 Tbsp. water and gently mix together. Dough will look ragged and crumbly. Press together with hands, divide into 2 equal pieces, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and chill until ready to use. (May be made and chilled the day before. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before rolling if chilled overnight.)Sprinkle flour on your work surface. Press one dough ball into a disk. Sprinkle flour on top of dough. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a circle about 13 to 14 inches across. Roll gently from the inside out. (See video for rolling technique.) Transfer to an ungreased pie plate. Press dough up the sides of the pan, tuck the overhang of the dough under, and create a fluted edge around the crust by pinching and twisting. Make you filling, fill crust and bake (such as for a pumpkin, pecan, or buttermilk chess pie).If you're making a cream pie and need to pre bake the crust before filling, just prick the bottom of the crust with a for a few times and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until browned. All ovens are different, so keep an eye on it. If an air pocket forms under the crust while baking, just prick with a fork or toothpick and resume baking. I've never had to use pie weights, but if you feel the need to, please do. Fill and enjoy!