Better Homes Gardens Pie Crust Recipe

How to Make a Double-Crust Piecrust

The ideal fruit pie has a tender, flaky crust. Here we show you exactly how to make the perfect pastry -- it's easier than you think.

Following your piecrust recipe, use a pastry blender to cut the shortening into the flour mixture. Work mixture just until the pieces are the size of small peas. If you overwork the mixture, your pastry may not be flaky.

Step 2: Moisten the flour mixture

Moistening flour mixture

Sprinkle ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, over part of the flour mixture.
Toss gently with a fork.
Push to one side of the bowl.
Repeat until all of the flour mixture is evenly moistened.

Step 3: Form dough into a ball

Forming piecrust dough into a ball

After all the flour is moistened, use your hands to gently press and form the dough into a ball. For a double-crust piecrust, divide the ball of dough in half.

Step 4: Roll out the dough

Rolling out piecrust dough

Flour the rolling surface just enough to keep the dough from sticking.
Use your hands to slightly flatten one ball of dough.
Roll slightly flattened dough with a floured rolling pin from the center out to the edges, all of the way around the circle.
Use light, even strokes to form a 12-inch circle with an even thickness. If dough sticks to rolling pin or work surface, sprinkle with additional flour.

Step 5: Prepare to transfer dough

Wrapping dough around rolling pin to transfer to pie plate

For easy transfer to the pie plate, wrap the pastry circle around the rolling pin

Step 6: Transfer dough to pie plate

Transferring dough to pie plate

Holding the rolling pin over a 9-inch pie plate, unroll the pastry. Start at one side rather than in the middle.
Center the pastry so an equal amount is hanging over all sides.

Step 7: Fit the pastry into the pie plate

Pressing piecrust dough into pie plate

Gently ease the pastry into the pie plate without stretching it. (Stretching pastry causes it to shrink while baking.)
Lightly press the pastry over the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

Step 8: Transfer the pie filling

Transferring desired pie filling to pastry-lined pie plate

Transfer the pie filling to the pastry-lined pie plate. If you're making a fruit pie, such as Rosemary Apple Pie (recipe below), make sure you evenly distribute the fruit in the bottom crust.

Step 9. Trim the pastry

Trimming pastry even with pie plate

Use a sharp knife to trim the pastry even with the rim of the pie plate. Trim after adding the filling so it doesn't pull the pastry down into the pie plate.

Step 10: Prepare top piecrust dough

Cutting slits in top pastry

Roll out the second ball of piecrust dough according to the directions in Step 4. Use a sharp knife to cut slits near the center of the top pastry to allow steam to escape during baking.

Step 11. Place top pastry on pie

Place top pastry on pie

Wrap the top pastry around the rolling pin and unroll onto the filled pie, being careful not to stretch the pastry.

Step 12. Trim the top pastry

Trimming the top pastry

Use kitchen scissors to trim the edge of the top pastry 1/2 inch beyond the rim of the pie plate.

Step 13. Fold the pastry edges together

Folding the top pastry edge under the bottom pastry edge

Lift the bottom pastry edge away from the pie plate and fold the extra top pastry under it.

Step 14. Shape the piecrust edge and bake pie

Shaping the piecrust edge

For a traditional rope edge, pinch the pastry edge by pushing forward on a slant with your bent index finger and pulling back with your thumb. Bake and cool the pie according to the directions in your recipe.