Pie crusts are about a simple a bake as you can make. A good, basic crust only includes flour, fat, and water. While it’s easy to buy pie crust from the store, why not make a couple of homemade versions when you can and freeze them for later use? I’m talking about the holiday time when pie is in abundance. Make the pie crusts now to last all season long. Check out my 3 generations of family pie crusts. First is my Grandma’s 3-Ingredient, Flaky, Savory Pie Crust recipe. Then, we have my Mom’s 4-Ingredient, Buttery, Sweet Pie Crust recipe. To finish off, we have my Gluten-Free & Vegan Pie Crust recipe with health benefits!
What’s Up with Pies?
Pies are America’s favorite dessert. You know the saying, “There’s nothing more American than Apple Pie”. And technically, that’s not true since versions of apple pies were baked in 14th century England. Nevertheless, Americans, like the English, love both their sweet and savory pies. In fact, check out my simple, savory quiche recipe at the end of this post.
My Connection With Pies
I grew up on good ol’ American southern homemade pie crusts. I used to spend most holidays in family gatherings of 20-30 or more with the amount of pie for one per person, and I don’t mean a slice! Even on those rare occasions when there were just 4 of us (me, mom, dad, and my sister), my mom would make (and still makes) 4-5 pies every Thanksgiving AND Christmas. You know, I don’t think I had a store-bought pie crust until I was in college, at least not knowingly 😉. To this day, I only make homemade pie crusts. And I have made A LOT of many different indulgent versions over the years.
3 Generations of Pie Crusts
In this post, however, I’m sharing with you 3 generations of 3 basic and simple pie crusts that you can make tonight and freeze in preparation for your holiday gatherings. My flaky, savory version is my grandmother’s recipe on my dad’s side. My buttery, sweet version is my mom’s recipe. And my gluten-free, vegan version is, well, of course, mine… by way of others (I’m sure there are variations of this one).
All 3 recipes use simple, minimal ingredients that provide flavor allowing your choice of fillings to shine. The secret ingredient in all of these is “technique”.
My Grandma’s 3-Ingredient, Flaky, Savory Pie Crust Recipe (for Savory or Sweet Fillings)
Grandma’s 3-Ingredient, Flaky, Savory Pie Dough Ingredients
For this basic recipe, all you need are all-purpose flour, salt, shortening and a little water.
This is the standard pie crust in my family. My grandma taught my mom and somewhere along the way, I figured it out. Mom didn’t like for me and my sister to mess up the kitchen. Grandma didn’t mind, though. 😊
“The Colder the Liquid, the Flakier the Crust”
Our first step, before beginning the recipe, is to get the fat and liquid cold. Place shortening in the refrigerator. I put mine in the fridge overnight, but that’s not necessary (30 minutes is plenty of time). Add ice and ½ cup of water to a glass and set it aside.
TIP: My grandma used to say, “The colder the liquid, the flakier the crust.” I’m certain she was right.
Combine the Pie Dough Dry Ingredients & Cut in the Shortening
In a large bowl (or food processor), combine 1½ cups of flour and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles small peas or course cornmeal (as my grandma described it). My family always made pie crusts by hand, but if using a food processor, careful not to over mix the dough.
Cutting shortening into dry ingredients Looks like small peas to me 🙂
Add Water, a Little at a Time
Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Use a fork to toss the dry and wet ingredients together. You may use 4-5 tablespoons total. Push the mixture against the side of the bowl to ensure the water moistens the ingredients. Continue adding water until all the mixture is just moistened.
TIP: Consider straining it to prevent small ice chunks from falling into the dough. Small ice chunks can cause air pockets resulting in odd holes in the crust.
Straining the water All dough is moistened
Refrigerate Pie Dough to Relax the Gluten & Harden the Fat
Remove the dough and wrap it loosely in plastic wrap. Form the dough into a disk and place it in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Wrap in plastic Shape into a disk for easy rolling
Roll Out Pie Dough
Lightly flour a parchment-lined work surface. Remove the dough from the fridge, unwrap it, and place it on the parchment paper. Pressing hard, roll dough from the center to the edges rotating the parchment paper until you have at least 2 inches beyond your pie plate perimeter. If using a 9-inch pie plate, roll the dough to 12-14 inches in diameter.
TIP: Try to roll as few times as possible limiting the time for the gluten to develop. If the dough begins to retract while rolling, that means the gluten is developing and needs to stop. Simply pause the rolling and place the current shape in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so. The cold will relax the gluten and stop it from developing (at least at a slower rate). Then, remove the dough and continue rolling it out.
Start in center and roll away from you Roll into 12-14 inches in diameter
Secret to Transferring Pie Dough to the Pie Plate!
To prevent the dough from stretching, fold the dough in half and then in half again using the parchment paper to help fold over the dough. Pick up the dough carefully and unfold it in the pie plate. Leave a minimum of ½ inch of dough beyond the pie plate. Fold the dough under to create a thick edge. Then crimp or flute the edge to desired decoration. Place the formed pie crust back in the fridge for another 15-20 minutes to ensure that it’s good and cold when you place it in the oven.
Use paper to fold dough over in half Use paper to fold dough over in half again Place corner in center of pie plate Unfold dough and fit pie to pie plate Fold under excess dough to thicken the edge Decorate edge to your liking (crimping is good)
To Bake or NOT to Bake… When to Bake?
Remove the pie dough and add any fillings. Bake the pie following your recipe’s directions.
To blind bake a pie crust for baking with liquid ingredients like a quiche or pumpkin filling, add a sheet of parchment paper or foil. Cover the inside bottom of the dough and pile on pie weights, dried beans, or dried rice. Bake at 425˚F (220˚C) for 10-15 minutes, just until the dough is no longer raw and still pale. Remove the “weights” and paper and add the filling. Bake for the recipe’s directed time.
Line the inside w/ parchment paper & dried beans Blind bake done… fill & bake or bake empty
To completely bake a pie crust for cold pies, bake the pie crust in the oven at 425˚F (220˚C) with a sheet of parchment paper or foil covering the inside bottom of the dough. Add pie weights, dried beans, or dried rice and bake for 17 to 20 minutes. Then, remove the parchment and “weights”. Continue to bake until the crust is evenly brown and looks crisp, which should take another 5 to 10 minutes.
Grandma’s 3-Ingredient, Savory Pie Crust- Baked!
Close-Up of the Layers & Flake of Grandma’s Pie Crust!
Notice lots of layers! All you need are 3 ingredients to get a flaky, layered pie crust. Cheap and simple!
My Mom’s 4-Ingredient, Buttery, Sweet Pie Crust Recipe (for Sweet Fillings)
Mom’s 4-ingredient, Buttery, Sweet Pie Dough Ingredients
For this version, all you need are all-purpose flour, salt, powdered sugar, butter, and a little water.
When my mom makes sweet pies, she mostly uses my grandma’s simple pie crust recipe, but once in a while she’ll make a sweet-crust version. Unlike most pie crusts, she uses powdered sugar as the sweetener. The powdered sugar renders a tender but still flaky crust with a nice, caramelized coloring.
Chill the Pie Dough Fat & Liquid
To start, you know what grandma always said…”The colder the liquid, the flakier the crust.” The same applies in this recipe. Dice the butter and keep it stored in the fridge until ready to add it to the recipe. Add ice and a ½ cup of water to a glass and set it aside.
Combine the Pie Dough Dry Ingredients & Cut in the Butter
In a large bowl, combine 1½ cups of flour, ¼ cup of powdered sugar, and ⅓ teaspoon of salt (unless using salted butter). Use a pastry blender to cut it in until the mixture resembles small peas or course cornmeal (as my southern grandma would say).
Cut in the cold, diced butter Resembling course cornmeal
Add the Liquid
Just repeat the steps we did for my grandma’s pie crust. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time (up to 5-6 tablespoons). Toss with a fork ensuring the water moistens the ingredients.
TIP: Since powdered sugar contains a starch (like cornstarch or tapioca starch), you’ll likely need an additional tablespoon of liquid.
Wrap the Pie Dough & Chill
Wrap the dough loosely in plastic wrap. Form it into a disk and place it in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Roll Out the Dough & Transfer
Lightly flour a parchment-lined work surface and roll out the dough 2 inches beyond the pie plate diameter. Fold dough in half with help from the parchment paper. Fold in half again and transfer it to the pie plate.
Trim off excess dough beyond the 2 inches needed for decoration. Fold excess dough under to create a thick edge. Decorate it and place it back in the fridge for another 15-20 minutes to ensure that it’s good and cold when you place it in the oven.
Fold in half Fold in half again Transfer to pie plate & unfold Trim off excess dough (beyond 2 inches) Crimp edges or decorate how you want
Follow your recipe’s directions for baking this pie crust. You can either fill it while raw and bake it, blind bake it to seal the crust before adding the filling to bake, or completely bake it for cold fillings. Remember to add parchment paper and “weights” if blind baking or baking the pie dough on its own without filling.
TIP: If blind baking or baking completely, use a folk to eliminate large bubbles that may form.
Mom’s 4-Ingredient, Buttery, Sweet Pie Crust- Baked!
Close-Up of Mom’s 4-Ingredient, Buttery, Sweet Pie Crust
Check out the many flaky and tender layers! This is the one time “flaky” is a compliment.😊
My 3-Ingredient, Gluten-Free, & Vegan Pie Crust Recipe (for Savory and Sweet Fillings)
This easy pie crust calls for Teff flour, coconut oil, salt, and water.
When I discovered a gluten intolerance, I learned a bit about gluten-free flours and their health benefits. With trial and error in finding a good, gluten-free pie crust that had great flavor and easy as my grandmother’s, the only pie crust I have found (so far, I’m still trying others) that I really like is one made with Teff flour and coconut oil. I’m sure there are others that taste more like regular pie crust, but the uniqueness and simplicity of this one was calling my name. For me, these 2 ingredients are key to making a tasty pie crust for either savory or sweet pies.
A Little Teff Knowledge
Teff flour can be either light, dark brown in color, or have a reddish tint. The dark version looks like chocolate milk powder when unbaked. It resembles cocoa powder when baked. However, it is NOT sweet. Teff is the well-known Ethiopian flour used to make the famous, spongy, injera flatbread. This flour can be used to make quick breads, cookies, brownies, pancakes, muffins, and much more. The health benefits are pretty incredible, too.
Teff Flour Health Benefits
Could we possibly have another “superfood?” It seems that every time we turn around the latest, trendiest ingredient is a “superfood”. The irony is that many of these “superfoods” are only new to many of us Americans. Most of the time, they are ancient foods that have been eaten around the world for centuries. Teff is one of those. It’s an ancient grain (smallest grain, that is) grown in Ethiopia and Eritrea with the following health benefits.
- High in fiber: great for digestion as it’s a prebiotic,
- It’s high in protein thus being popular in the athletic world,
- High in calcium (WHAT!?), copper, iron (great for iron deficiency), and zinc… WOW!
- Relatively low glycemic index making it great for diabetics,
- Gluten free… need I say more?,
- High source of B vitamins and essential minerals to boost the immune system.
There is a Negative…
The main negative to Teff flour is that it contains a high amount of phytic acid (commonly found in nuts and beans). Phytic acid prevents the body from absorbing some of the nutrients that are also in Teff flour. To avoid this malabsorption, one would need to ferment the flour over several days. This is the process for making injera bread.
Making the Teff Flour Pie Crust
Chill the Pie Dough Liquid
As with other pie crusts, add ice to a measuring cup with about a cup water. Set it aside.
Combine the Pie Dough Dry Ingredients, Cut in the Coconut Oil, & Mix in the Water
In a large bowl (or food processor), whisk 1½ cups of Teff flour and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon of coconut oil until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal (or small pea size). Add ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons of water and combine all ingredients using a spoon. Then, move to combining the ingredients with your hands. The dough will appear dry, but as you press it together, it should hold a shape.
TIP: The grainy texture of Teff flour will resemble fine, wet sand once you add the liquid. As long as the dough holds its shape, it is ready to press in the pie plate.
Cut in coconut oil Looks like course cornmeal (or chunky cocoa) Pour in all water Combine to form a mass
Press the dough in a 9-inch pie plate at about ¼-inch thick. Use a flat-bottom bowl to press and flatten the dough to desired thickness, including the sides. Add extra dough to the top edges to form enough of an edge to decorate. This dough is pliable and easy to shape into areas you want.
Press in “crumbly” dough Use a flat-bottom bowl to even out the dough Leave undecorated Or crimp the edges
If adding filling that needs baking, blind bake the crust alone at 350˚F (177˚C) for 5 minutes. Then, remove the crust from the oven and let it cool slightly (~10 minutes) before adding the filling. Fill and bake at 350˚F (177˚C) for 45 minutes or until the filling is cooked. If the edges begin to brown too quickly, cover the edges with foil.
To completely prebake the crust for cold fillings, prick the bottom with a fork and bake at 350˚F (177˚C) for ~15 minutes.
3-Ingredient, Gluten-Free, & Vegan Pie Crust- Baked!
Take a Closer Look!
Although this version is not flaky like the others due to a lack of gluten, it will hold its shape. It breaks up rather easily, but that’s just fine when you have filling on the top.
Cuts like regular pie crust Holds its shape, but breaks easily
3 Generations of Pie Crusts Final Thoughts
There you have it, 3 generations of simple and basic pie crusts to fit a variety of diets, any holiday, or anytime you get a hankering for pie. You can prepare them all up to the baking step, wrap them well, and freeze them until you want to use them.
Pie Crusts- Baker’s Perspective
I’m a little biased. Two of these are my family’s typical recipes, so they bring back positive memories when I recall my grandma or mom making them. They really are very easy without any fluff. Of course, there are many pie crust versions around, but the simplicity of these is all you need when you want to highlight those holiday pie fillings.
The powdered sugar and butter combination in my mom’s recipe actually creates a more pliable dough, a bit easier to work with than the shortening alone. I think it’s the starch in the powdered sugar that contributed to this. If you haven’t used powdered sugar as the sweetener in your recipe, give it a try. It’s different but adds flavor and structure to the pie crust.
While the regular flour versions are fairly similar in preparation, the gluten-free version was easier and quite a bit different in prep. Without gluten for structure, you have to rely on coconut oil and water to hold the flour together. Once you realize that you’re only looking for a wet-sand consistency, it’s pretty easy to manipulate. In addition, this gluten-free version requires no refrigerating, rolling, or worrying about gluten development.
Pie Crusts- Taster’s Perspective
Scott was my taster for all three versions while I only tasted the gluten-free one. He’s used to my grandma’s version since that’s the one I usually make for my quiches and pot pies. He obviously likes that version or else I wouldn’t make it. He was pleasantly surprised by the hint of sweetness and flakiness of my mom’s sweet version. The butter certainly adds richness.
We both like the gluten-free version, especially with coconut oil. I have also made it with avocado oil, but the flavor was a bit different (less appealing to us). Thus, I highly encourage using coconut oil in this recipe. The Teff flour and coconut oil combined provide a mild, earthy, yet a hint of sweetness to the crust. The salt rounds out both flavors. Since this crust is so mild in flavor it would go well with any savory or sweet filling.
For detailed visuals of each of the pie crusts, check out my YouTube video “3 Flavorful Pie Crusts: 3-4 Ingredients from 3 Generations: Savory, Sweet, OR Gluten-Free“.
Check out ALL 3 Recipes Below & Simple Quiche Recipe!
Grandma’s 3-Ingredient, Flaky, Savory Pie Crust for Savory or Sweet Pie Fillings
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup cold shortening placed in fridge overnight or ~30 minutes before beginning recipe
- 4-5 tbsp ICE cold water ice and water in a measuring glass
Instructions
- Place shortening in the refrigerator. Add ice and ½ cup of water to a glass and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles small peas or course cornmeal (according to my southern grandma).
- Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time using a fork to toss the dry and wet together. Push the mixture against the side of the bowl to ensure the water moistens the ingredients. Continue adding water until all the mixture is just moistened.
- Remove the dough and wrap it loosely in plastic wrap. Form the dough into a disk and place it in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Lightly flour a parchment-lined work surface. Remove the dough from the fridge, unwrap it, and place it on the parchment. Pressing hard, roll dough from the center to the edges rotating the parchment paper until you have at least 2 inches beyond your pie plate perimeter. If using a 9-inch pie plate, roll the dough to 12-14 inches in diameter.
- To prevent the dough from stretching, fold the dough in half and then in half again. Use the parchment paper to fold over the dough. Pick it up carefully and unfold it in the pie plate. Leave a minimum of ½ inch of dough beyond the pie plate. Use a knife or kitchen shears to cut off any extra dough beyond the 2 inches needed for decoration. Fold the remaining dough under to create a thick edge. Then, crimp or flute the edge to desired look. Place the formed pie crust back in the fridge for another 15-20 minutes to ensure that it’s good and cold when you place it in the oven.
- Remove the pie dough and add any fillings based on recipe directions. OR follow the blind bake or complete bake directions below.
- To blind bake a pie crust for baking with liquid ingredients, add a sheet of parchment paper or foil to cover the inside bottom of the dough and add on top pie weights, dried beans or dried rice. Bake at 425˚F (220˚C) for 10-15 minutes just until the dough is no longer raw and still pale. Remove the weights and paper and add the filling. Bake for the recipe’s directed time.
- To completely bake a pie crust for cold pies, bake the pie crust in the oven at 425˚F (220˚C) with a sheet of parchment paper or foil covering the inside bottom of the dough. Add weights, dried beans, or dried rice and bake for 17 to 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and “weights”. Continue to bake until the crust is evenly brown and looks crisp, which should take another 5 to 10 minutes.
Video
Notes
Mom’s 4-Ingredient, Buttery, Sweet Pie Crust for Sweet Fillings
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ tsp salt omit if using salted butter
- 4 oz (½ cup / 1 stick) cold butter diced and kept in fridge until ready to use it
- 5-6 tbsp ICE cold water place ice & water in a measuring glass before beginning recipe
Instructions
- Dice the butter keep it in the refrigerator. Add ice and ½ cup of water to a glass and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the diced butter until the mixture resembles small peas or course cornmeal (according to my southern grandma).
- Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time using a fork to toss the dry and wet together. Push the mixture against the side of the bowl to ensure the water moistens the ingredients. Continue adding water until all the mixture is just moistened.
- Remove the dough and wrap it loosely in plastic wrap. Form the dough into a disk and place it in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Lightly flour a parchment-lined work surface. Remove the dough from the fridge, unwrap it, and place it on the parchment. Pressing hard, roll dough from the center to the edges rotating the parchment paper until you have at least 2 inches beyond your pie plate perimeter. If using a 9-inch pie plate, roll the dough to 12-14 inches in diameter.
- To prevent the dough from stretching, use the parchment paper to fold the dough in half and then in half again. Pick it up carefully and unfold it in the pie plate. Leave a minimum of ½ inch of dough beyond the pie plate. Use a knife or kitchen shears to trim off excess dough beyond the extra 2 inches needed for decorating. Fold the dough under to create a thick edge. Then, crimp or flute the edge to desired look. Place the formed pie crust back in the fridge for another 15-20 minutes to ensure that it’s good and cold when you place it in the oven.
- Remove the pie dough, add any fillings, and bake following your recipe’s directions. OR blind bake or completely bake the pie crust following the directions below.
- To blind bake a pie crust for baking with liquid ingredients, add a sheet of parchment paper or foil to cover the inside bottom of the dough and add on top pie weights, dried beans, or dried rice. Bake at 425˚F (220˚C) for 10-15 minutes just until the dough is no longer raw and still pale. Remove the weights and paper and add the filling. Bake for the recipe’s directed time.
- To completely bake a pie crust for cold pies, bake the pie crust in the oven at 425˚F (220˚C) with a sheet of parchment paper or foil covering the inside bottom of the dough. Add weights, dried beans, or dried rice and bake for 17 to 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and “weights”. Continue to bake until the crust is evenly brown and looks crisp, which should take another 10 minutes or so.
Notes
3-Ingredient, Gluten-Free, & Vegan Pie Crust for Savory or Sweet Fillings
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Teff flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ cup+2 tbsp coconut oil
- ¼ cup+2 tbsp ICE cold water add ice and water to a measuring cup before beginning recipe
Instructions
- Add ice to a measuring cup along with a cup of water. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in coconut oil until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal or until small pea size. Add water and combine using a spoon and move to combining with your hands. The dough will appear dry, but as you press it together, it should hold a shape. The dough will resemble the texture of fine, wet sand.
- Press the dough in a 9-inch pie plate at about ¼-inch thick. Use a flat-bottom bowl to press and flatten the dough to desired thickness including the sides. Add extra dough to the top edges to form enough of an edge to decorate. Although this dough is grainy, it is pliable and easy to shape into areas you want.
- If adding filling, blind bake the crust alone at 350˚F (177˚C) for 5 minutes. Then remove the crust from the oven and let it cool slightly (~10 minutes) before adding the filling. Fill and bake at 350˚F (177˚C) for 45 minutes or until the filling is cooked (follow your recipe’s baking directions). If the edges begin to brown too quickly cover the edges with foil.
- To completely prebake the crust for cold fillings, prick the bottom with a fork and bake at 350˚F (177˚C) for ~15 minutes.
Notes
Simple Quiche Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 deep dish pie crust (9 or 9½-inch) raw (store-bought or homemade)
- ½ small onion, chopped
- 8 oz Bella or cremini mushrooms, chopped or other mushrooms, like shiitake
- 10 oz fresh spinach or chopped, frozen spinach that is thawed, drained, and squeezed
- 8 oz Gruyère cheese, grated or any cheese or combination of cheeses you have
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup milk or cream
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp hot pepper sauce like Tabasco
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F (220˚C).
- In a large skillet, sauté onion and mushrooms with a pinch of salt until softened, stirring as needed. Add spinach and continue to sauté until wilted or heated through. Stir mixture as needed. Set mixture aside.
- Layer the cheese and vegetables. Add a thin layer (~⅓) of cheese to the bottom of the pie dough. Add half of the spinach mixture. Add another ⅓ of the cheese. Add the other half of the spinach mixture. Top with the remaining cheese.
- In a small bowl or 2-cup measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and hot pepper sauce.
- Pour milk mixture over the top of the cheese and vegetables. Use a spoon to push down any cheese or vegetables to ensure all are sitting in the liquid (or they will burn).
- Bake for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 375˚F (190˚C) and bake for another 30-45 minutes or until the center of the quiche is set and a knife comes out clean when inserted in the center. The cheese may brown and the crust should be golden brown.TIP: If the crust begins to brown too quickly, cover the quiche with foil or add an oven-proof, pie crust cover. I always add my pie crust cover after the first 15 minutes of baking.
Notes
Check out some other holiday recipes!
Sinfully Rich and Silky 2-Way Mashed Potatoes
Gluten or Gluten-Free Holiday Savory Bread Pudding
The Berry Rolls (My Grandma’s Recipe)
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