The secret to a good pie is in the crust:
Basic Fluted Pie Crust: For 1 – 9” pie plate, bottom crust or shell only.
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
Mix salt and flour. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle 7 Tbsp of cold water (1 Tbsp at a time) onto mixture just until moist and dough clings together. Roll out on a floured surface to fit the pie plate and the sides. Transfer dough to pie plate by draping it over the rolling pin on one end. Poke holes in dough on bottom and sides of plate to prevent bubbles during baking. Make fluted edges as shone in photo to the right, or use a fork to make imprinted edges as shone in the photo below with the lattice top crust. Trim overhanging dough from edges being careful not to trim it too short because the dough will shrink a little when it bakes.
For Prepared Pie Shell:
A pie shell is baked ahead of putting the filling in it. A pie crust is baked with the filling in it. A pre-baked shell is used for pies that will not be baked and will set up in the refrigerator. Bake above crust for about 8-10 minutes at 350º or just until lightly brown and crunchy on the bottom.
For a Bottom Crust with Lattice Top Crust: Use above recipe but use 2 1/2 cups flour and 3/4 cup butter. After rolling out the dough in a circle large enough to fit the top of the pie, cut the dough into 1 inch strips and lay the strips across the top of the pie in a lattice fashion. Transfer to the pie once filling is added. Press the edges of the top crust to the bottom crust using a fork. You may have a little extra dough, just bake it for a snack with cinnamon and honey.
For Bottom and Full Top Crust: Use above recipe but use 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt and 3/4 cup butter. Roll out into a circle big enough to fit the top of the pie. Transfer to the pie once filling is added. Press the edges of the top crust to the bottom crust using a fork. Trim any excess crust from edges and bake the remnants with cinnamon and honey for a snack. Waste not want not!
Graham Cracker or Cookie Crust: For 1 – 9” pie plate. Bottom crust only.
1 1/2 cups cookie or cracker crumbs. (Put cookies or crackers in a plastic bag and roll them with a rolling pin until very fine crumbs.)
Or make our homemade graham crackers on page 71 and skip the step above of crushing them into crumbs, you can press the cracker dough right into the pie plate. Or if you make a batch of graham crackers to eat, you can substitute the homemade crackers and crush them to make the crust while still having some crackers left to eat.
2 Tbsp sugar or evaporated cane juice
Combine crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into pie plate firmly. Bake at 375º for 10 minutes or until firm and lightly brown or crunchy. Let cool and add pie filling.
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