My mom grew up making pies. She lived next door to her Aunt Sally, who actually ran a commercial bakery out of her home. My mom is a woman who knows how to make a pie. And, in my opinion, her pie crusts are the best ever. Here is her Never Fail Pie Crust recipe, step-by-step.
STEP #1: Combine 4 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. of salt and 2 cups of Crisco in a large bowl.
STEP #2: Using a fork or a pastry cutter, cut the Crisco into the flour until it forms grains the size of large peas. There may be a few bigger chunks than peas. That is okay. It’s just important not to cut the Crisco in too much. You don’t want the crumbs to be too small.
STEP #5: Divide the dough into four individual balls. Place each ball in a plastic bag and press it down to form a round patty.
STEP #6: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour before rolling it out.
NOTE: You cannot skip this step. The dough must be refrigerated or it will be too soft to work with easily. Since this recipe makes 4 single crusts, you can freeze what you don’t need for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using it.
NOTE: If the dough is sticking, just sprinkle it with a little more flour. As long as you handle the dough gently, it will not become tough. If the dough is crumbling, reform it into a ball, kneading slightly, then re-roll it. Pie dough is different from cookie dough, so it might take a few attempts to roll it out just right. Stick with it – it’s worth it and you will get better with practice.
STEP #8: Fold the dough in half. Carefully lift the dough and place it in the pie pan, then unfold it.
Need a little more help? Here is a video of my mom making a batch of her Never-Fail Pie Crust. Watch and learn from a pro!
Never Fail Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Crisco shortening
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup ice cold water
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp. sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and Crisco.
- Using a fork or a pastry cutter, blend until the mixture forms grains the size of large peas.
- In a small separate bowl, combine the egg, water, vinegar and sugar. Mix well.
- Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and blend just until the dough is combined.
- Using your hands gently knead the dough three or four times.
- Divide the dough into four equal pieces.
- Place each piece in a plastic bag and flatten into a patty
- Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour before rolling out.
- When you are ready to roll out the dough, place a patty on a board, generously sprinkled with flour and roll out to the desired size.
- NOTE: Dough can be frozen for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator before use.
