The Best Pastry for Double-Crust Pie
Our buttery double-crust pie dough recipe has been a fan-favorite for decades. Our Test Kitchen tested the ingredients and found that a shortening-based crust was the flakiest. So skip the store-bought pie dough and whip up a batch in just 15 minutes. There's enough here to make a double-crust pie or two single-crust pies with a little extra dough for decorating (or making into delicious pie crust cookies).
How to Make Double Pie Crust
A pastry blender makes quick work of this pie crust recipe. Start by combining the flour and salt. Use the blender to cut in the shortening until the pieces resemble peas. Add ice-cold water and mix to combine. Roll and shape the dough into your pie plate.
Test Kitchen Tip: For the flakiest crust, it's important to use ice-cold water and work quickly.
How to Make Pie Crust in the Food Processor
Prepare the double crust pie dough as directed, except place steel blade in processor bowl. Add flour, shortening, and salt. Cover; process with on/off turns until most of mixture resembles cornmeal, but with a few larger pieces. With processor running, quickly add 1/4 cup water through feed tube. Stop processor when all water is added; scrape down sides. Process with 2 on/off turns (mixture may not all be moistened). Remove dough from bowl; shape into a ball. Divide in half. Continue as above.
How to Make a Lattice-Top Pie
To make a lattice-top pie, prepare the double pie crust recipe, except trim bottom pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Roll out remaining pastry and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Fill pastry-lined pie plate with desired filling. Weave strips over filling for lattice crust. Press ends of strips into crust rim. Fold bottom pastry over strips; seal and crimp edge. For a quick lattice, roll out top pastry. Use a mini-cookie or canape cutter to make cutouts an equal distance apart from pastry center to edge. Place pastry on filling and seal. Bake as directed.
How to Make Pie Crust Ahead
To make the pie crust ahead, prepare dough. Wrap in plastic wrap or place in plastic bag; seal. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. Allow to come to room temperature before rolling out for pie.
Ingredients
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2 cup all-purpose flour
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½ teaspoon salt
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⅔ cup shortening
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6 - 7 tablespoon cold water
Directions
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Stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size.
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Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time, until all the dough is moistened. Divide in half. Form each half into a ball.
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On lightly floured surface, flatten 1 dough ball. Roll from center to edges into 12-inch circle.
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To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin; unroll into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry. Transfer filling to pastry-lined pie plate. Trim pastry even with rim of pie plate.
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Roll remaining dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Cut slits to allow steam to escape. Place remaining pastry on filling; trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of plate. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Bake as directed in individual recipes. Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 256 | Calories |
| 17g | Fat |
| 22g | Carbs |
| 3g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
| Calories 256 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 17g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat 4g | 20% |
| Sodium 134mg | 6% |
| Total Carbohydrate 22g | 8% |
| Protein 3g | 6% |
| Iron 1.4mg | 8% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.