We actually have two pie dough recipes here.
The first is a traditional pie crust recipe and the second adds a surprise ingredient.
You wouldn’t think there would be so many variations on traditional pie crust, but there certainly are and everyone has their favorite.
These are two of mine.
Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup shortening or lard
- 2 tablespoons cold butter
- 4-7 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Sift the flour with the salt. Cut in the shortening until the mixture looks like small peas. Cut in the butter coarsely. The addition of the butter makes a flaky pastry crust.
- Sprinkle this mixture with water a tablespoon at a time and mix lightly with a fork. Keep adding water 1 tablespoon at a time, just until dough will come together when you mix it with the fork.
- Gather the dough into a ball. (The dough can be refrigerated until ready to use at this stage). If using the pie dough now, divide the pastry into 2 sections, one just slightly larger than the other. Take the larger ball of dough and roll it out into a large, thin circle with a rolling pin. Make sure you sprinkle a bit of flour on the surface you are rolling the dough out on before you begin. Use the larger sheet of dough as the bottom crust of a 2 crust pie. Roll out the other piece for the top.
- Follow directions on the pie recipe for how to bake the pie.
Here is a pie crust recipe with a twist that a lot of people swear by. It adds the surprise ingredient – 7Up! Give it a try and see if you prefer it to the regular crust.
Never Fail Pie Crust Recipe
Makes enough for about 3 double crusted pies. Fans of this recipe call it the Never Fail pie crust.
6 cups flour
1 pound package lard
1 teaspoon salt
7 ounces 7UP soda pop
Add salt to flour and sift together. Mix in the lard until mixture resembles small peas. Add the 7Up and mix well. Divide the mixture into small balls, enough in each for a pie crust top or bottom and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator until ready to use or use immediately for your favorite pie.
When ready to use, roll out as above. Follow the pie recipe for proper baking times and temperatures.
I also like the recipe that is right off the Tenderflake lard box. It is fantastic too.
Both of these recipes make a great crust. Try them both and see which one you prefer.
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These comments were made by visitors to the previous version of the site:
Great Recipe!
I tried this a lot of times its really easy and I’m just a beginner with recipes but my mother helps a little and its comes out perfect every time!
One little thing I had to do was add some flour if it was really sticky or water if it was dry but that’s pretty much all to it!
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Re: Basic Pie Dough Recipe
I tried to make the basic pie crust using the recipe at the top of the page. it did not stick together what so ever. I had to throw it out.
From Karen:
I am not sure what you could have done wrong. Maybe not enough water. I have made it hundreds of times and the only thing I can think of is that it needed just a bit more water to hold together for you.
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I can give you our pie crust recipe its also never fail.
by Amanda Hale
(Oshawa/Whitby)
6 cups of flour
1 pound of tender flake lard
egg
1 table spoon of vinegar
water (it varys)
1 table spoon of salt
1 table spoon of baking powder
flour in a bowl, add salt and baking powder, cut butter in to cubes,mix it around and now crack your egg in a measuring cup and add the vinegar then run the tap cold water and watch it go to one cup (can be a little off but not a lot then add in the mixture, if your doing this by hands remember to go to the bottom and kinda kneed and claw at the same time 😐 make sense?
i don’t know how to word it, maybe the normal way will work to, anyways you want it to be crumble and most parts together, and now flour a counter or table and kneed the whole thing dont add a lot of flour or you will ruin it. when your done you want it a little sticky but just a little then place it in foil or plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge over night, take it out early in the morning and let it become room temp before doing anything.
From Karen:
I am pretty sure this recipe is right on the box of Tenderflake lard. It’s a winner.
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Apple pie
by Wayne Brown
(Calgary Alberta)
Simple and easy; love it Thank-you
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The Best Crust
by bruce
(port alberni)
This is the best crust in the world!
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Pie Crust Recipe Changes
I tried the Basic Recipe and it wasn’t bad but I thought it would be too salty for a fruit pie so I added a teaspoon of sugar and substituted one tblspn of water for vanilla. Worked out really well 😀
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Why lard?
Why lard?
From Karen: Lard is a traditional ingredient in pie pastry and makes a wonderful flaky crust. You can use shortening as well. That makes a good crust too, but the best home cooks usually swear by lard.
Hope that helps.
Karen