How to make the best flaky pie crust recipe without shortening! This recipe uses butter or lard, but coconut oil works equally as well. This is a foolproof recipe for flaky pie crust that rolls out easy every time.
The best flaky pie crust recipe without shortening is straight from my Great-Grandma's kitchen. I do not make this claim lightly. Let me ask you this.
Do you ever eat a pie and fork out the filling, leaving the crust behind? Because if you are said yes, you my friend have been using the wrong recipe.
In less than 15 minutes you can have 4 crusts (this a double pie crust recipe, meaning you'll have enough crust for 2 tops and 2 bottoms of an 8 or 9 inch pie plate) ready to bake or freeze and this crust is so good, you'll be leaving the filling just to eat the crust! In fact, my seven-year-old did that tonight.
When I was little, we made the hour trip to go visit my great-grandmother. We didn't get to go very often, but I remember her house and beautiful rose bushes even though I was quite young. My mother is an excellent baker and cook, but I never liked pie crust. Until I tasted this one. I had never eaten pie crust before and when I ate the entire piece of pie, crust included, my mom switched her recipe as fast as my great-grandmother could write it out.
Now I'm thrilled to share it with you. Be warned, this flaky pastry pie crust recipe is the best I've ever had. Like melt in your mouth going to eat the entire thing in one sitting, so grab a big ol' fork.
Are you looking for a pie crust recipe without shortening? If you're concerned about GMO foods and ones that are highly processed, then the answer is yes. I cut shortening out of our kitchen after a cancer scare almost ten years ago and have never looked back.
This became my no fail flaky pie crust with butter, because let's face it, real butter just makes everything taste better. For real, I've even been known to slip it into my coffee come morning. And contrary to popular notions, I've not packed on the pounds.
But no worries, if you're dairy free, you can make this pie crust recipe with lard or coconut oil.
Great-grandma knew a thing or two about baking and one of those was the addition of two special ingredients not always found in common pie crust recipes. These two items make this a foolproof pie crust with vinegar and egg!
I know, the vinegar may throw you, but trust me, together, they make a world of difference in both the flakiness and ease of working with the dough.
Resources for Never Fail Flaky Pie Crust
Homemade pie crust doesn't have to be hard or take a lot of time. Get these tips from over 3 generations of bakers in my family to create delicious melt in your mouth pie crust, every time–> Click here to subscribe.
Find old-fashioned cooking for a busy home without spending all day in the kitchen, get more recipes (over 100) like this flaky pie crust recipe and flaky buttermilk biscuits in your copy of Hand Made: the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living. Psst, don't forget to claim your bonuses here.
This Fiesta ware pie plate, made in the USA, is so pretty, I don't know if I could store it in the cupboard. Pretty vintage looking pie plate–> http://amzn.to/1XcqjDi
This recipe is in Hand Made: the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living, along with other old-fashioned family favorite recipes (grandma and great-grandma's, because those ladies could cook), frugal and self-sufficient tips.
Gorgeous pie cut out, a large pastry size cookie cutter–> Apple Pie Topper Cut Out
Pastry blender, seriously, this little tool is the secret to flaky pie crusts… and biscuits. http://amzn.to/1Xcsp62
Flaky Pastry Pie Crust Recipe
What flour is best for my pie crust?
All-purpose will give you a great texture as well as a pastry flour. I wouldn't use bread flour, you don't need the extra gluten for pie crust.
For fresh ground flour choices, I use a blend of fresh ground spelt and soft white wheat on pastry setting of my flour grinder,. Learn more on grinding your own flour and choosing a grinder here
Should I use butter or lard in my pie crust?
Either one works fine, as well as coconut oil, I find that half butter and half lard make a perfect crust, and because we're all up pioneer style here, here's how to render your own lard)
Note: In order to achieve flaky crust, your lard, butter, or coconut oil needs to be cold. It's the pieces of solid fat distributed throughout the flour which melt upon baking that create the flakiness.
Add your liquids, including the egg.
Chill for 15 minutes. Take out dough and divide into four equal balls. Wrap and freeze for later use or roll out and bake your favorite quiche or pie. I love this paired with a jar of my home canned apple pie filling for a quick from scratch dessert.
If you're not baking today, take unbaked pie dough ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Toss in freezer. When ready to use, thaw flaky pastry crust dough in fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours. Lightly flour surface, flatten dough ball with hand, and then roll to desired thinness.
When freezing, be sure to mark your dough. I also freeze sugar cookie dough and Christmas morning, mistakenly used sugar cookie dough for my pastry crust in a sausage quiche. My brother said, “Does this have maple flavored sausage? It's sweet.”
Pie Baking Resources & Recipes
Vinegar Pie – Old-Fashioned Recipe from Ma Ingalls
Homemade Pop Tarts From Scratch (Hand Pies)
Mini Cherry Pies Baked in a Muffin Tin
Best Ever Flaky Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour your choice, I used a blend of fresh ground spelt and soft white wheat on the pastry setting of my flour grinder, but all purpose or pastry ground whole wheat work fine, too
- 1.75 cup lard, butter or coconut oil
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar You can use white vinegar, but I prefer apple cider in baking
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cold water
Instructions
- Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in COLD lard, butter, or coconut oil.
- Fat is fully cut in when the flour is crumbly pea size pieces. Add in liquids (your egg is a liquid in this recipe) until dough just holds together. You don't want to over mix it.
- Chill dough in the fridge for 15 minutes. Use to bake pies or separate into four equal balls, wrap, and freeze.
Notes
- In order to achieve a flaky crust, your lard, butter, or coconut oil needs to be cold. It’s the pieces of solid fat distributed throughout the flour which melt upon baking that create the flakiness. You can freeze your butter or lard before cutting it in. The large side of a cheese grater works great with frozen butter.
- Roll out bottom crusts into pie plate, freeze until solid, then pop frozen pie crust out, wrap, and freeze. Bake pie crust from frozen in the same pie plate you froze it in!
There you have it the best flaky pie crust without shortening, aka foolproof pie crust recipe with vinegar. Let me know how it works for you and if you're now a gimme the pie crust first pie eater?
[…] today’s post-Pioneering Today- Best Ever Flaky Pie Crust Ever had pie where you ate the filling and left the crust? This crust is so good you’ll eat […]
Amazing looking recipe! Thanks for sharing. Quick question- I assume you roll out the dough before baking it? Do you prebake before using in a recipe?
Love your blog!!! All the best!
Thanks, Becky! You do roll out for baking. I freeze it in the ball shape unbaked, then thaw, and roll out and bake.
Question: You shape into four balls, and place balls in oven to bake; then freeze. When you are ready to use, shape into pie crust and bake as usual. Is this right? I am a visual person and not sure if I have the recipe right. Thank you!
Glad you asked. You don’t bake them in ball form. Freeze if you’re not ready to bake a pie in the ball form unbaked. Then thaw, roll out into your pie crust and bake as usual. I’ll go up and edit that part. Thanks!
I made the switch!! And the pie crust looks very yummy!
Yea! I’m so glad you switched w/ me. 🙂
This looks yummy! Thank you so much for the recipe!
It is. I almost baked a crust w/ sprinkled sugar and cinnamon just to eat it last night.
My mom took left over pie crust , rolled it out, spread w/ butter, sugar and cinnamon. The she rolled the crust up and cut it into thin slices..1/4” and baked them. We would fight over them! I occasionally bake a whole crust sprinkled w/cinnamon and sugar…..and ate it!😜😜😜😜😜
Can’t wait to try this one. I have never been able to make a decent pie crust.
Go for it, Gail. I have to confess, I was snitching pieces of crust off the pot pie I made last night before I put it back in the fridge. If you have any questions or troubles, just give me a holler.
Another helpful tip is to keep the dough cold!!! Actually, it doesn’t hurt to freeze the dough even if you are planning to bake a pie that day. The colder the dough is, the easier it is to work with. Of course, this takes longer than 15 minutes, so it ruins the quickness of it, but it does make the dough so much easier to work with. I don’t use vinegar in my dough–may have to try that. Interesting!
Sarah, you’re right. The fifteen minute part is just to make the dough. I always chill mine for 15 minutes prior to rolling, but the nice thing about freezing it is how nice it rolls out. Try the vinegar, it’s sooo good. 🙂 Thanks for your tips!
Thanks for the great recipe, Melissa! Can’t wait to try it. I so love cinnamon and sugar on pie dough baked. lol This could be addicting. 🙂
Cindy, it can become a habbit! I haven’t made the cinnamon and sugar since I was girl helping my mom in the kitchen, but I plan on thawing a ball this weekend to let my kids help make some.
My mother called that recipe Sally Pie (Cinnamon sugar, flour and a little butter) in a pie shell. It was often just a mini size pie with crust left over from a larger pie. Delicious!
When I was growing up, I absolutely detested pie crusts. I don’t care what it was made with. Since I’ve been out on my own, I love ’em. Go figure! Thanks for the recipe, Melissa!
Amanda, I felt the same way until I tasted this recipe. lol I also used to hate tomatoes and now I love them! Hope you enjoy it.
After rolling out her pie-crust and shaping it, my mom made Pie-Crust Cookies with the leftover dough. She rolled it flat, cut into add shapes, like a crazy quilt, sprinkled with sugar/cinnamon and baked till golden brown. She must have had a recipe similar to this, we all loved eating her pie crust!
I did that with my mom! We didn’t cut it into shapes though, just rolled it out flat. I like the idea of cookies better. Thanks!
Thank you for the recipes. I plan to make Strawberry Rhubarb Jam for Christmas presents. This is the pie crust my mother makes. She is 104 and still baked until last month when a stroke slowed her. She’s making a rapid recovery. Your articles have been a blessing to me. I’m not well, my husband was in the hospital with high blood pressure last week, and they are just what I needed to read.
Blessings,
Eyrline
Eyrline, I’m honored that my pie crust is the same as your mother’s and that my words have brought comfort to you. I hope that I can continue to bake and cook as long as she has. I’m so sorry that she suffered a stroke and for your husband. I’ve already got some of my jam marked for Christmas gifts as well. Thank you for commenting, mind if we pray?
Dear Jesus,
Please lay your hand upon Eyrline and her family. I pray that you would bring strength and restoration to her. May your Holy Spirit work in their lives, Lord, and may they feel your comfort and peace. In Jesus name, Amen
I love that you didn’t just say you’d be praying- you did it right there! Made me cry! Way to go being the love of Jesus to those in your reach. I came for a pie crust and was inspired to love people!! Beautiful!
Also- I’m tempted to try this with GF flour…wonder how it will turn out. The fridge is usually a bad idea with GF crust. I may try it after Thanksgiving!
Amen.
[…] in a puff pastry is very soft and does not fail to impress your guests at your next dinner party. Tips for Making the Best Pie Crust simply tender and flaky pie crust with just the right amount of s…moisten and bring a little sweetness. In this sense there is a lot of pressure to make the perfect […]
[…] ready to bake your pie, pour one quart apple pie filling into pastry lined pie plate(my grandmother’s flaky pastry recipe that takes less than 15 minutes to make) Place […]
I’ve never made a good pie crust, but I made this a few weeks ago and my family loved it, thanks! And I did the pastry ground whole wheat.
Lynda, thanks for sharing and the tip on your flour. I’m happy your family enjoyed it. 🙂
I made this flaky pie crust the same day I got the recipe from your website, TODAY ! It is sooo Flaky, it taste better than the store bought kind. This is the very first time I’ve ever made crust from scratch. I even created my own (plum cobbler recipe) with it, and it is so good. This is now added to my list of homemade food items.Thank you so much for this recipe, and tomorrow I will be using the low sugar no pectin strawberry jam recipe. Have some strawberries that a friend picked for me from another friends garden, with no pesticides. YAY!
Michelle, so happy to hear! Yea for your first pie crust. Can’t wait to hear how your jam turns out and what a great friend to share her goodies with you. 🙂
This is the same pastry recipe that my grandma and her sister, my aunt, used. I have been using it for about 40 years. It was great seeing that someone else also used it.
I wish I knew where my great-grandmother found it originally, but she passed away when I was small. So glad to see other’s have this gem of a recipe, too.
Thanks for sharing on Homesteaders Hop. With the availability of frozen crusts in supermarket, making pie crust from scratch is truly a lost art (almost), so it’s great to see a nice “how-to” post on this.
Janet,
So glad you enjoyed it and I hope you have a fabulous homemade pie crust with your pies this holiday season. 🙂
Do I need to prebake this crust before I fill it? I’m new at crusts and I’m still a lil lost as to when to prebake and when not to. Thanks.
Natasha, you don’t prebake the pie crust. It bakes with the filling. The only time you prebake a pie crust is if you’re doing a pudding pie, like a chocolate pie that doesn’t get baked, or a no bake filling. Does that help?
Yes. Thank you!
Good. And congrats to you for starting to make this at home. 🙂
[…] my great-grandmothers pie crust recipe, be warned, it might be the best pastry you’ve ever had. Grandma would take pie crusts and cut […]
This looks delicious and I have all the ingredients already at home! Yay! I’m going to try it over the weekend and see what I think 😛
BTW I was raised by my grandmother and she did the same thing that has been mentioned above — whenever she would bake a pie she would cut up the leftover crust and cook it for us to have “cookies.” Reading this is really bringing back some amazingly fond memories of her!
This is the one I use called “No-Fail Pie Crust”. It is the best I have ever found and it freezes well so you don’t have to use it all at once. I smooth it in plastic wrap so there are no bubbles, freeze it, and then vacuum seal it.
I love your website and you. Thank you.
Patsy Clairmont has a porch talk at her house. I thought of you when I found her site. Maybe someday you could do something similar. Visiting and chatting about pioneer living would be something I would love. Thanks again
Arla,
I’ll have to check that out! Porches were made for visiting weren’t they? 🙂 Thank you!
How would you Halve this recipe?
. . . Sounds really good!
Angel,
Just cut all the measurements in half. 🙂
Dear Melissa, The cold weather makes me think of days of old on the farm and the smell of baked goods. My mother could make all her dough and goodies ,I miss them.She is 90 and does little cooking.
Thank you for all the inspiration and joy of your recipes and ideas. GODS BEST this Thanksgiving as you meet with family and friends may it be a special time of remembering and making memories
We love you and your family ,as I know they are special and you reflect their goodness as they yours.
Amos, Georgia and Erica
Thank you. There is nothing better than warm goodies fresh from the oven. What blessed memories!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I absolutely love my “Made from Scratch Life” book! I liked it so well, I ordered one for my daughter. It’s been a while since I received them, but I read it a lot. I learn something new everytimt I open it. Thank you for putting this together for us. It is awesome. I highly recommend getting one, or more. They make great gifts!
Deborah,
Thank you so much and I love that the book has helped you and you enjoyed it enough to get one as a gift. P.S. I’m working on the second book right now. 🙂
At what temp. do you bake pie crust & for how long. Do you add the whole egg as part of the liquids? What size pie pan & what type..glass or metal?
I know this is a lot of questions but I’m new to making pie crusts.
Hey Lynn,
I bake the pie crust at whatever temperature the pie recipe I’m using calls for. They egg is added with the liquids. I bake my pies in glass pie pans, ceramic, and my cast iron skillet (the 8 inch skillet). It works well in all of them. Hope that helps and happy pie baking!
I have tried numerous times to print your FLAKY PASTRY PIE CRUST RECIPE, & because an advertisement keeps popping up on the recipe area, I am unable to get it to print.
I really do enjoy your web site tho.
Take good care, & GOD BLESS.
Sandie
Sandie, huh, I just tested it and it worked fine for me. Once you hit the print button on the printable card at the bottom, it should bring it up in a new window for printing. Sorry it wasn’t working for you. It’s the same pie crust recipe in my book if you have it.
Thank you for this recipe. A dear family member used to make the best pie crust. After she passed away, I was hoping to find her pie crust recipe in the kitchen as I helped to clear it out. Never did. So yay! for a recipe that includes lard. I believe that was her secret ingredient. Can’t wait to try it, and pour in a jar of “your” apple pie filling, which is sitting on my pantry shelf.
Laurie, I’ve found half lard and half butter give the best results. I hope you enjoy it and I’m doing the same pie on Thanksgiving with the home canned pie filling, so we’ll both be eating well!
Thank you for your book. Love it!
Do you think I could make the dough in a food processor? At the moment, my hands are not stronger enough.
Hi Roxann, you can try it, just be careful not to let it go too long and become over worked.
Wanted to thank you for all these great recipes. And thanks for the wonderful 2 books
When and how do you use the egg? I didn’t see iit?
I want it alll
Hello Melissa!
Thank you for your recipe! I’m anxious to try it, as I had written off making pie crusts. I do have a question about adding the liquid. Do you add the egg to the flour mix and then only add as much water as needed for the flour to hold together? The recipe called for 1/2 cup water. Thanks for your help and all that you do! God bless!
Sincerely,
Vickie
Hi Vickie, exactly as you stated, I add the egg first and then as much of the water is needed to hold together.
Any idea how this piecrust might work with Gluten free flours? GF is always a challenge!
Many readers have said it works great with Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free blend 🙂
Hello Melissa!
Thank you for the recipe! I had sworn off making pie crusts until I saw your recipe.
? Do you add all of that 1/2 cup of water or just enough until the dough holds together?
Thanks again! God bless!
Just add enough water until the dough holds together, sometimes I use it all and others I don’t, start with a 1/4 cup first.
Melissa you are such an industrious ‘busy beaver’ but I find I’m very motivated by your productivity
Here in Australia we don’t really get big into pumpkin pie like you guys do!!
However after being so lovely and sharing your Moms creSmy pie filling and Great Grandmas pastry methinks I’ll have to have a go
Thank you for your careful explanations and your enthusiasm
We kinda homestead but not in depth as you do. We have a hot house, covered orchard and vegie garden ( birds) and have own bee hives. Chooks come nxt. Watched Tom Bartels ideas on chook houses and a great design.
Blessings Elle
Hi Elle,
I’m so glad you are motivated and trying the pumpkin recipes! Let me know what you think of them.
I tried to rate this recipe as 5 stars but i can’t for some reason. I omitted the sugar since I was using it for turkey pot pie and it was indeed the best pie crust I’ve made to date. I’ve tried a lot of them. I’m guessing its the egg that does the trick for what I’m looking for! I got tired of pastry blending so I threw it in the food processor instead. I even didn’t have time to freeze the butter for a bit or get my water cold and it still was perfect. This is my new go-to recipe. I just wish it was sourdough.. can we work on that recipe, Melissa?! 😉
So happy to hear it worked well for you Maggie, and if you have my book Hand Made you’ll see where I do a sourdough pie crust in it 🙂
You must be really precise where the mouse goes to register the rating.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! How long can I freeze this? I don’t make a lot of pies, but love the idea of having a homemade dough in the freezer to go with my canned homemade apple pie filling ?
We have an egg allergy in the family. Any idea I’d an egg replacement would work for this crust? And do you know of any egg wash substitutes? Thanks!
Just use a milk wash instead!
Can I use both lard and butter in this recipe? I’m assuming so since you give 3 options for the fat. My current recipe calls for 2:1 ratio of butter to lard. Same ratio for this recipe? Thanks.
Yes, I find a little bit more butter than lard makes it easier to roll out and work with.
Advertised as ‘no shortening’ surely lard is shortening???
No, lard is not shortening. Shortening is hydrogenated soybean and vegetable oils. Lard is pig fat and much healthier than shortening. You can also use all butter.
Hi Melissa,
Have you ever tried this recipe with gluten free flour?
Earlier Melissa said her readers had used Bob’s Gluten-Free Flour with success; I’m going to give it a try tomorrow. (although since we have multiple dietary issues here I may have to try with a slightly different blend…..will see)
I have a web site suggestion. The fonts are all in light gray.
They should be black for max readability. This will help everyone. But especially us older folk whose eyes are not as good as they used to be.
It’s easy to change the color. Just ask the person who put up the site for you.
BTW we gave up shortening long ago in favor of lard.
I second that! However, I think some websites don’t give you the option to use a black font. You’d have to mess around with the html stuff. I’m going to try this recipe with gluten free flour. Hoping for the best!
I have used the same recipe for years. It was great but THIS recipe was amazing! Immediate winner! I thought I over-mixed it for sure, but it turned out flaky and wonderfully on the first try. My family gave it the “best pie we’ve ever had” award. Thank you!!
I might put in a little tiny bit less salt in next time. I’m just so impressed though. YUM!
So happy to hear it turned out awesome for you!!
Ever since I have tried this recipe, it is my go to recipe. I make a pie and freeze the rest. When I run out, I make more to freeze. Absolutely love the taste and flakiness. Guest always want the recipe.
Hi Melissa, I love this recipe and have used it several times now for pot pies! This is my first go round with making it for holiday pies. How long and at what temp would one pre-bake this if using for a chocolate pie?
Thanks
Made this using Gluten-free all purpose flour and butter. Turned out great! Your video and tips really helped. Thank you!
Hooray! An all butter pie crust that held its shape and was flaky and delicious! Thank you!
Wow! Just wow! This is by far the best crust I have ever made or eaten!
Putting the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes before running it through my food processor with the cheese shredder blade on it worked fantastic. I then cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blending tool and chilled the dough as recommended before rolling it out. When I rolled it out the dough was marbled with the butter pieces. The crust turned out incredible! Gorgeous, flaky and to-die-for delicious!
Thank you so very much Melissa for sharing this with us! It is a keeper!