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Best Flaky Pie Crust Recipe – Without Shortening

by 114 Comments

If you're going to bake a pie, it's imperative that your crust be the star of the show. A pie with a melt-in-your-mouth perfect pie crust will make any pie so much better! Want to know Great Grandma's secret ingredient to perfectly flaky crust? Keep reading and you'll too have perfect crust every single time WITHOUT using lard or shortening (talking Crisco).

Many people think you need to use lard or shortening in order to get a flaky, melt-in-your-mouth pie crust. But you DON'T! My Great-Grandma shared her tips with me for getting the best crust every time, and there's a secret ingredient that most recipes are missing.

This recipe uses butter or lard (but coconut oil works equally as well) and is a foolproof recipe for flaky pie crust that rolls out easily every time.

Let me ask you this… do you ever eat a pie and fork out the filling, leaving the crust behind? Because if you 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, or 4 crusts for cream or pumpkin pies) ready to bake or freeze.

This crust is so delicious, 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, good!

A bowl of flour topped with cubed butter.

No Shortening

Are you looking for a pie crust recipe without shortening (aka Crisco)? 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 recipe became my no-fail flaky pie crust with butter because, let's face it, real butter just makes everything taste better (especially grass-fed butter!). For real, I've even been known to slip some butter into my coffee. And contrary to popular notions, I've not packed on the pounds.

Butter or Lard?

Should I use butter or lard in my pie crust? The truth is, either one works fine. I find that half butter and half lard make a perfect crust, and if I've been “pioneering” then I usually have some homemade lard in the cupboard.

But for those of you who haven't quite crossed that bridge yet, using all butter works just as well (and is what I'm demonstrating in the video above).

Note: 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.

Dairy-Free Pie Crust Options

If you're dairy free, you can make this pie crust recipe with lard or coconut oil and it turns out just as flaky and delicious.

Flour and salt being stirred together in a glass bowl with a fork.

What flour is best for my pie crust?

All-purpose will give you a great texture as well as 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 the pastry setting of my flour grinder. Learn more on grinding your own flour and choosing a grinder here.

Ingredients for recipe sitting on a counter.

Ingredients

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 the addition of 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, and you won't taste the vinegar one bit.

  • Flour – you can use just about any flour you want for pie crust, however, I have the best, most consistent results when using all-purpose or pastry flour.
  • Fat – no matter what fat you're using, it's critical that the fat is cold! My preferred fat is butter (grass-fed, if possible), but you can also use lard (especially delicious if you've rendered your own lard), or coconut oil (perfect for a dairy-free option).
  • Sugar – not too much, just enough to give your pie crust more of a dessert taste, rather than a savory taste. You can easily omit this, but I've used this exact recipe even for savory dishes (hello homemade chicken pot pie!) and it's great. I also like to sprinkle sugar over the pie crust before baking. It adds a delicious crunch and pop of sweetness with each bite.
  • Salt – because salt = flavor, and flavor is imperative for a delicious crust!
  • Vinegar – you can use any vinegar you have on hand (homemade fruit vinegar is great for baking). Since I always make our own homemade apple cider vinegar, it's what I use most often.
  • Egg – though not typically found in pie crust, the egg working together with the vinegar is what makes the fool-proof flaky layers!
  • Ice Water – though water isn't typically listed as an ingredient, it's important to mention that you need ICE-COLD water! Those flaky layers happen when the butter melts during the baking process, so you don't want the butter to melt into the dough BEFORE baking, otherwise… no flaky layers!
  • Milk – we don't add milk to the pie crust itself, but just before baking, I like to brush the pie crust with milk, then sprinkle on some sugar. This helps the crust bake up perfectly golden-brown.
Apple pie with a lattice crust in a cast iron skillet with canned apple pie filling in the background.

Instructions

Measure out all ingredients and cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes, then place the butter in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt and stir to combine.

2. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter until there are no pieces larger than the size of a pea.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar and egg until combined, then add to the flour and butter mixture.

4. Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until dough just starts coming together, then turn out onto counter.

Flour and salt being stirred together in a glass bowl with a fork.
A bowl of flour topped with cubed butter.
A glass bowl with flour and butter and a pastry cutter cutting the butter into the flour.
Pie dough formed into a clump before adding ice water.

5. Continue adding 1 tablespoon of ice water until the dough holds its shape without crumbling. Don't add too much water, you don't want a sticky dough, just a dough that barely holds together.

6. Work the dough into a large round ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow the dough to rest. (Don't skip this step!)

7. Once the dough has rested, remove it from the refrigerator and divide it into 4 equal portions. (I use my wooden bench knife for easy cutting. For more tips on using this indispensable tool, check out 10 Time-Saving Uses for a Wooden Bench Knife in the Kitchen.) Press each quarter into a disc shape, then, if freezing, follow the instructions in this post for how to freeze pie dough.

8. Working with one quarter at a time (keep the others in the refrigerator until ready to roll out), lightly dust your countertop and roll out pie crust, giving the dough a 1/4 turn after each roll to be sure it's not sticking to the counter.

If the dough starts sticking to your rolling pin, lightly dust the rolling pin with flour.

Pie dough formed into a disc shape.
Pie dough rolled out into a circle on a countertop.

9. Carefully fold the dough over on itself and transfer it carefully to your favorite pie plate or cast iron skillet. Then, follow the instructions for your favorite pie or quiche recipe.

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Pie Baking Tips and Tricks

  • If you're not baking your pie today, take the unbaked pie dough ball, press it out into a disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Toss it in the freezer until ready to use. The day before you're ready to bake, thaw flaky pastry crust dough in the fridge overnight (or on the counter for a few hours). Lightly flour surface and roll out to desired thickness.
  • Alternatively, roll out bottom crusts and place them 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! (More tips on freezing dough here.)
  • When freezing, be sure to mark your dough. I also freeze sugar cookie dough and on Christmas morning I 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.”

Additional Resources

  • Hand Made: the  Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living – get the best old-fashioned recipes for a busy home without spending all day in the kitchen! Get over 100+ recipes and tips from over 3 generations of bakers. 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. But as they always say, we eat with our eyes first, so I love pretty pie plates and cast iron skillets when it comes to my pies.
  • Gorgeous pie cut out – whether you like a lattice top, simple slits, or a beautiful and ornate pie crust, this pie crust cut out can help for those of us who are creatively challenged in the decorative pie crust area.
  • Pastry cutter/pastry blender – seriously, this little tool is the secret to flaky pie crusts… and biscuits. If you don't have one of these kitchen tools yet, go grab one!
Koa wood bench knife and scraper on counter top with flour and pie dough

  • Wooden bench knife– nothing is faster for cleaning up dough and flour from the counter and if your pie crust starts to stick, this will lift it quickly!

    • More Recipes

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    Homemade Pop Tarts From Scratch (Hand Pies)

    Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo and tag me on social media, I'd LOVE to see your flaky pie crust! Then be sure to rate this recipe by clicking the stars in the recipe card below!

    Best Ever Flaky Pie Crust

    MelissaKNorris
    Easy to roll out, melt-in-your-mouth flaky pie crust made with all butter (you can use lard or coconut oil for dairy free) for delicous pies!
    4.08 from 278 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Dessert, Pastry
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2 pies (top and bottom crusts)
    Calories 2390 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 cups flour see notes on best flour to use
    • 1.75 cup butter or lard 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 water ice cold

    Instructions
     

    • Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Stir to combine.
    • Cut in COLD butter (or lard, or coconut oil).
    • Fat is fully cut in when the flour is in crumbly pea size pieces.
    • Mix egg and vinegar together in a small bowl, then add to flour mixture along with 3 tablespoons of ice cold water.
    • Continue adding water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just holds together, without crumbling, when pressed into a ball.
    • Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
    • Divide dough into four equal balls, press out into a disc and either freeze or roll out to bake pies.

    Video

    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.
    • Don't skip the chilling step. This allows the dough to rest and the butter to get cold again before rolling/baking.
    • 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!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 2390kcalCarbohydrates: 197gProtein: 30gFat: 166gSaturated Fat: 103gCholesterol: 509mgSodium: 3783mgPotassium: 346mgFiber: 7gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 5082IUCalcium: 97mgIron: 12mg
    Keyword Flaky Pie Crust, Pie Crust, Pie Dough, Pie Dough with Butter
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    How to Make Perogies- Traditional Ukrainian Perogi Recipe

    by 30 Comments

    Learn how to make perogies (or pierogies) from Anna, with her traditional Ukrainian Perogi recipe.

    I can hardly remember a Christmas dinner without perogies. I want to say it happened once and so many family members complained that it never happened again.

    Bowl of homemade perogies sitting on a wooden table. Text overlay says, "How to Make Homemade Perogies From Scratch: Family Recipe".

    Because these potato-filled dumplings aren’t just a staple of holiday dinners in my family, they’re a part of our heritage; A heritage full of traditions that have been passed down through generations, many of which still find a place on our dinner table at every special occasion (and many meals in between).

    Perogies are a versatile food, great for both holiday dinners and midweek meals alike. They’re also super frugal, costing mere pennies a piece when made from scratch. And a single batch will easily feed a large family (or a small village).

    They make a fantastic main course as well as a perfect side dish. They stick to your ribs despite having no meat, and they're pleasing to just about everyone’s tastebuds. I’ve literally never met anybody who doesn’t like them.

    The History of the Humble Perogy

    Perogies originated in Eastern Europe out of necessity. They were originally considered a peasant food as they are composed of humble ingredients like flour, potatoes and onions. Nevertheless, they were a frugal way to fill hungry bellies with a few simple ingredients and helped stave off hunger during frigid and barren Eastern European winters.

    Today they are enjoyed by all, regardless of class or social status, and they remain a staple food for Eastern European families like mine, even though we’ve lived in North America for multiple generations.

    Food is one of those things that connects us to our past and to our ancestors and to the ways of life of long ago. Although I’m fourth generation Canadian, the perogies I make and feed my family have changed very little from those my great-great-grandmother fed to hers.

    A Frugal and Filling Addition to Your Family Table

    Many people are familiar with perogies, but unfortunately they don’t know much more than the fact that you can buy them pre-made from the store. I often meet people who tell me they love perogies but have never made them from scratch (and probably never even tasted them from scratch). And yet, these are one of the easiest things to make at home!

    They do tend to be a little time-consuming as you typically roll out enough dough at one time to make anywhere from 50 to 150 perogies at once. But the process is straightforward and a few simple ingredients go a very long way, making this an easy pierogi recipe.

    Pierogi filling recipe

    • 5 lb. bag of potatoes
    • 1 lb. of sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
    • 1 large onion
    • a pinch of salt
    • pat of butter

    With these ingredients you can make a batch of about 150-200 pierogis, depending on how large you’re cutting them. Now, it’s been a while since we bought them from the store (yes, it’s happened), but I think you get around the same amount or a little less in a large box from Costco and that will run you around $10.00 plus tax.

    Store-bought perogies also contain added, unwanted ingredients like the food additive soy lecithin that you won’t find in this homemade version.

    If you’re making them with cheese (which I highly recommend), the cheese will probably be the most expensive part of this recipe. We bought a 1-lb. brick of cheese for $6.50 and a 5-lb. bag of russet potatoes for $2.50. Add in an onion, a couple eggs and some flour and salt from our pantry, as well as a little butter and oil, and our last batch probably cost around $10 or $11.

    While this is roughly the same as the store-bought Costco version, it contains no questionable ingredients, the cheese is real (not processed) and you could essentially cut your costs to under $5.00 for the whole batch if you omit the cheese. For a batch of 150, this works out to just over 0.03¢ per perogy! Even with the cheese it still works out to around 0.07¢ per perogy. Now if that ain’t frugal I don’t know what is.

    My Family's Pierogi Main Dish Recipe

    This perogy recipe was passed down to me from my aunt, who inherited it from her mother who learned it from her mother and so on. Every year around this time we begin making dozens and dozens of these little dumplings to serve at Christmas dinner as well as for Ukrainian Christmas in January and then for Malanka (Ukrainian New Year).

    Traditionally, the women and girls of the family would get together to make a huge batch of perogies together. I highly recommend making this a family affair if you can!

    For one, many hands make light work. But more importantly, this is such a fun tradition and is something that all generations can do together. And nothing says the males in the family can’t help out too. In fact, my husband enjoys a good perogy session just as much as I do:)

    Old-Fashioned Cooking for a Busy Home

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    • Simple and easy time tested from scratch meals.
    • Easy skillet suppers
    • Nourishing and kid-approved soups and stews
    • Old-fashioned baked goods from buttermilk pie, homemade cake mixes, to Mom’s chocolate chip cookies
    • Don’t spend all day in the kitchen, tips for busy times without sacrificing hand made goodies
    • Wholesome ingredients without processed and questionable items

    Want more easy homemade recipes all in one place? This recipe and 100+ more are found in my book–-> click here Hand Made: the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living. 

    How to Make Perogi Potato and Cheese Filling

    First you’ll want to prepare the ingredients for your filling. Start by peeling your potatoes, then cut them into quarters and boil them until soft enough to mash. While the potatoes are cooking, grate your cheese and then dice up one whole onion and sauté in a little butter.

    Once the potatoes are ready to mash, strain the water out but reserve 2 cups to make your dough with. You can use regular water but using the starchy potato water makes for great dough and makes this recipe even more frugal.

    Return strained potatoes to the pot. Add grated cheddar and sautéed onion and mash really well. You want the filling to be thick and firm (so don’t add any milk or cream like you might with regular mashed potatoes).  But you also want to make sure there are no lumps, so mash well.

    How to Make Perogies

    Prepare your dough. This perogies recipe will make about 150-200 depending on how big you cut them, but you can easily multiply or divide this recipe to suit your needs.

    How to Make Pierogi Dough

    1. Mix together flour and salt.
    2. In another bowl, mix a little oil with a couple eggs and the potato water (or regular water if you accidentally dumped your potato water down the drain).
    3. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.
    4. Flour your hands and knead your dough ball until smooth.
    5. Then let it rest, covered, for about half an hour.

    When perogie dough is ready, roll it out to about 1/8 of an inch thick. You want it thin, but be careful not to roll it too thin as it could break.

    Either use a biscuit cutter or an upside-down cup to cut your circles out. Cut out as many as you can and then ball up remaining dough and roll out once more. Repeat the process until all of the dough has been used up.

    By this time, your perogi filling will be cool enough to touch. Scoop about a tablespoon of potato filling for each dumpling and roll into a neat little ball. It’s easiest if you prepare a bunch of these balls before you start filling your perogies.

    Gently stretch out each circle of dough and then place a ball of filling in the centre of each one. Seal them up with your fingers as you go, pressing the two edges firmly together. Wet your fingers a little if needed to help stick the edges together.

    Be careful not to get any filling between the dough as this can prevent a proper seal. If your perogy dumplings aren’t sealed well the filling could boil out when you cook them. The dough is still quite edible (and yummy with sour cream!). But let’s face it; A perogy ain’t a perogy without the filling.

    Repeat this process over and over until you’ve filled and sealed all your perogies. Lay each finished perogy on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper so they don’t stick together. Double check each one to make sure they’ve sealed all the way around.

    To cook, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook in small batches (no more than 10-15 perogies at a time for best results). Cooking them in small batches keeps them from sticking together as much. Stir them gently to keep them from sticking as well. Boil until done. Perogies will float to the top of the pot when they’re finished.

    For best results (and to prevent them from breaking), use a slotted spoon to remove perogies from water and transfer to a colander to let drain more. Toss each batch with about a tablespoon of butter (again to prevent sticking… and because… butter).

    Repeat until all perogies are cooked and then transfer to a serving dish. Serve with fried onions and sour cream, and enjoy alongside sauerkraut, cabbage rolls, pickles and Ukrainian or Polish sausage with a little mustard and you’ve got yourself a meal that’s fit for a king, but on a peasant’s budget.

    Homemade Frozen Pierogies

    Now, what to do with them all? Perogies freeze really well, so if you’re not planning on cooking them all the same night, put the baking trays in the freezer to flash freeze them before transferring them to a freezer bag. They should keep in the freezer for up to 4-6months.

    Other Creative Fillings and Meal Ideas

    Once you’ve A) used up all your dough or B) used up all of your filling, you’re finished your batch! But don’t worry about having leftover dough or filling. You can add an egg to the potato filling and form into balls, then roll in bread crumbs and fry to make potato croquettes.

    And if you have extra dough, you can fill them with a variety of other ingredients to make different types of perogies. Pierogi dinner ideas with other popular fillings are sauerkraut and bacon, cottage cheese, ground or shredded meat or fruit fillings like cherry and blueberry.

    You can really put anything you like in the middle. This is just a dumpling after all. You could even just cook the dough on it's own and serve dumplings with chicken or in soup. Get creative with whatever you have on hand! Just be sure to cook any meat before using it as filling.

    Share with loved ones and enjoy!

    Traditional Ukrainian Perogies

    Anastasia Sakawsky
    This traditional Ukrainian perogy recipe is extremely frugal, averaging out to less than 10¢ a piece. This recipe makes around 150-200 perogies but can be doubled or divided to fit your needs.
    4.34 from 15 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Cuisine Ukrainian

    Ingredients
      

    For the Filling:

    • 5 lbs russet potatoes
    • 1 lb brick of old/sharp cheddar cheese grated
    • 1 onion finely chopped and sautéed in butter

    For the Dough:

    • 6 cups all purpose flour
    • 2 tsps salt
    • 2 cups warm water potato water from filling is the best
    • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
    • 2 large eggs lightly beaten

    Instructions
     

    • Peel potatoes and cut into quarters. Cook in boiling water until soft enough to mash.
    • Drain well, reserving 2 cups of potato water for dough.
    • Return potatoes to the pot and add grated cheese and sautéed onion. Mash until smooth. Let filling cool while making the dough.
    • In a large bowl, sift flour and combine with salt.
    • Mix together water, oil and egg, and pour half of mixture into flour. Mix and slowly add the remaining liquid. Knead by hand until flour and liquid are well combined, into an elastic ball. You may need to add a small amount of either flour or water, depending on the consistency of the dough.
    • When well blended and smooth, wrap in plastic wrap or a clean plastic bag and let dough rest for at least 30 minutes.
    • Cut dough in half or in thirds, keeping unused dough well wrapped in plastic until needed. Flour the table or counter lightly and roll dough to about 1/8 inch thickness (thin is best, but not too thin, as you don't want the dough to break as you fill your perogy).
    • Cut the dough in rounds using a biscuit cutter or a small drinking glass (upside down).
    • Scoop about 1 Tbsp of potato filling for each perogy and roll into a ball in the palms of your hands.
    • Fill each round of dough with a ball of potato filling and seal the edges of the dough together with your fingers. Make sure when pinching the edges to ensure there are no gaps or that the 2 sides of the dough do not pull away from each other. Wet you fingers just a little if needed to help dough stick together.
    • Freeze on a baking tray and then transfer to a freezer bag if making in advance.
    • To cook, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook in small batches (10-15 perogies at a time), stirring gently to prevent dumplings from sticking together. Perogies are finished cooking when they float to the top.
    • Use a slotted spoon to remove them from water and drain before transferring to a serving bowl. Toss with butter and serve hot with sour cream. Add fried onions and.or bacon bits to take your perogies to the next level!
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    There you have it, how to make perogies at home. Will you be making this treat any time soon?

    Pinterest pin with two images. Top image is of a bowl of homemade perogies with a side of sour cream. Bottom image is a close up of a bowl of homemade perogies. Text overlay says, "How to make homemade perogies: Great-great-grandma's traditional Ukrainian Recipe".

    Blueberry Dumplings Recipe- Old-fashioned Recipe from 1949

    by 6 Comments

    This blueberry dumplings recipe is both old-fashioned, high on flavor, and can be made refined sugar and gluten free, if ya need it. I love a recipe that knows how to adapt.

    Blueberry Dumplings Recipe

    Plus, there's something special about discovering these older recipes, before the wide spread use of processed commercial boxes and mixes from everything. When people know how to cook without the aid of Bisquick, can I get an amen!

    It’s berry season! And who can resist a quick and easy dessert that showcases beautiful berries?

    Is there anything better than warm, freshly picked blueberry dumplings?

    The inspiration for this recipe was yet another discovery in my great-grandmother’s recipe collection. Published in 1949, it features blueberry biscuit dumplings cooked in a sweet brown sugar sauce.

    As much as I loved the original recipe, I wanted to create a version with a lot less sugar, and a lot more berries!

    My blueberry dumplings with biscuits is in a maple syrup sweetened blueberry sauce. Topped with a little whipped cream, it’s reminiscent of strawberry shortcake. It’s rich in blueberry flavour, and the dumplings are soft and fluffy, even when made gluten-free.

    This is a recipe that is fun to play with! Make it in the winter with frozen berries, or switch it up and use strawberries or raspberries, or a mix of berries for the sauce. I might even make this for breakfast with a dollop of yogurt as a special treat!

    Berry dumplings is one of our favorite items to make when camping. Berries are in season and ripe during the summer months, when we do a lot of camping and outdoor cooking. This is an easy campfire dessert, simply use a cast iron Dutch Oven and lid.

    Get more Dutch Oven and from scratch cooking recipes in my new book, Hand Made: the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living, with over 100+ recipes, including our berry dumplings, and berry pudding cakes!

    Easy Blueberry Dumplings Recipe

    Sauce

    • 4 cups blueberries (or other berry) fresh or frozen
    • 2 tsp corn starch (for frozen berries)
    • ½ cup water
    • 3 tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp lemon juice

    Dumplings

    • 2 cups flour or gluten-free flour blend (I used 2/3 cup brown rice flour, 2/3 cup sorghum flour, 2/3 cup arrowroot flour, and 1 tsp ground chia seed)
    • 4 tsp baking powder
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ¼ cup butter
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • ¾ cup milk (minus a tbsp.)

    In a large frying pan, add all sauce ingredients and heat until boiling. If using frozen berries, toss the thawed berries with cornstarch before placing them in the pan. Once the sauce is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

    While sauce is simmering, combine flour(s), baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture looks like crumbs. Add 1 tbsp maple syrup to the bottom of a measuring cup and then fill to ¾ cup with milk. Add milk and syrup to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

    Drop dough by heaping spoon-fulls onto simmering blueberry sauce. You should have about ten dumplings.

    Cover the pan with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes.

    Serve while warm.

    Blueberry Dumplings Recipe- Old-fashioned Recipe from 1949

    MelissaKNorris
    4 from 22 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Servings 10

    Ingredients
      

    • Sauce
    • 4 cups blueberries or other berry fresh or frozen
    • 2 tsp corn starch for frozen berries
    • ½ cup water
    • 3 tbsp maple syrup
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • Dumplings
    • 2 cups flour or gluten-free flour blend I used 2/3 cup brown rice flour, 2/3 cup sorghum flour, 2/3 cup arrowroot flour, and 1 tsp ground chia seed
    • 4 tsp baking powder
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ¼ cup butter
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • ¾ cup milk minus a tbsp.

    Instructions
     

    • In a large frying pan, add all sauce ingredients and heat until boiling. If using frozen berries, toss the thawed berries with cornstarch before placing them in the pan. Once the sauce is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
    • While sauce is simmering, combine flour(s), baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture looks like crumbs. Add 1 tbsp maple syrup to the bottom of a measuring cup and then fill to ¾ cup with milk. Add milk and syrup to flour mixture and stir until just combined.
    • Drop dough by heaping spoon-fulls onto simmering blueberry sauce. You should have about ten dumplings.
    • Cover the pan with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes.
    • Serve while warm.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Think of this blueberry dumplings recipe kind of like a blueberry dumpling cobbler, but with delicious biscuit clouds on the top.

    Want more old-fashioned vintage recipes? Grab some of our favorites in this free e-booklet!

    Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Sugar Cookies Recipe

    by 12 Comments

    These old-fashioned pumpkin cookies are amazing, plus they use real pumpkin. I can't stop eating them! Grab the recipe here

    These old-fashioned pumpkin sugar cookies are easy to bake and taste like pumpkin pie in a cookie, except in my opinion, they're better than pumpkin pie. Say what? Yep, I said it.

    Truthfully, I'm not such a big traditional pumpkin pie fan, but no bake pumpkin cream pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin roll, pumpkin applesauce muffins with maple glaze, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, now we're a talking my language.

    I like a soft cookie, but I did not want a pumpkin cake or pumpkin muffin top masquerading as a cookie. So three different cookie variations later, you have these melt in your mouth old-fashioned pumpkin sugar cookies. Can I get an amen?

    As far as cookies though, these actually use a full cup less sugar than chocolate chip cookies, but you'll never miss it.

    Want more old-fashioned from scratch cooking? The answer is yes, always, yes, then check out over 100+ recipes in my new book Hand Made:the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living, including the 3 bonus videos, coupons, and more here!

    How to Make Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Sugar Cookies 

    First off, you need some pumpkin. Now, being a homesteader I make sure and plant sugar pie pumpkins in our garden because they produce a sweeter pumpkin flesh for baking.

    Thankfully, we grow enough pumpkin I don't have to purchase store bought pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin puree, but if you can't get your hands on some pumpkins to cook, you may use pumpkin puree.

    There's just something extra special about using the crops you grow to then produce your meals and recipes. Even after all these years, I still get an immense feeling of gratitude and satisfaction when I prepare a recipe with the bounty of our own land and homestead. It's something I hope every person gets to experience.

    This is my favorite way to make homemade pumpkin puree the easy way

    If you're starting from a real pumpkin homesteader style, then chop that baby in half, scoop out the seeds to roast and snack on later, and place each half of the pumpkin cut side down in a 9×13 baking pan with an inch of water and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until pumpkin is soft and fully cooked.

    Allow to cool, then scrape out the inside of the cooked pumpkin. You are now ready to make your pumpkin cookies.

    These old-fashioned pumpkin cookies are amazing, plus they use real pumpkin. I can't stop eating them! Grab the recipe here

    (recipe shared from Hand Made: the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living)

    Melt the butter and the add the coconut oil to the melted butter. The heat from the melted butter will soften up the coconut oil. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the melted butter, coconut oil, brown and white sugar, and molasses. Then add in and combine the cooked pumpkin.

    Dump in all your dry ingredients and mix until combined. Cover and allow dough to chill in the fridge for at least an hour or even overnight. Trust me on this part. Chilled dough makes better flavored and textured cookies. Something magical happens upon chilling and all the flavors mingle together.

    You have two options after your dough has chilled. For a puffier pumpkin sugar cookie, place some sugar in a bowl and roll a good sized tablespoon of dough (use an ice cream scoop to easily create uniformed cookies, this one cleans the scoop for you, making the process faster and a ted bit less messy) into a ball and then roll it around in the sugar until it's fully coated. Place 2 inches apart on an cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until cookie has set. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing from sheet.

    For a flatter, but still perfectly soft pumpkin sugar cookie, take a heaping tablespoon of dough and plop it on your cookie sheet. With your fingers, flatten it out into the desired size of your cookie. The cookie will only slightly spread out and up about a 1/4 of an inch thick. Sprinkle a light dusting of sugar on top of each cookie. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until cookie has set. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing from sheet.

    These old-fashioned pumpkin cookies are amazing, plus they use real pumpkin. I can't stop eating them! Grab the recipe here

    Other delicious Pumpkin Recipes:

    Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

    MelissaKNorris
    No ratings yet
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    Prep Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
    Servings 28

    Ingredients
      

    • 1/2 cup melted butter
    • 1/4 cup coconut oil
    • 1/2 cup brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup white sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon molasses
    • 1 cup cooked pumpkin
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

    Instructions
     

    • Melt the butter and the add the coconut oil to the melted butter. The heat from the melted butter will soften up the coconut oil. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the melted butter, coconut oil, brown and white sugar, and molasses. Then add in and combine the cooked pumpkin.
    • Dump in all your dry ingredients and mix until combined. Cover and allow dough to chill in the fridge for at least an hour or even overnight. Trust me on this part. Chilled dough makes better flavored and textured cookies. Something magical happens upon chilling and all the flavors mingle together.
    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • You have two options after your dough has chilled. For a puffier pumpkin sugar cookie, place some sugar in a bowl and roll a good sized Tablespoon of dough into a ball and then roll it around in the sugar until it's fully coated. Place 2 inches apart on an cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until cookie has set. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing from sheet.
    • For a flatter, but still perfectly soft pumpkin sugar cookie, take a heaping tablespoon of dough and plop it on your cookie sheet. With your fingers, flatten it out into the desired size of your cookie. The cookie will only slightly spread out and up about a 1/4 of an inch thick. Sprinkle a light dusting of sugar on top of each cookie. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until cookie has set. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing from sheet.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter in less than 5 Minutes

    by 26 Comments

    Homemade peanut butter in less than 5 minutes. Yes, for reals. Why has no one ever told me making homemade peanut butter was so easy and so delicious?

    I mean it's almost like a whipped butter, not heavy and separated out like the natural butters at the store. And no high fructose corn syrup, sugar, or other weird additives or extra hydrogenated GMO oils. Nothing but pure peanuts, my friend. Pure whipped luscious creaminess.

    How to make homemade peanut butter in less than 5 minutes! Best part, no oil separation and no high fructose corn syrup or added sugar. Grab the recipe here!

    Seriously, if you've never made homemade peanut butter before, you have to. And if you have made homemade peanut butter before, you're required to share this recipe and tutorial with everyone else so they can be part of the delicious cool crowd, too. Good friends share, right? (And sometimes they hide a little jar up in the cupboard behind the baking powder just for themselves)

    How to make healthy peanut butter

    If you look at regular jars of peanut butter, they have high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient. Ain't touching that stuff with a ten foot pole and neither are my kiddos. But it kind of drives me batty to constantly stir in or flip the jar of the natural peanut butters. I want need that creamy goodness kind of peanut butter.

    Learn how to make this easy 1 ingredient homemade peanut butter in just 5 minutes! Best part, no oil separation and no high fructose corn syrup or added sugar. Grab the tutorial and flavor options here.

    I had a bag of peanuts just sitting patiently up in the cupboard for me to do something with it. We'd been taking our time cracking and snacking on them, but then we ran out of peanut butter… and my frugal homesteading, we're using up our food storage items first mindset kicked in.

    And this super quick, even better than the store peanut butter was made. To be even faster, you could use already shelled peanuts. , But if the kids need something to do, set 'em up with some peanuts to shell.

    How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter without oil

    Dump shelled peanuts (we had 2 cups for this first batch) in a food processor or a high powered blender. Seriously, my food processor does amazing stuff in the kitchen, like chopping all the salsa ingredients when we're canning it up by the canner load.

    Learn how to make this easy 1 ingredient homemade peanut butter in just 5 minutes! Best part, no oil separation and no high fructose corn syrup or added sugar.

    Turn it on and let it go until the peanuts resemble flour, all dry and crumbly like.

    how to make homemade peanut butter without oil

    Then let it go for just another minute or two and you will see the magic happen, it will begin to cream together.

    How to make creamy peanut butter

    Do you see that creamy goodness? Don't lick the screen though, that'd be kind of weird, but you were tempted, right? Now you know how to make creamy peanut butter.

    Keep going for just a few more seconds until it's all creamed together then transfer to a Mason jar and store in the cupboard… or eat from the spoon directly.

    The best part, we had the jar for about two weeks and didn't separate out. It stayed in that lovely state of creamy, just go ahead and take a bite, peanut buttery goodness.

    If you're like me, we're busy, but that doesn't mean we want to sacrifice taste, money, time, or our health for processed, GMO, chemical filled ick. Now my friend, you don't have to, because you can make this homemade peanut butter without oil or sugar in less than 5 minutes, too.

    Homemade Peanut Butter Flavor Options

    Want it sweet? Drizzle in a little bit o' raw honey.

    Want a little kick? Sprinkle in some cinnamon.

    Want it sinfully good? Add some cocoa powder and honey to taste for a chocolate peanut butter mix.

    Want it chunky? Hold out some peanuts until the end and drop them in on the last few spins of the food processor for some texture.

    Don't like peanuts or have an allergy? Go ahead and use any nut of your choice, I plan on trying out cashews next, but almonds are alternative as well.

    Oh, want a few more sure to please snacks that our homemade and only take five minutes? Yes, the answer is yes, then head on over to our Homemade Crackers in 5 minutes!

    Cut out the processed, return to simple and Made From Scratch!

    We have over 35 simple and easy Made from Scratch Recipes in my new book, The Made-From-Scratch Life, including 3 FREE bonuses to help you create a healthy pantry and kitchen without processed ingredients and with food your family will love.

    Learn how to make this easy 1 ingredient homemade peanut butter in just 5 minutes! Best part, no oil separation and no high fructose corn syrup or added sugar. Grab the tutorial here!

    Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipe

    by 4 Comments

    This homemade barbecue sauce recipe whips up in 10 minutes. Cheaper than store bought and can be customized to ingredients you have on hand. Try it now!

    A homemade barbecue sauce recipe made from ingredients in your pantry, especially homemade canned goodness, is high on my list of must have. I've made several different variations, but when I saw Amy had incorporated both flavored vinegar and homemade fruit butter… I might have started drooling.

    This is definitely a barbecue sauce recipe you'll want to print out and play with the ingredients you have on hand. I plan on trying it with some of the cherry jam I have on hand from last year in place of the fruit butter.

    Being a pioneer woman or guy (aka frugal person), it's important to use what you have on hand, instead of running out to buy specific ingredients. Don't be afraid to try substitutions. This is also the benefit of having a well stocked basic food pantry. 8 Foods You Should be Storing and How

    Summer can be a crazy time of the year, can’t it? There is lots of weeding to be done, beginning harvests and canning and so many other homesteading projects.

    I find that these busy times are when I need simple, fast recipes that are both nourishing and tasty. As we raise pastured pigs on our farm, barbecue pulled pork is a family favorite. I can put a pork shoulder in the crock pot overnight, add in some barbecue sauce the next day, make up a hearty green salad or cooked greens and I have a complete meal that my family loves.

    I have a few cookbooks with all sorts of variations on barbecue sauce. They are very good but take a lot of ingredients and can be time consuming to make. I came up with this barbecue sauce recipe when I was in a hurry one night. I already had ketchup on hand so that part was done.

    I looked through my pantry to see what I could combine to make a good sauce.

    Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipe

    This homemade barbecue sauce recipe whips up in 10 minutes. Cheaper than store bought and can be customized to ingredients you have on hand. Try it now!

    I added some of my home canned apple butter. I also had flavored vinegar ready to go (flavored vinegar is really easy; fill a quart jar with raw apple cider vinegar, add in fruit like cranberries, blueberries or blackberries and spices like orange peel or whole cloves and let sit for a month at room temperature) but regular apple cider vinegar works just as well. Here's our tutorial on making blueberry basil thyme vinegar. 

    Then I went to my spice cabinet to see what flavors would round it out – salt, garlic and onion powder are what I decided on.

    I put all these ingredients into a sauce pan to simmer and added a chunk of butter for extra flavor. I cooked the sauce until the butter melted and it began to bubble slightly (keep it at a low temperature and stir often to prevent splattering). The sauce turned out really yummy and I made the whole thing in about ten minutes. The best part was that my family absolutely loved it. We used the leftovers on grilled salmon the next day…:)

    Please, don’t be afraid to experiment in your kitchen. It's really a lot of fun!  Sometimes its easier to start with a recipe you have and change a few items just to see what you come up with.  You will have a few duds now and then but the more you experiment the better you will get at combining flavors, even ones you wouldn’t necessarily think to combine.

    P.S. Make sure you keep good notes so that when your family raves about your new recipe you can make it again (made that error a few times…).

    Anyway, happy Summer everyone – anyone hungry for barbecue???

    Barbecue Sauce Recipe Ingredient Swaps

    Don't have apple butter? Any fruit butter will work, giving it a slightly different flavor, peach would be fun.

    Use jam or jelly. Grape jelly is wonderful when paired with meat, I also love cranberry and cherry (low sugar no pectin cherry jam recipe) with both chicken and pork.

    Or for a more savory sauce, try using this red pepper garlic jelly in place of the apple butter.

    No ketchup? You can use a cup of tomato sauce, or add tomato paste and extra water or juice. If using tomato sauce or paste, add in a teaspoon or so of ground mustard and a dash of pepper.

    Barbecue Sauce with Pantry Staples

    MelissaKNorris
    No ratings yet
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    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup ketchup
    • 1 cup apple butter
    • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or flavored vinegar
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • 2 TBSP butter

    Instructions
     

    • Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
    • Cook over medium heat until smooth and bubbling, stirring occasionally.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Pioneering Today-8 Tips for Perfect Homemade Bread

    by 11 Comments

    There's hardly anything I can think of that I like more than fresh warm homemade bread just out of the oven. The scent, warm and yeasty, melt-in-your mouth texture and homemade jelly smothered on top. Can you tell I'm hungry?

    8 Tips for Baking Perfect Homemade Bread @MelissaKNorris #Pioneering Today

    When I first started baking bread, I was often frustrated by breads containing yeast. Sometimes it would rise beautifully and others times it remained flat and sad. Along the way I learned some tips that bring success every time, no matter what type of bread or recipe I decided to bake. I'm sharing my 8 tips for perfect homemade bread with you because life is too short not to eat home-baked bread!Tweet this] 

    [Read more…]

    Chicken Artichoke Heart Casserole and The Irresistible Table

    by 6 Comments

    I love making my family's meal time special with home-cooked nutritional food. I believe spending time together around the table promotes a bonded family and makes each person feel important and valued.

    When author Mary DeMuth announced her cookbook, The Irresistible Table,
    was releasing, I eagerly awaited my early copy of the book. Mary's a Christian author who shares the same belief as I do and talks about it in her new book. I'm excited to share with you one of her recipes. I know it was the first recipe I tried, but not the last.

    Chicken Artichoke Heart Casserole Irresistible Table by Mary DeMuth @MelissaKNorris

    Chicken Artichoke Heart Casserole

    4 whole chicken breasts

    1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained (I used marinated-Melissa)

    1/3 cup butter (I will use less-Mary)

    1/3 cup flour (I will use less, more like 1/4 cup-Mary)

    [Read more…]

    Pioneering Today-How to Make Your Own Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Sauce

    by 7 Comments

    We try to replace as many processed products with homemade ones as we can. When we'd raised, butchered, and roasted our own pig, I couldn't very well serve it with store bought barbecue sauce. (Okay, I could have, but I didn't want to)

    Homemade Sweet and Smokey Barbecue Sauce

    My neighbor makes one of the best barbecue sauces around and she gave me her basic recipe and I tweaked it a little. I like my barbecue sauce on the sweet side with just a bit of smoke.

    [Read more…]