Pie Crust Recipe
**Ingredients**
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2/3 cups vegetable shortening OR sweet cream butter
- 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar
- 4 Tbsp water
**Steps**
- Sift flour and salt into large bowl
- Cut shortening/butter until pieces are size of small peas
- Combine vinegar and water in separate bowl
- Sprinkle liquid mix into flour mix, 1 tbsp at a time, until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl (add more water if needed until dough can form a shape)
- Gather dough into ball shape, cover with plastic wrap (or any wrap or container to keep from drying out), chill for 30 minutes
- Bake at 450°F for 12-15 minutes or until pie filling is cooked if filling takes longer (follow filling recipe if it calls for different temp and time).
You can also pre-bake your crust to make sure it’s fully cooked when it’s done, just cook at 450°F for about half the time you need to bake it regularly. I did mine for 7 mins before lowering the temp and adding the lemon filling. Recipe for that in next post :)
From my experience, achieving the perfect pie crust is all about the texture of your dough and handling it properly. Using cold ingredients, especially the shortening or butter, helps create those flaky layers we all love in a crust. I find that cutting the fat into pea-sized pieces ensures the right consistency and prevents the dough from becoming too dense. Adding distilled white vinegar is a clever trick that tenderizes the dough without altering flavor. Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes is essential—it helps relax the gluten and makes rolling out much easier. When mixing the water and vinegar liquid into the dry ingredients, adding it one tablespoon at a time is key to avoid a sticky mess. If your dough feels too dry, a tiny extra splash of cold water can make all the difference. Also, pre-baking or “blind baking” the crust for about 7 minutes at 450°F before adding your filling is a helpful tip to avoid soggy bottoms, especially for juicy or custard pies. Covering the dough with plastic wrap or using a reusable silicone bowl cover keeps it from drying out in the fridge. For best results, I recommend using a pastry blender for cutting in the butter or shortening—it speeds up the process and gives better control over the crumb size compared to using forks or knives. If you prefer a richer flavor, sweet cream butter works beautifully, but vegetable shortening gives a slightly crisper texture. This pie crust is a fantastic base for endless recipes, whether you’re making fruit pies, savory quiches, or cream pies. Give it a try, and you’ll see how homemade crust elevates your baking to the next level!