A pie with a classic American pie crust – and more specifically, a fruit pie – just might be my favorite dessert. It is that combination of sweet, juicy fruit with a tender, flaky and buttery crust that can take me back to my father’s February birthday (always celebrated with a cherry pie) or a summer picnic in the heat and the humidity of midwest in one bite.
I grew up as my mother’s sous chef when it was pie prep time (mostly just wanting to eat the extra raw dough) and even though I watched her time and time again, once I branched out on my own and tried to make it myself…failure. It either didn’t roll out correctly or slumped in the oven or was a wet soggy mess.
Eventually I had had enough. I made it my mission to find a foolproof and reliable way to make a pie crust no matter where I was. My qualifications were: had to have all butter (as the Crisco Mom used was just too expensive and hard to find), had to roll out easily and had to consistently hold its structure when baking.
>Want to see the video? Watch here 
What makes a good, flaky American pie crust?
Understanding that everyone has their own preferences, I do think there are some basic agreed-upon principles of what makes a good American pie crust: Good taste, good amount of flakiness and holds its shape
- Good taste: there HAS to be a flavor to that crust. Otherwise, it does not hold it’s weight when combined with the filling to create a great dessert. Mom always used Crisco for part of the fat because it has a higher melting point than butter and as such is easier to work with. The problem? No flavor. Butter DOES have flavor plus it is much easier to find in general, and in many cases, less expensive. So, I knew I needed to work with an all butter crust.
- Good flakiness: Let’s face it – if a pie crust is not flaky, it’s not an American pie crust. Thus, it’s not a pie. It’s something else. So, the crust must have those super thin and golden brown layers that create endless crumbs everywhere but make a to-die-for texture. That means that I had to have the right butter to flour to water ratio and bake at the right temperature.
- Holds its shape: this goes without saying, but if the crust edge falls while baking or the top crust melts into a mess then that is a no-go. Part of the beauty of pies is their recognizable form with a crunch edge and beautiful golden top. This meant that I had to be sure that both the raw dough and oven temperatures were spot-on.
The 4 keys to a consistently successful crust
After many – and I mean MANY – trials and failures, I have found that there are four key points to keep in mind in order to have pie crust success every time, no matter where you are baking from:
1. Keep everything cold…and I mean COLD
You want to keep the butter as cold as possible throughout the entire mixing process. By doing that, you keep it from melting so that when the cold butter hits the hot oven, the water in the butter is shocked into becoming steam. Then, think back to your elementary science classes: hot air expands. So, the steam then separates the butter fat into those layers which become flaky and crispy as the starch in the flour sets and turns golden brown.
So, I keep all of my utensils and bowls in the refrigerator while I’m prepping my ingredients. Once those are ready, they go back in the fridge, too. And if it’s particularly warm in the kitchen, I put the butter into the freezer for a bit. Everything stays there until it’s time to use it!
2. Use a food processor
For me, this really is the key to consistently and easily making a flaky pie crust.
For you science nerds out there: By using a food processor to turn part of the flour and the butter into a paste, you are protecting the gluten in the flour with the fat from the butter. That means when you add the water, the gluten will be protected from being activated and overworked. As well, the processor makes everything go faster, keeping the butter nice and cold…shout out to point 1.
So, start with most of the flour, the sugar and salt, then add your cold, cubed butter and process it on medium high until it forms a paste. Break that paste into smaller pieces, put it back into the processor, add the remaining flour, then use quick pulses until you have a mostly cornmeal-like texture. You should see some larger chunks of butter and that’s good! Those will create those layers we want.
Important note: the gluten in this second round of flour is what will be activated by the flour which is important to keep the dough from falling apart. Gluten is a binder, so we need some of it! Just not too much.
>Don’t have a food processor? Don’t worry—you absolutely can make this crust by hand; it just takes a bit more attention when mixing up. I have a separate video showing you how to do it the old-fashioned way—just like Mom used to–and also shows you special techniques for a single crust pie. Check that video out here.
3. Work with a purpose (i.e. quickly, but paying attention)
You don’t want to rush blindly through the process, but as we’re trying to keep the butter cold, don’t take your time either. Work as fast as you can while still paying attention to the look and texture of the dough at each stage.
If at any point you feel like the butter is starting to warm up, stop. Put everything back in the fridge or even freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to let it cool down. The more the butter melts, the more it lets out water which will start activating the gluten.
Speaking of water, add the cold water a little bit at a time to the cornmeal mixture, starting with just 2 or 3 tablespoons sprinkled over the entire dough. Gently toss and add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, keeping an eye on the look and feel of the dough: it will be ready just when it sticks together when pressed with a spatula. You will likely still see some dry patches, that is ok! If you catch it starting to actually look wet, STOP. You may have added too much water, but it could still be saved.
4. A final chill-out before baking
After the food processor, this might be the most important step for me.
Once you’ve rolled, shaped and filled and topped your pie, chill it before baking. This comes straight back to my second point of always keeping everything, especially the butter, as cold as possible.
You can freeze it or refrigerate it, it really doesn’t matter. If it’s in the fridge, give it at least 30 minutes to rest. If it’s in the freezer, at least 15 minutes. Personally, I prefer the freezer but that is normally because I am on a time schedule and the freezer just works faster!
As I mentioned before, the sudden heat causes the water in the cold butter to turn to steam to help set those flaky layers quickly. If the butter is warm and already somewhat melty, the butterfat has a chance to melt out before the structure is set and send your beautiful crust sliding down the sides of the pie plate. (In full disclosure I’ve skipped this step when I’ve been in a rush and it has never ended well. Thus warranting a separate line item!)
Rolling and shaping the crust
Even after following the above four points, there are still a few things to keep in mind when rolling out and shaping your crust:
- Keep your work surface and dough floured well. Any sticking will cause you to work more with the dough and that means you will activate the gluten more as the butter warms up. This could create a tough crust or one that shrinks when baked.
- Continually rotate the dough when rolling. I turn the dough one quarter turn after every roll to try to keep the circle it started in. The more round it is, the easier it will be to shape it in the pie plate.
- Create an even thickness. I totally cheat and use a rolling pin that has spacers on the end to keep my crust super even when rolling it out. An uneven crust means either working the dough more (see Tip 3!) or risking one side being overly done while the other may still be soggy. I have found the sweet spot to be about 3mm or ⅛ inch in thickness.
- A lattice top for an easy step-up look. Once you have gotten your bottom crust nicely tucked in and filled that with your fruit filling of choice, consider a lattice for your top crust. I feel like it makes the pie look that much more impressive with a minimal amount of work. It’s not difficult: cut the second dough circle into 8-10 strips, take the two longest and make a cross that is exactly centered. One by one, add one another strip to each of the four axes of the cross, being sure to keep the over/under pattern of a lattice. I always leave space between each strip so you can see the filling. Personally, I like the look of the fruit bubbling up between the crust but it also makes it easier to watch when baking and know when it is done. Aggressive bubbling = time to come out!
Tips and Troubleshooting for an American pie crust
To help you get to that pie crust perfection, here are the top problems that can arise while mixing – and even when baking – and what to do:
Flour and butter are not forming a paste
Problem: Hasn’t processed enough or too much flour
Solution: turn the processor to a higher speed and let it continue, or add a bit more cold butter (15 grams or 1 tablespoon at a time)
Dough has reformed a paste after pulsing
Problem: Too much processing
Solution: Not much, but you can try adding more flour and gently pulse to create a cornmeal texture
Cornmeal mixture is too dry
Problem: Not enough water
Solution: Add a bit more water, 10ml at a time and gently tossing the mixture until it sticks together
Cornmeal mixture is too wet
Problem: Too much water added
Solution: Nothing 😣 Start again!
Dough is cracking when rolled
Problem: Not hydrated enough or too cold
Solution: Let dough warm up for 10 minutes, have a bit of water ready to use as “glue” to pull cracks back together when rolling out
Crust is noticeable shrinking when baking (for a single crust only)
Problem: Dough is overworked or butter warmed up too much before baking
Solution: Unfortunately, not much. Use the crust, but with less filling for a mini pie
Ready to conquer that pie crust? I have all the exact measurements and step by step instructions ready for you on its own recipe page. CLICK HERE to get started!
Let me know how it goes, and I really do hope that you are able to master this recipe so you too can feel confident making an American pie abroad.
