A few secret ingredients come together in this perfect pie crust recipe. So tender and flaky, you’ll never use another pie crust recipe again!
I confess, I’m a little intimidated when it comes to making pie crust. Or at least, I was, until I tried this recipe for Grandma’s Secret Pie Crust.
This isn’t my grandma’s recipe, but it’s definitely my go-to pie crust recipe. Although, come to think of it, both of my grandma’s were great cooks, so they probably knew all the secrets for making pie crust.
Their secret ingredients in this recipe are the vinegar and the egg. You don’t see eggs and vinegar in most pie crust recipes.
I don’t know what they do, exactly, but I do know I’ve tried plenty of pie crust recipes without eggs and vinegar, and this one is by far the best!
I’m still not great at rolling out a crust and fitting into a pie pan, but at least I know my crust will be light and flaky. It might not look pretty, but it will be good!
I confess, I don’t always make my pie crusts from scratch. Sometimes I need to save time and I opt for a pre-made crust. The thing is, my family usually can’t tell the difference.
But if I’m making a really special pie for a special occasion, like a birthday, I always go the homemade route.
I’ve also learned that there are certain pies that taste noticeably better with a homemade crust. For example, when I make my Best Banana Cream Pie, I always make the crust from scratch because it makes such a difference!
Even if you don’t make pie crust from scratch all that often, everyone needs a really good pie crust recipe in their baking repertoire.
And Grandma’s Secret Pie Crust is hands-down the best pie crust recipe you’ll ever try!
Here are a few more handy tips for making the perfect pie crust:
- Make sure your butter and water are very cold. I add a some ice to my water, and cut my butter in small pieces and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes before I start making my crust
- For the flakiest crust, once you’ve cut in your butter, finish mixing your pie crust by hand.
- Most pie crust recipes have you refrigerate the dough before rolling, but I find the cold dough is so hard to roll out. I prefer to roll my crust immediately after mixing, then place the crust in a pie pan and chill it. Whichever method you use, don’t skip the chilling step!
- Use a pie crust shield if you’re crust will be in the oven longer than 20 minutes. Otherwise you’ll end up with burnt edges on your pie. I usually remove the shield when my pie has about 15 minutes left to bake so the edges can get nice and golden.
- If you’ll be baking your crust and filling it later (such as for a cream pie), poke the dough all over with a fork before baking. It’s also a good idea to use pie weights or something similar to keep your crust from sliding down the sides of the pie pan. You don’t need anything fancy. I just line my crust with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans.
If you have a food processor, you can use that to cut in the butter, but you’ll still want to add the liquids by hand. This recipe makes enough for two single crust pies, or one double crust pie.
Be sure to save this recipe for Grandma’s Secret Pie Crust to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Grandma’s Secret Pie Crust
- Flour
- Salt
- Butter
- Eggs
- White vinegar
Grandma’s Secret Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups cold butter diced
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 4 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- In large bowl mix flour and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter, or two knives, leaving lumps about the size of peas.
- In a separate bowl, mix together egg, vinegar, and water. Drizzle wet mixture into dry mixture, a little bit at a time, cutting it in. Add just enough liquid that the dough comes together.
- Roll dough to desired size, then place in pie pans (or on a parchment lined baking sheet for a top crust) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. For a pre-baked crust (to be filled after baking, such as for a cream pie) bake for 10-15 minutes, or until just golden. For a pie crust that is baked with filling, bake as indicated in pie recipe.
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Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from allrecipes.com
32 comments
Marilyn
Very similar to my recipe.
Another tip I use: Form that dough into two 1 inch discs instead of 2 thicker discs. Refrigerate for a minimum of 45 minutes, work one disc at a time. Don’t try to roll it out to size all at once, and roll it on a piece of parchment paper a little larger than your final pie plate size. Flour it and your rolling pin well. Refrigerating it helps relax the dough a bit without warming it up. Starting from the center, roll it out a bit, lift up the rolled out edge, and if it is sticking a bit. add more flour under it and the rest of the disc. Move the parchment paper a quarter turn, and continue rolling it out a bit at a time until it is to size. Works well doing it that way.
Temre
This is the best pie crust recipe ever! I have been using this recipe ever since I found it. Thank you for sharing. Now off to make a quiche or 2.
Susan
Can this pie crust be made ahead and frozen?
Fred
Can you use self rising flour or not I want to know because that’s all I have in cupboard
Danelle
Since the pie crust doesn’t include leavening agents, like baking soda, you would probably not want to use self rising flour.
Jerri
Sorry Annie. I’m just seeing the you had already told her about the egg white.
Connie
I use half butter and half crisco in my recipe and add a little bit of sugar and it turns out great but I;m going to try this one next time
Marilyn Watts
I love this recipe as I have always used Tenderflake for my crusts but this is even better. Onee question I would like an answer for is how to keep the bottom crust from getting soggy? I have tried a few ideas but it still gets soggy especially when making fruit pies of lemon meringue.Hope I can get an answer.
Annie
To keep your bottom crust from getting soggy, brush it with egg white. It seals the crust and keeps the filling from making the crust become soggy.
Terrie S
Do you bake the crust before putting the filling in or do you use brush the egg white on, fill and bake?
Danelle
It depends on the kind of pie you are making, but the pie recipe will usually say. If it’s a baked fruit pie, you wouldn’t bake the crust first. If you’re using the crust for a cream pie, you would bake it, cool it, and then fill it. Some baked pies have you bake the crust for 10-15 minutes before filling and baking. I would check the recipe for whatever kind of pie you’re making.
Danelle
Besides pre-baking the crust before you fill it and bake the pie, there isn’t a whole lot you can do. Fruit pies are the worst for a soggy crust! I have you heard if you toss your fruit with sugar, let it sit for 1/2 hour, and then drain off the juices, that helps. But I have never tried it myself.
JoEllen
To avoid a soggy bottom crust, my mother spread a thin layer of cream cheese on it prior to filling the pie. Works great for any type of pie.
Jerri
Try beating an egg white and then brush it on the bottom shell crust. I read it somewhere. Tried it and it worked for me.
Cheryl
Our Grandma’s must of knew each other, after reading the ingredients and how to make this crust, I thought, what, this is my Grandma’s recipe. So I got up and got her hand written recipe and sure enough it is the same. I love this pie recipe, my grandma always said do skip the vinegar and make sure the egg is well beaten.
Thanks for sharing this recipe, now that I have mine pulled out I will be making it.
Danelle
That is awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Rhonda
Thank you can’t to try it cheers
Ruby
Can I use this pastry as a base as well as a topping. Sounds good and I would love to try it – thanks
Danelle
Yes. It makes enough for 2 single crust pies or 2 double crust pie.
ruby
Thank you so much for answering my query – I will now make a pie with pastry under and on topn.
Jackie
Thank you! I’m going to use this recipe for my individual chicken potpies – a recipe I got from allrecipes.com.
Rhonda
What do u mean by all purpose flour, is it plain or self raising? Sorry if it’s a dumb question.
m graves
It should say ‘All Purpose Flour’ on the label, it isn’t self rising flour, it’s used for bread as well as cookies, cakes, pie crusts.
Danelle
Just plain, regular flour.
Bev
My mother made the best pie crusts – always flaky. Mine came out like hockey pucks. Took me a long time before I found out I over-handled the crust and it made them tough. I finally learned to make them in my food processor. Now I don’t hardly need to handle them at all except to roll and place in pans. I haven’t tried or even seen this recipe before. I can’t wait to try it.
mrswilliam
I discovered this recipe 33 yrs ago, a true gem ! I was thrilled to see it on your website, thank you for passing it on!!
Ruby
This recipe for Grandmas pie crust – is this just to line and must it be prebaked and can I have this at the bottom and on the top of the pie. Sounds goo and I would like to try it
Sheila
I seem to fumble around, sometimes getting a good crust and sometimes not. Maybe the vinegar in this one does the trick! I’ll try it with my next pie 🙂
Yadsia @ShopCookMake
I can eat pie crust just by itself. For get the filling!
Sunshine
Mmmmm…I am not good at pie crusts either. But I love to eat it. lol
http://www.cancerinthecity.com
Jennifurla
Looks yummy, I love nibbling off the crust.
Colores
OOOh I am already mouthwatering:-)))