Pie Crust Recipe With Shortening and Butter
There’s nothing better than a homemade flaky pie crust recipe with shortening and butter. This is the best pie crust recipe and it’s easier to make than you think.
Homemade Pie Crust
Making my own homemade pie crust from scratch really used to make me nervous. I always seemed to mess up on the recipe and the crust would come out too hard, too thick, or terrible tasting.
But, this is the flakiest crust made with simple ingredients, easy to make, and perfect for pecan pies, fruit pies, or just about any type of pie.
Shortening And Butter
Pie crusts can be made in many different ways, but I love a pie crust that is flaky. Shortening will help keep the pie crust together and butter will help make it flaky.
Butter is also going to give the pie crust a tad bit of flavor, where shortening doesn’t add any flavor. But, the combination of the two ingredients will help give you the best pie crust.
If you plan to make a lattice top, adding the butter will help make the top flaky, as well.
Perfect Pie Crust Ingredients
Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Cold butter, cubed
- Vegetable shortening
- Ice cold water
Step-By-Step Instructions For Pie Crust Recipe With Shortening And Butter
Start by adding the flour to a large bowl.
Next, add the salt and whisk the flour mixture together so the salt gets incorporated.
Next, add the cubed butter.
TIP: If you want a flaky crust, make sure the butter is cold. Once the pie crust starts cooking, the butter will begin to melt and the water in the butter will be released into the crust, making it more doughy.
If the butter is cold, it won’t melt as fast and will create a flaky pie crust.
It’s all scientific, but delish.
Add the shortening to the bowl.
Mix the ingredients with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles the size of small peas and coarse crumbs.
If you don’t have a dough cutter, you can use a couple of sharp knives to do the cutting and mixing.
Another option is to use a food processor to do the work. Just make sure you don’t cut the butter and shortening too small when mixing.
Get some ice water ready. I usually get a small cup with some ice and water and let it get really cold before using it.
Add one tablespoon of ice water at a time. Once you add the water, mix it a little with a fork or your hands. Then continue to add the water one tablespoon at a time until the dough sticks together when squeezed between your hands.
TIP: Ice water is another must for a flaky pie. You’re going to use ice water because you don’t want warm water to melt the butter and create a doughy pie crust.
Squeeze the pie dough together with your hands and create a ball of dough.
TIP: It’s perfectly fine if the dough is flaky and falls apart a little. You don’t want the dough to be so sticky that it sticks to your hands and everything else.
Next, wrap up the pie crust in some plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Once the 30 minutes are up, take the pie crust out of the fridge. Generously sprinkle some flour on the counter top and roll out the dough.
I will place the pie pan over the crust once I have it rolled out to make sure I have rolled it out wide enough and have at least an inch overhang.
I roll it out to about a 12-inch circle (not that it always comes out to a perfect circle as you can see above).
For this recipe, I use a 9-inch pie plate, which is the typical pie size.
You can see little bits of butter in the pie crust above which is going to help it come out nice and flaky.
Place dough into the pie pan and trim the edges of the dough, or fold the edge under.
Take a fork and poke some holes on the bottom of the pie crust and around the sides.
The reason for poking holes is that it will keep the pie crust from bubbling up as it cooks.
For the edges, take your fingers and press them together to create a fluted side.
Your pie is ready to add your pie filling and bake!
This recipe will create a single-crust pie, but if you’d like to create a lattice top, you can make a double crust pie by repeating the steps, and slicing with a pizza cutter or knife.
Then, add the top crust lattice design and brush the top with an egg wash before baking to get a shiny and flaky top.
It’s the perfect crust!
Homemade Pies
- Easy pecan pie recipe
- Blueberry pie with frozen blueberries
- Butterscotch pie
- Buttermilk pie recipe
- Chocolate pie recipe
Pie Crust Recipe With Shortening and Butter
Ingredients
- 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup cold butter cubed
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 2-4 tablespoons of ice-cold water
Instructions
- Add flour and salt to a large bowl and whisk.
- Next, add the cubed butter and shortening and cut in with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles little peas and course crumbles.
- Add one tablespoon of ice-cold water at a time and mix with a fork.
- Continue to add the water until the dough can be squeezed together with your hands.
- Roll the dough into a ball and place it in some plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- When ready to roll out the dough, add some flour to your counter and place the dough on the flour.
- Roll the dough with a rolling pin until you reach a circle that is about 12-inches wide.
- Place the crust into a pie shell and trim edges of dough or fold edge under.
- Take a fork and poke a few holes around the bottom and sides.
- Use your fingers to create a fluted pie crust edge.
- Add pie filling and bake as the pie recipe directs.
Can I leave the crust 8n the fridge overnight before baking?
I think that would be fine. 🙂
Hi. Help! What did I do wrong? The crust broke apart when I tried to roll it out. It was very stiff. I doubled everything because I used it for a 9 x 13 dish for cobbler. I made it twice. I basically placed crust pieces in the bottom and top.
Hi Pat, you might have mixed it too much, or overworked it. Sometimes that can happen. Were you still able to use it?
Yes I used it. It is crumbly and taste flourey (if that’s a word). I might have to go back to the Pillsbury ready crust. I so wanted to make my own.
I’m happy to say i made this pie crust tonight and it turned out amazing!!! Best pie crust i have ever made so flakey and tender.I was a little worried because i did not have cube butter so i used 1/4 cup margarine,it did not seem to matter it turned out awesome. The dough was easy to work with.I put in my 9in.pie pan, I placed in 400 oven until golden brown.Then i filled it with my pineapple pie filling this was the best Pineapple cream pie i have ever tasted even down to the crust.Thanks so much for this great pie crust recipe.Sandra C.
Hi Sandra! That’s so awesome to hear! You made my day!!
The recipe is good, but it has no mention of temperature or baking time.
Hi Sahara, Great point! I didn’t add one because it can be cooked in different ways. If you wanted to cook the pie crust first, you would cook it at 425-degrees for approx. 10-15 minutes. Some pies, such as a blueberry pie are made with the filling and then baking. So, it would depend on the recipe. I will go in and notate it, though. Thanks!
Lately I’ve been having problems with my pie crust. I’m bound and determine I’m going to solve this problem. I’ve also wondered if it really helps if you put vinegar in yourpie crust. Thanks alot
I hope this recipe helps! I just read that vinegar helps keep gluten from developing and creates a more flaky crust. I would assume it’s a small amount. Maybe one to two tablespoons. I would use the apple cider vinegar.
Also I wondered if it’s best to bake pie crust at a high temp like at 425 or 375.
Hi Christine, if you are baking the pie before adding anything you will want to bake it at 475 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. If you are baking it as a fruit pie or adding the pie before baking you will need to follow the directions from the recipe.
I made this tonight and doubled the receipe. I did add about 1/2 tablespoon of sugar and it turned out amazing. Ty
That’s great to hear! Sugar is always a delicious addition!
No holes in the bottom you want the pie to bubble up, a few slits in the top or lattice style-
Put the crust in the pan while it’s soft, then refrigerate it.
I made this yesterday and quadrupled the recipe. It was so easy to roll out straight from the fridge. I did use the maximum amount of water. I made apple and pumpkin pie and both were delicious. My new favorite crust.
That’s great to hear! I love that you were able to quadruple it!
Should the vegetable shortening be cold too, like the butter?
Yes, I would make sure the shortening is cold, as well.
How long do you cook the crust by itself and what temperature? Using it with your other recipe that calls for a prebaked crust.
Hi Yurii,
If you are pre-baking the pie, you will want to bake it at 475 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. Make sure you poke a few holes in the bottom so the pie crust will not bubble up.