Never Fail Pie Crust

Becky Miles
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 158 Feedbacks

blind baked pie shell A friend shared this recipe with me years ago. The ingredients sounded so strange to me, but I gave it a try. I am so glad I did. It is so flaky and delicious. It is very versatile. I use it for pie crusts, quiches, hand-held chicken pot pies, etc. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked for the recipe. It really is that good.

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 double or 5 single pie crusts

Source: Dorothy Hall

Ingredients:

4 cups flour
1 3/4 cup shortening (I use the butter-flavored one)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup cold water
1 egg

Steps:

Mix together the flour, shortening, sugar, and salt til crumbly. You can use a pastry cutter or a fork.

In a separate bowl, beat vinegar, egg, and water.

Pour wet mixture into flour mix. Mix with spoon til combined.

Form into balls. Wrap in plastic wrap.

Chill at least 15 minutes before using. Can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
You can blind bake your crust, baking it before you add the filling, for cream pies or fresh fruit pies. Roll out your dough on a floured surface. I like to roll it out on a pizza pan, to get a uniform shape.

Place dough into pan. Create your edges however you like.

Put wax paper on top of the crust. Fill the pie crust with pie weights or dry beans. I use a pound of black beans. Once done, I keep them in a baggie for the next time I make a pie crust.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 5 minutes. Take out of the oven. Remove the wax paper and beans. It's easiest to grab all 4 corners of the wax paper and lift it all out. Pierce the bottom of your crust with a fork.

Return to the oven and bake 10 more minutes, til golden brown.

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Donna Anderson

April 12, 20153 found this helpful

Been doing this crust for years. It's called a Vinegar Crust. Every bit of the pie gets eaten. Just love it. I leave out the sugar if the crust is going to be used for a meat pie.

Anonymous

June 6, 20161 found this helpful

been doing this crust for years......if you have a problem rolling... just piece it and it will be fine.....bring up sides and cuff your hand and use your fingers to bring it up and then just pinch around the edges.

Esther B.

April 12, 20151 found this helpful

Haven't baked a pie for eons; with this recipe, could do it!

melissa
Silver Post Medal for All Time! 293 Posts

April 15, 20151 found this helpful

Thumbs up!

neuroticmom
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 115 Feedbacks

May 13, 20151 found this helpful

I often use an oil one pan crust but I am intrigued by this one with the egg and vinegar. I will have to try it! Thanks for posting.

April

April 13, 20161 found this helpful

This is exactly what I was looking for, only I heard you can roll it while it's still in the plastic wrap. I'm going to try it.

bonnie

May 9, 20191 found this helpful

Is that crisco lard, what other fat cld. i use?

Anonymous

May 9, 20190 found this helpful

Crisco shortening.

Jess
Silver Post Medal for All Time! 267 Posts

May 10, 20190 found this helpful

Shortening is the same as Crisco. A lot of people use butter in pie crusts but you may need to find another recipe to see how much to use.

Do let us know how it turns out for you.

Anonymous

May 9, 20190 found this helpful

I do the blind crust (as you call it) with just the beans to hold the crust down. It is not a good idea to use the wax paper, and it is not needed here.

The wax is not toxic but it is wise not to eat any foods affected by the wax after it has melted at high temperature.

houseofhellmissing

May 9, 20190 found this helpful

never thought of using butter flavor. thanks. use this receipe for years

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