Pie Crust

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2003

Show: Good EatsEpisode: I Pie

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (107)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(107)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
1 (9-inch) piecrust

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 1 hr 0 min
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 1 hr 40 min

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Ingredients

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) butter, chilled
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lard, chilled
6 ounces (approximately 1 cup) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup ice water, in spritz bottle
Approximately 32 ounces of dried beans, for blind baking

Directions

Place butter and lard in freezer for 15 minutes. When ready to use, remove and cut both into small pieces.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt by pulsing 3 to 4 times. Add butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until texture looks mealy. Add lard and pulse another 3 to 4 times. Remove lid of food processor and spritz surface of mixture thoroughly with water. Replace lid and pulse 5 times. Add more water and pulse again until mixture holds together when squeezed. Place mixture in large zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, and then press into a rounded disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place 2 metal pie pans in the refrigerator to chill.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Cut along 2 sides of the plastic bag, open bag to expose dough, and sprinkle both sides with flour. Cover again with plastic and roll out with a rolling pin to a 10 to 11-inch circle. Open plastic again and sprinkle top of dough with flour. Remove pie pans from refrigerator and set first pan on top of dough. Turn everything upside down and peel plastic from bottom of dough. Place second pan upside down on top of dough and flip again. Remove first pan from atop dough. Trim edges if necessary, leaving an edge for meringue to adhere to. Poke holes in dough and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Place a large piece of parchment paper on top of dough and fill with dry beans. Press beans into edges of dough and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove parchment and beans and continue baking until golden in color, approximately 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool completely before filling.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Pie Crust
Elizabeth Harrisonburg, VA 12-26-2009
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first homemade pie crust and it was yummy!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I loved using the food processor and thought everything was really easy. I didn't have lard, so I used Crisco instead. I... followed the recipe and was rewarded with very flaky crust for our pumpkin pie. Since we were baking our pie, I didn't prebake the crust with the beans. Next time I'd probably use more butter and less Crisco since it was a little too flaky for me. However considering it was the first time I had ever made pie dough- absolutely awesome and is close to my grandma's!Read more
recipe Pie Crust
Samantha Yuba City, CA 12-23-2009
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The ONLY pie crust recipe!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Turns out perfect every time, provided you follw the directions. Look no further this one is the only pie crust recipe you... will ever need.Read more
recipe Pie Crust
Sabrina Wichita, KS 11-28-2009
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First time pie crust maker
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This is the first time I've ever made a pie crust...this crust was really easy and tasted great!
recipe Pie Crust
m tucson, AZ 11-27-2009
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disaster
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

Made a lot of pies in my 63 years...but this was a disaster...tasted like lard..where is that butter taste...crumbled not... crisp...I don't know what I did wrong ...I usually just make pie with a crust cutter...I used the food processor for this as the recipe stated...I reviewed the recipe can't see what I could have done wrong....roll out was horrid too...I could have put up with all the bother...if it had tasted better than the name brand already rolled out variety that starts with P. the taste is just plain horrid.Read more
recipe Pie Crust
Lori Arroyo Grande, CA 11-27-2009
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BEST PIE CRUST I'VE EVER HAD!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I know lemon meringue pie isn't Thanksgiving-like, but I made Alton's lemon pie using this crust recipe. Being waaaaay... overtired, husband and kids in bed, I attempted this pie at about 2 a.m. the day of Thanksgiving (with my trusty Dachshund at my side). I rolled it out all caty-wompus and had to piece together the dough in the pie shell. I was sure I had ruined it from "overhandling," but NOOOOOOO. It was perfect, Alton. Flavorful, flaky, perfectly golden and tender. I've read some other pie reviews where folks said NEVER to use a food processor for pie crust. Well I did use the processor and it couldn't have been easier or the outcome more perfect. Thank you so much!Read more
recipe Pie Crust
Kerrie Baldwin, NY 11-26-2009
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My family loves this recipe
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I use this recipe every year for my holiday pies. The crust stays flaky and crisp. It's a bit of work, but worth the time... and effort.Read more