14 Pie Crust Recipes That Are Doable for Bakers of All Skill Levels

If you’re intimidated by the thought of homemade pie crust, don’t be! It’s actually a cinch to make. The keys are keeping your ingredients well-chilled and avoiding over-mixing. Do those two things and your dough will be much easier to work with as you roll it, crimp the edges and blind bake your crust. Not to mention, it will bake up tender and flaky. There are lots of tricks for turning out the perfect pie crust but Ina’s is simple: a combination of butter and shortening for the best flavor and texture. (Pro tip: Use leftover pieces of dough to make pie dough crackers, so none of it goes to waste).

A perfectly delicious, flaky homemade pie crust isn't out of reach. In fact, you don't even need a food processor to make this version by the Elsen sisters, who own the famed Four and Twenty Blackbirds pie shop in Brooklyn.

We love this dough for making the lattice crust for many reasons. The combination of shortening and butter makes the dough incredibly easy to work with and forgiving when cutting and weaving. Plus, the added vodka provides tenderness and depth of flavor, making it perfect for a variety of pie fillings.

Everyone needs a go-to pie crust recipe — one they can count on for everything from fruit pies to cream pies. We like Carla's version. It's simple — and yields a buttery, no-fail crust every time. Carla's tip for the flakiest results? "Make sure all the ingredients are cold."

This all-butter pie dough is extra flaky and tender, thanks to the chilled vodka and our easy folding technique. Stacking the pieces of dough repeatedly takes minor extra effort, and the result is a puff pastry-like texture that is definitely worth it. You'll want to make this dough for every pie — all year round.

Unrefined virgin or extra-virgin coconut oil gives this pie dough the same flakiness that butter does. Plus, it's more forgiving to work with: You don't have to worry about it getting too soft or melting while you're rolling out your crust.

We use vodka in this pie dough to make it extra flaky and tender. (Don't worry, the booze cooks off and leaves no taste behind.)

Alton's tips for premade pie crust success? Mise en place — or, the idea of putting everything in it's place before you start baking. Before you begin, gather your ingredients and equipment — and measure all your ingredients in advance. Once this pie crust is baked, you can hold it at room temperature for up to 3 days.

This pie crust couldn't be easier to make. You can weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale or measure them out with cup and spoons (whatever you prefer) and then simply pulse in the food processor until the dough forms. After a short chill in the refigerator, your homemade dough will be ready to use.

There are two secrets to great pie crust. One: Work cold. You want cold flours, cold fats and cold water. Be patient in between steps when you have to refrigerate or freeze here. It's worth the wait. Two: You will see that this recipe is written in ounces for accuracy. You want 9 ounces of combined flours, 6 ounces of fats and 3 ounces of water. It's a classic 3-2-1 ratio for pie crust, just like the gluten-based ones.

Why buy a store-bought graham cracker crust when you can make one at home in under 30 minutes — and with just 3 simple ingredients?

The key to perfect all-butter pie dough is to keep the ingredients (and dough) from getting too warm. We use well-chilled butter and ice water when we're mixing up the dough — and give it plenty of rest in the refigerator between steps.

Mixing pie crust by hand (without a countertop or handheld mixer) helps keep it tender and flaky since it's easier to avoid over-mixing.