If you adore a flaky pie crust (and who doesn't?), then this Crisco pie crust is the one for you! Includes the classic Crisco pie crust recipe, as well as an adapted deep dish pie crust version...
Crisco Pie Crust
Making a basic pie crust should be easy, shouldn't it? I mean this Crisco pie crust recipe only calls for three pantry staple ingredients, plus some cold water...
It seems like it should be simple enough to mix them together, roll out the pastry dough, and transfer it to a pie plate. All that's left is to fill it with something tasty, bake it, and voila - a delicious pie!
Crisco Pie Crust Recipe Ingredients
flour, Crisco shortening, and salt
3-Ingredient Pie Crust
So why do so many of us find this 3-ingredient pie crust so darn intimidating? For me, personally, it's my inner perfectionist whispering that I didn't roll it out just right.
It's a little lopsided, with a thicker crust on one side and thinner on the other. Or perhaps it tore down the center as I was trying to situate it in the pie plate.
But then the practical side butts in and says, "Who really cares"?!? All that matters in the end is that it tastes good!" And you know what? It's true.
We're not trying to win any blue ribbons here, and keeping it real in the kitchen is all about trying new things and having fun while doing it. Sometimes you'll nail it! And sometimes it will flop horribly...
But a little success rarely comes without a lot of failure - trust me.
Crisco Pie Crust Recipe
Ready to give it a shot? This is the Crisco pie crust recipe that we've traditionally used in my family, most often at Thanksgiving for my homemade pumpkin pies.
As an aside... I always thought it was my step-grandmother's creation, so imagine my surprise when I recently saw the exact recipe printed inside a box of Crisco shortening sticks! I've included the original Crisco pie crust recipe, plus my adaptation which makes enough dough for two deep dish pie crusts.
Printable Recipe ↓
Classic Crisco Pie Crust
Ingredients
Classic Crisco Double Pie Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour - sifted
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup Crisco shortening - chilled
- 3 to 6 tablespoons ice water
Deep Dish Double Crisco Pie Crust
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour - sifted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Crisco shortening - chilled
- 6 to 10 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Blend flour and salt in a stand mixer bowl. Cut the chilled Crisco shortening into 4 or 5 pieces and add to the bowl.
- Using the flat beater, turn to stir speed and cut shortening into the flour until the particles are size of small peas, about 30 seconds.
- Gradually add ice cold water one tablespoon at a time until all particles are moistened. Use only enough water to make the pastry form a ball. Depending on a variety of factors, you may not need to use the full amount or you may need slightly more. Watch the dough closely as over mixing will result in a tough crust.
- Form the dough into two equal size ½-inch thick disks and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
- Roll to ⅛" thickness between pieces of parchment paper until you have a circle slightly larger than the circumference of your pie plate.
- Gently fold the pie pastry into quarters. Ease it into the pie plate and unfold, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim and crimp edges.
- Fill and bake according to the specific pie recipe you're using. If your recipe calls for a pre-baked pie crust, see recipe notes for how to blind bake a crisco pie crust.
Marylyn says
Love this receipe use it all the time my grandmother used lard I used to till I tried recepie for crisco thank you crisco
Brian says
This is by far the worst recipe for pie crust that I've came by in years.
PAT says
EASY TO MAKE BAKES GOLDEN TASTES GREAT
Rick says
I tried Crisco's deep-dish double crust recipe that uses 2-2/3 cups flour and 1 cup shortening. It was a complete failure. Even after refrigerating the crust for an hour it fell apart so badly I could barely use it. I ended up remaking it using 3 cups flour and 3/4 cup shortening and the result was tender, flaky and crispy crust that held together and was easy to work with. Everyone loved it. If you've had problems with Crisco's online recipe don't hesitate to give this one a try — it worked great for me! BTW: you'll also need to use a few Tbsp more ice water since this adjusted recipe uses more flour. Just add the ice water a Tbsp or two at a time and toss/stir until the flour/shortening mixture just starts to form bigger clumps. Then press it together with your hands, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
Carmel says
My mom taught me this recipe 75 years ago. I’ve made a lot of pies since then. All of them flakey. Like yours, they often split or tore. I’ve tried many recipes to get a crust easy to handle but the flavor and texture suffered. This is my piecrust recipe.
Hogarth says
I used this exact pie crust recipe you've posted - which is actually the one written on the Crisco package - and my crust came out too crumbly, the whole house smelled of burning Crisco instead of a delicious pie, and the taste was dreadful - too salty and greasy. The crust just fell apart.
I would recommend using a half-cup of Crisco, and 1/2 tsp of salt - 3/4 cup of shortening and 3/4 tsp of salt are both too much. You'll have a disaster on your hands.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Hogarth! Yes, the ingredients are the same as the recipe on the Crisco package; however, the amounts and instructions differ. If your crust turns out too crumbly, that is typically a sign that too little water was added. Be sure to hydrate the flour with enough cold water to get the dough to stick together. The amount of water you add can vary each time you make the dough, depending on the humidity on the day you're preparing it. If you prefer a sweeter pie crust, you might try adding a tablespoon of granulated sugar to your dough, as mentioned by Short N' Sweets custom cakes in a previous comment.
One last thing, take care to make sure you are measuring the Crisco properly. I used the sticks instead of measuring from a can when making the crusts for my Thanksgiving pies this year, and I accidentally added 2 cups of Crisco instead of just one! There are two different sets of measurements on the foil wrapper, and it's very easy to glance at the wrong one when you're in a time crunch. Had to toss that batch and start over...
Gw says
Is this recipe for a 9” or 8” pie?
Tara Kuczykowski says
This will make two 9” single crusts or one 9” double crust.
Susan says
This sounds crazy, but this is a fabulous substitution for the water. Use Vodka that has become ice cold in your freezer. It won’t freeze, it’s alcohol. Use it in place of the water. As it bakes, the alcohol evaporates and creates small pockets of air, thus amazing flaky crust. You cannot taste the vodka, there is no alcohol left and no one will ever know you used it.. it’s wonderful! My Mother made it this way and I have been doing it for years and years. It never fails!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Not crazy at all, Susan! I've actually heard of this before but haven't tried it myself. Might just have to make a couple more pumpkin pies to see the results for myself. I'm sure my kids won't be mad!!
Chris says
Instead of going to the trouble of chilling everything just use ingredients as they are. Then once the dough is made form it into patties, wrap with plastic wrap and put in fridge for at least an hour or even overnight. Also mix dry ingredients before adding water until the crisco forms little pebble sized pieces.
It has worked perfect every time.
Tara Kuczykowski says
If you're comfortable doing it this way, you totally can! I just find that using chilled Crisco helps prevents me from over mixing the dough.
Short N' Sweets custom cakes says
I tried this recipe many years ago and to this day it's the only recipe I will use! I highly recommend trying it! I also add in 1 table spoon sugar with my flour and salt and mix my dry ingredients before adding in my shortening. I give it 5 out of 5 stars!
Tara Kuczykowski says
I will try adding the sugar next time I make it. Thanks for the tip!
Bernadette Green says
@Tara Kuczykowski, Baby boomer finally learning how to make pie crust. Tired of purchasing them at Walmart here in the Pgh, Pa. area.
I'll also add your suggestion of sugar. Glad I spotted your comment
before.
Cheryl-lynn says
@Bernadette Green,
Mom has used this recipe for years, but what she would do in making the crust, she used two butter knives cutting up the crisco, once it was pea size she would put the. Lid on her Tupperware bowl and. Just start shaking the bowl till a ball formed. She would divide the ball of dough into two and wrap it in sceran wrap and chill for an HR.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Love tips like these! A food processor is nice but not necessary.
Lee says
@Tara Kuczykowski,
Someone suggested adding both 1Tbsp sugar and a little cinnamon to your dough. The dough is flavorless until you doctor it up a little.
Ellen says
Made this pie crust for my husband's birthday. Coconut Cream pie. I pre-baked the crust and added the cream filling. Best crust ever. It tasted like my Grandma made it! 5 Stars!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Sounds amazing, Ellen! It's been awhile since I've had a good coconut cream pie.
linda d williams says
@Ellen, its a winner
O says
Thank you for posting this. I am 95 percent sure this is what my mother used to make dough years ago for her fried beef pies. All I could remember was flour, Crisco and water. The left over scraps were used for dumplings for making chicken and dumplings or blueberry dumplings.
If anyone is interested the beef pies where made from small cubed meat, seasoned, cooked, drained and cooled. Folded into a half moon shaped pies (fold the dough over the filling use a bowl to cut the edges then pinched with egg yoke to help seal it). They were the size of a palm and then just fried in oil until the outside was golden and crispy.
Blue berry dumplings were simply blue berries cooked down with vanilla extract, white sugar and I believe a bit of water. The left over flour dough was cut up into pieces and added at the end and simmered until done. Nothing fancy, just a very simple home made dessert.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Thanks for sharing! Both the blueberry dumplings and beef pies sound delicious. My mom always rolled out the scraps, sprinkled them heavily with cinnamon and sugar, and then rolled them back into a log. Then she'd slice them into pinwheels and baked them. They were like crispy little cinnamon rolls — so delicious!
Short N' Sweets custom cakes says
@Tara Kuczykowski,
That's exactly what my mother did with the scraps and now what I do with the scraps for my 2 little ones. Its so delicious and so simple!
LTLisa says
@Tara Kuczykowski, Ha ha!! My friend Stef ONLY wants the pinwheels, not the pie! For her birthday I make her a bag full! But I do them fancy, shaped like palmiers
O says
@Tara Kuczykowski,
Sorry for the late reply. That sounds delicious, going to try that soon. Happy holidays~
Olene says
I attempted to make the Classic Crisco Pie Crust for Thanksgiving.
I followed the recipe. The roll-out was a disaster; the dough split and crumbled, making it impossible to get in the pie pan. WHAT'S WRONG?????
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Olene! It's so frustrating when this happens with a pie crust. It sounds like you probably needed a little bit more water. Also, this is why I recommend rolling the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper. Then you can just peel one side off and use the other to transfer it to the pie plate. If the dough seems like it's sticking, you can place it back in the refrigerator to chill again before transferring it.
Wendy says
@Olene, I always let my pie crust hydrate for 20 minutes in refrigerator before I roll it out. That gives the water time to saturate the flour. If your pie crust is really dry, you can always add more water, a teaspoon at time. It should be able to form ball before you roll it out.
Nina says
@Olene, I've been making pie crusts for 40 years and decided to try Crisco. I too had the same issue and used 8 TLB of water and still problems. Going to try and add a bit more shortening next time or go back to my sour cream recipe.
Joe says
@Olene,
Just commenting....I used to work at a dough facility and was taught that there are several types of wheat that manufacture flour out there. (Spring wheat, winter wheat). One can be drier than another. Don't follow a recipe as gospel as you don't know which type of wheat made your flour.
Leeann Ortegon says
Finally a recipe that has baking directions for a bake pie shell! There has been 3 generations of Crisco pie crusts plus now me making it 4.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Happy to help, Leeann! What a wonderful tradition to pass on.
Tina says
Thank you I has a recipe Book by Crisco years ago , I moved an lost it . The Book had a white jacket with pictures on it , bought it in the late 1977to1980 .loved it .