Pie can be a wonderful dessert, especially during the holiday season (yummy pumpkin pie covered in whipped cream, anyone?). However, a soggy pie is a definite buzz kill. After all, who wants to eat a mushy dessert? Luckily, there are many great ways to keep pie crust from getting soggy.
There are many easy ways to keep a pie crust from getting soggy. The best method is to blind-bake or “pre-bake” it. You can add a barrier with an egg wash, bake on a preheated baking sheet on the lower rack, create a slightly thicker crust, and add venting slits.
Hey! My name’s Michelle, and I’m a baker! I have taught myself everything I know, whether it’s how to knead pizza dough or how to keep cookies from spreading. Today, I share my best tips to avoid a soggy pie crust mishap. These are all tried and true methods I’ve used in my baking journey!
Want to know how to keep pie crust from getting soggy? Read on!
7 Great Ways to Keep Pie Crust from Getting Soggy
Soggy pie crust = yucky pie crust. To avoid disappointing your entire family at the upcoming gathering, use these simple tricks to keep your pie crust from becoming soggy and disgusting.
1. Blind Bake
There are a lot of different methods and techniques when it comes to baking. One method you might not have heard of is blind baking. But what exactly is blind baking, and how can it help your pie crust from becoming soggy?
Blind baking, also called pre-baking or par-baking, is the task of baking a pie crust on its own before adding the filling. This is done to prevent sogginess. It’s also essential for certain types of pies that contain fillings that don’t need to be baked, such as mousse.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how to blind bake your pie crust:
- Preheat oven to 425 F
- Place some parchment paper on top of your pie crust
- Add some pie weights on top. You can also use beans or rice.
- Bake your pie for approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is just browned
2. Create a Barrier
Blind baking is the number one way to prevent a soggy pie crust, but it’s not the only method. You can also create a barrier to avoid wet fillings from moisturizing your pie crust, creating a mushy and unappetizing pie.
How do you create a barrier? You have three options.
- You can brush your pie crust with an egg wash (a single beaten egg should do the trick). This works well for all types of pies as the egg won’t interfere with the flavor, yet it will do an excellent job keeping sogginess at bay. After blind-baking, brush the crust with the egg wash, and bake for three more minutes to create a “seal.”
- If you have an egg allergy, corn syrup works well, too. You can brush the crust with the corn syrup once it is done blind-baking.
- The other option is to use chocolate. Obviously, this should only be used for pies that will work well with the flavor of chocolate. You can apply melted chocolate after blind-baking and cooling entirely.
3. Use a Baking Sheet
You probably don’t think you “need” a baking sheet to bake a pie, and in all actuality, you don’t. But if you want to end up with a perfectly flaky and crispy pie crust, I suggest busting out your favorite baking sheet and using it to your advantage.
It’s pretty simple:
- Place the baking sheet in the oven as it preheats
- Once the oven is ready, add your pie dish on top
- Bake as usual
The extra pop of heat will ensure that the pie crust gets nice and crispy before the moisture from the filling can make it mushy. Yum!
4. Drain the Filling
The main reason the pie crust gets soggy is because of the moisture in the fruit. That said, the best way to avoid sogginess is to get rid of moisture at the source – the filling.
Here’s how to do it:
- Toss your preferred fruit with sugar
- Let the sugary fruit sit until the juices begin to come out
- Strain the fruit (keep the juice or toss it)
- Use the fruit as usual
With less moisture to begin with, there’s less chance of your pie crust ending up in a soggy disaster.
5. Bake on a Lower Rack
One problem I see time and time again is people not knowing which rack to bake their items, whether it’s a batch of cookies or a deep-dish pizza. This same dilemma extends to pie-baking.
My recommendation? The lower the rack, the better.
You see, baking your pie on a lower rack will allow the pie crust to be closer to a heat source. Therefore, it will bake quickly and get crispy before the moisture releases from the fillings, leaving you with a desirably textured pie crust.
(Pair that with the baking sheet trick, and you’ll surely have a beautiful crust every time!)
6. Create a Slightly Thicker Crust
Now, with this tip, you will have to be careful. You do not want your pie crust to be too thick. Otherwise, it won’t bake correctly, and you’ll have a too-thick crust that’s unappealing and difficult to eat.
For the most part, you want your pie crust to be 1/8-inch.
However, if you continuously have issues with your pie crust getting soggy (and you’ve tried the rest of my tips), you can go slightly thicker. Just don’t go overboard – promise?
7. Add Slits
If you look at almost any pie, it will have some type of slit on the top. While some might think these slits are solely for aesthetics, they serve a fundamental purpose – venting the pie.
You see, as your pie bakes, there will be a lot of steam accumulation. If this steam has nowhere to go, it could end up in your pie crust – resulting in a soggy and mushy crust.
That said, don’t forget to add some slits to the top of your pie crust. You can keep it as simple or as extraordinary as you’d like.
Here’s a great video showing some gorgeous ways to add slits to your pie:
FAQs
See? I told you that keeping your pie crust from getting soggy was easy! If you want to continue learning about this topic, I have included some frequently asked questions below. Let’s dive in, shall we?
What to put on the bottom of the pie crust to keep it from getting soggy?
You can add a barrier to the bottom of your pie crust, such as an egg wash, corn syrup, or chocolate. However, you can also add a dry barrier of breadcrumbs or cornflakes to keep the crust from getting soggy.
Why do pies get soggy bottoms?
There are two reasons why pies end up with soggy bottoms. For one, the fat melted before the crust could form a good structure. The other issue is an overly wet filling that seeps into the pie crust.
Should I pre-bake the bottom crust in a pie?
You should always pre-bake the bottom crust of a pie, even if the filling needs to be baked. This is known as “blind-baking” and will ensure you don’t end up with a soggy disaster.
Soggy Pie Crusts? No, Way!
Nobody wants to put their fork into a soggy pie crust – but now, you’ll never have to worry about serving a mushy pie crust to your loved ones. These simple tips will ensure your pie crust comes out perfectly crispy and flaky.
Do you have any tips you’d like to add to my list? Share below in the comment section!
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