Best Ever Pie Crust

Everyone needs a tried-and-true pie crust recipe in their repertoire. This basic pie crust with shortening, which comes together with fewer than five pantry staples, is perfect for all your pastry crust needs. This easy, 4-ingredient dough makes enough for two 9-inch pie crusts, or for one double-crust pie.

What Sets This Pie Crust Apart?

When it comes to pie crust, the type of fat you use makes all the difference. This pie crust calls for shortening, which is easy to incorporate into the dough and makes the crust easier to roll out. Plus, a pie crust with shortening holds its shape better than others. This means it's a great choice if you're planning to make a decorative pie.

Best Ever Pie Crust Ingredients

You can make this top-rated pie crust with just four ingredients you probably already have on hand. Here's what you'll need:

Flour
All-purpose flour is best for this pie crust recipe. It has the perfect amount of gluten, which ensures a sturdy and flaky pie crust with plenty of elasticity.

Salt
Just a teaspoon of salt adds depth of flavor. It seems like a simple step, but you definitely don't want to skip this ingredient.

Shortening
Again, shortening is what sets this pie crust apart from the rest. It's important to make sure the shortening is very cold before you incorporate it into the dough — cut it into small pieces and freeze it for about 30 minutes first.

Ice Water
Using ice-cold water is the key to a flaky, tender crust that will be impossible to resist. Room temperature water simply won't produce the same results.

How to Make Pie Crust

It's surprising how easily this pie crust comes together. You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this foolproof recipe:

Whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in cold shortening with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the ice water in increments, stirring with a fork, until the dough is moist enough to mold easily. Chill the dough for at least four hours. When it's sufficiently chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Fit the dough into a pie plate, press it into the shape, and use according to your recipe.

How to Use Pie Crust With Shortening

Like we mentioned before, a pie crust with shortening is ideal for decorative baked goods because it holds its shape very well.

Find gorgeous inspiration: 9 Creative Ways to Decorate Eye-Popping Pie Crusts

As far as filling goes, the world is your oyster. Opt for something fresh and fruity, a decadent custard, or even a fancy chiffon. Just make sure to follow your recipe, as many pie recipes require par- or pre-baking the crust.

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Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"Chill EVERYTHING before beginning," advises hungdaemon. "I put the bowl and pastry cutter in the refrigerator, and I keep 1 ice cube in the water to keep it cold. It keeps the shortening from blending too much with the flour, leaving you with little pockets of shortening that result in extra flakes."

"Instead of ice water, I used same measure of very cold heavy cream" says Cara Lopez. "The crust was flaky, and held together beautifully!"

"This is the perfect pie crust," raves ERMB. "Over the years I have tried other recipes that cut down on the shortening but haven't been this light and flaky. Also, the less you handle it the flakier it is. I used about 5 Tbsp. of water and that was enough – but make sure it is ice cold. Sometimes the best recipes are so basic."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams