Butter and Shortening Pie Crust
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If the taste of homemade pie crust crumbling with every buttery bite has your mouth watering, this butter and shortening pie crust has your name written allllll over it! It's flaky, with a rich, buttery flavor and it's the perfect envelope to deliver your favorite pie filling!
Speaking of which, use this pie crust recipe with shortening to test drive this scrumptious strawberry rhubarb pie and peach pie ā you won't regret it!
This is a very flaky pie crust with lots of buttery flavor. Because it's so soft and flaky, it will have a rustic look and feel once it's baked. This is a pie crust recipe that prioritizes flavor and flakiness over looks. Taste reigns supreme, right?
And whether you're making an apple pie, pumpkin pie, or chicken pot pie, this pie crust with butter and shortening is a direct route to complete and utter satisfaction.
What's the secret to a good pie crust?
The secret to a good pie crust is using both cold butter and cold shortening. The shortening will give you a crumbly, flaky crust. And the butter will add that coveted buttery flavor.
Adding both ingredients while cold will help create air pockets in the crust while the butter and shortening melt in the oven, enhancing that divine flaky texture.
Ingredients needed
- All-purpose flour: Contribute 3 cups of all-purpose flour to your pie crust dough.
- Granulated sugar: You'll need just 2 tablespoons for this pie crust recipe.
- Sea salt: Ā½ a teaspoon of sea salt will balance the flavors in the crust. It will also give you that salted crust-sweet fruity filling combo we all know and love.
- Butter: Use Ā¾ cups of butter. It's important that the butter you use is cold.
- Shortening: Shortening is what gives this pie crust that initial flaky, then melt-in-your-mouth texture. The Ā½ cup of shortening needed should also be cold.
- White vinegar: Vinegar helps to loosen the gluten in the flour and keeps the pastry from being tough. Use 1 teaspoon of white vinegar.
How to make butter and shortening pie crust
- Get out the food processor and add the dry ingredients
- Add the good stuff ā aka ā add the butter and shortening.
- Pop the dough into a bowl and add the water and vinegar. Handle the dough as little as possible until the dough forms a rough ball.
- Divide the dough into 2 and wrap them in parchment paper. Then, stick them in the fridge.
How to roll out butter and shortening pie crust
- On a lightly floured surface, take one of the balls of dough and press it down firmly with your palm. Sprinkle some flour on top.
- Get out your rolling pin and create a rough circle, slightly larger than your pie dish.
- This is the tricky part when making such a flaky crust. Move the pie dough to the pie dish using the parchment paper to help you slide it into place. Don't worry if the dough cracks a little ā you can simply squish it back together. Once it's in place, pop it in the fridge.
- Add your filling and then roll out the second ball of dough for the top. You can place it directly on top, or weave a lattice top like you see in the pictures.
Pro tips for the perfect pie crust (just like granny used to make)
This recipe is adapted from the recipe that Kristen's granny used to make (Psst! Kristen's the creator of The Endless Meal, this here blog). These pro tips are straight from Kristen and her granny who have both been perfecting this shortening pie crust for years:
- The trick when it comes to any pie crust is that the pastry remain COLD. This means even when you're touching the pie dough, try to have as littler heat transfer as possible.
- Only use cold butter and cold shortening. The reason for this is because when they melt in the oven, it creates little air pockets in the pie crust which is what helps make it super flaky.
- Once the pie crust is formed and in the pie dish, let it rest in the refrigerator. This helps keep things cold, and so that the gluten in the flour has the chance to relax. This way you won't be left with a tough pie crust!
- When you're baking your pie consider using a pie shield. This is when you cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil or a pie shield so that the crust doesn't brown too quickly.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use bacon fat in the pie crust?
Yes! When we want to get crazy, we substitute a little bacon fat for some of the shortening. It adds a bit of extra flavor and it makes the crust even flakier. Just be careful not to add too much bacon fat as you will taste it. We've found that 1 tablespoon is the perfect amount.
Why use shortening when making a pie crust?
Shortening is what gives the crust a flaky texture. If you use a butter-only recipe to make your pie crust, it will still be tasty but it won't be melt-in-your-mouth flaky.
Can I use all shortening to make pie crust?
You can, but we don't recommend it. While it will have the most wonderful flaky texture, it will taste pretty bland. That's why we recommend both butter and shortening to get the best results of each.
Can I freeze the pie dough?
Definitely! If it's wrapped tightly or sealed in an airtight container, it can last for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Butter and Shortening Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Ā½ teaspoon sea salt
- Ā¾ cup butter (cold)
- Ā½ cup shortening (cold)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1-3 teaspoons cold water
Instructions
- Combine the flour, sugar, and sea salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, Ā½ teaspoon sea salt
- Add the shortening and butter and pulse to combine. The dough should look a little like wet sand at this point.Ā¾ cup butter, Ā½ cup shortening
- Transfer the dough to a large bowl and add the vinegar and 1 teaspoon of cold water. Working with just the tips of your fingers, combine everything just until the dough forms a ball, adding more cold water if needed.1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1-3 teaspoons cold water
- Divide the dough into 2 balls, wrap the balls in parchment paper, and place them into the fridge for at least a half hour, or up to 2 days. (If you are making a lattice top, like in the pictures, make one ball slightly larger than the other.)
- Take one ball of dough out of the fridge, remove the parchment paper, and place it on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Press it down with the heel of your palm and dust it lightly with flour.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rough circle about 2 inches larger than your pie pan. If the dough starts to crack at the edges of the circle use your fingers to squish it back together.
- Pick the dough up using the parchment paper (our extra flaky dough is quite soft and a bit tricky to pick up) and use it to guide the dough into the pie pan. Place the pie pan into the fridge.
- Fill your pie with your desired filling and then roll out the second pie crust and place it on top. You can also cut strips to make a lattice top. Crimp the edges of the dough together. See notes for baking recommendations.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our pie recipes!
