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–+ servings
Ball of pie dough on a floured baking matt between a small and longer rolling pins.

Ellen's Classic Crisco Pie Crust

My MIL Ellen's homemade classic Crisco pie crust, sweet or savory- my husband's fondest memories of home recreated.
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30 minutes
Servings: 2 9-inch crusts

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Sift flour and salt in a large bowl.
  • Chill the shortening for an hour, then cut it into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or fork until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Stir in enough water with a fork just until the dough holds together.
  • Divide the dough in half. Shape into two 1/2-inch thick disks. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.
  • Roll out each disk 2 inches larger than the pie plate on a lightly floured surface.
  • Line a pie plate with 1 unbaked pie crust. Fill the crust according to the recipe directions. Top with the remaining unbaked pie crust. Bake according to recipe directions.

Notes

After preparing the dough and fitting it into your pie dish, blind-bake the crust to ensure a crisp, flaky base that holds up well to quiche custard. Blind‑Bake Instructions for Homemade Crisco Crust:
  1. Chill the shaped crust. This prevents shrinking and helps the edges hold their shape.
  2. Line with parchment. Place a sheet of parchment over the crust and gently press it into the corners.
  3. Add pie weights. Fill the lined crust with pie weights, dried beans, or rice. This keeps the bottom from puffing and the sides from collapsing.
  4. Bake at 375°F for 15–18 minutes. The edges should look set but not fully browned.
  5. Remove weights + parchment. Carefully lift them out once the crust is partially baked.
  6. Bake 5–7 more minutes. The bottom should look dry, lightly golden, and no longer doughy.
  7. Cool slightly before filling. A warm crust + warm custard = even baking and a crisp bottom.
Blind-bake prior to assembling the quiche. 
unbaked quiche showing egg-cream custard and spinach filling inside a blind-baked pie crust.