My mother is a firm believer that every woman needs to know how to make homemade pie crust, that it is a necessary skill for life. Problem was, she didn’t have a good recipe! Not that the pie crusts were ever bad, they just weren’t that perfect flaky crust everyone craves. Lucky for us, the mom of one of my friends is practically famous for her pies (as famous as you can be in a town with less than 3,000 people…). My mom spent one day with her learning her secrets, and has since passed it along to my sister and I.

Most people think pies are reserved for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I think that’s a shame. Pies can be for birthdays, for work parties…pies can be for any day of the week! Don’t just leave them for special occasions.

It’s a very simple recipe, but it’s one of those you have to really get your hands in. The important thing is to not incorporate the shortening all the way. Mix the dough with your hands, because you want to be able to get a good feel. You want those chunks of butter (yum) to create the nice flakiness of the crust. You also only want to add just enough water that the dough sticks together, you don’t want it too sticky.

The beauty of this recipe is that it makes 4 pie crusts: some for now, and some to freeze for later. I promise, once you make your own you will never go back to store-bought crusts ever again!

~Stephanie

Easy Make Ahead Pie Crust

• 4 c flour
• 1 3/4 c butter flavored Crisco
• 1/2 tsp salt
• ice water (I put water in the freezer while I get my other ingredients ready. Amount varies, usually ends up around 1/2-1 cup)

Directions

1. Combine flour and salt
2. Cut Crisco into flour with hands. Crisco will break up slightly, but leave chunky
3. Add water a little at a time, mixing gently with hands. Continue to add water until dough sticks together and can form a ball
4. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. (You can wrap those you won’t be using and store in freezer for later)
5. Roll out dough and bake per recipe direction