Mrs. David's Garden Seeds®


Pie Crust Recipe

You can make delicious, flaky pie crust with my pie crust recipe and technique (do not use knives to mix the flour and shortening).You can make delicious, flaky pie crust with my pie crust recipe and technique (do not use knives to mix the flour and shortening).

Here is the pie crust recipe given to me in 1995 at our first pastorate in Marquette, Michigan. This was long before we ever dreamed of our own business, David's Garden Seeds®. For all of my life, I had wanted to be able to make flaky, delicious pie crust. In Home Economics class when I was in Junior High School, the teacher said we had to use two knives to cut the dough when we mixed it, or we had to use a pastry cutter. She showed us how to use two knives. I never mastered the technique.

Fast forward many years later when David was pastoring his first church in Marquette in 1995. There was a lady at church who made delicious pies. (My pie crusts were like concrete blocks. They looked okay but you couldn't get a knife to go through them!) I cannot remember the lady's name but we had her and her husband over to our house for dinner. When she was finished eating, she got up, went over to my kitchen counter and started opening cabinet doors. I asked her what she was doing. She said she was going to find my flour and teach me how to make pie crust. I was pretty excited because her pie crusts were the best I had ever had.

She pulled out flour, salt, and Crisco. She said Butter Flavored Crisco was the best and I just happened to have some. She found a big bowl, some measuring cups and measuring spoons, my rolling pin and a fork. We were off...

It turns out, my knife cutting technique was the problem. I never got the Crisco and the flour mixed right by doing that. This lady put her hands into the flour and Crisco mix and it was perfection. Yes, wash your hands and use them to combine the flour and salt with the Crisco in your bowl. She made me do it. We made a pie and the crust was really good. I wrote everything down and now I no longer make bricks. I make actual tasty pies! Below is my pie crust recipe that has not failed me.

My Pie Crust Recipe

This recipe makes two crusts, enough for one pie with a bottom and top crust. If you want to make two pies at once, just double the recipe. That is usually what I do.

Gather all of the ingredients you need for any recipe before you begin.Gather all of the ingredients you need for any recipe before you begin.

To make pie crust for one double crust pie, you will need:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup Butter Flavored Crisco
  • 5 tablespoons cold water

To make pie crust for two double crust pies, you will need:

  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 and 1/2 cups Butter Flavored Crisco
  • 10 tablespoons cold water

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and stir with a spoon so the salt is evenly distributed throughout the flour. Measure the Crisco and put it in the bowl with the flour. I take a butter knife and run it around the Crisco in the cup to help get it out. Then put some of the flour in the bowl on the top of the shortening. Put your hand on the flour that is on the shortening and begin to mix it together.

Don't be afraid to use your clean hands to mix your dough. That is why this pie crust recipe works.Don't be afraid to use your clean hands to mix your dough. That is why this pie crust recipe works.

Once it is all mixed together, it is time to add the cold water. Do not mix it with your hand once the water is in the bowl. Use a fork now to mix the water in the dough. The dough will be kind of crumbly.

Once you've added your water to the dough, stir with a fork until all of the water has been stirred in to the dough.Once you've added your water to the dough, stir with a fork until all of the water has been stirred in to the dough.

Once the water is mixed in, time to put a small amount of flour on your hands and combine all of the crumbly flour into one big ball. When it is one big ball, divide it into two balls. I normally double the recipe to make two pies, so I divide mine into four balls.

Divide your dough into two halves if you are making one pie or into four quarters if you are making two pies. You can always freeze the dough you don't use for later.Divide your dough into two halves if you are making one pie or into four quarters if you are making two pies. You can always freeze the dough you don't use for later.

Flour the counter or cutting board. If you have a Pampered Chef pie crust measuring tool, use that as your board. Flour your rolling pin and roll each crust out so that it is thin and larger than your pie pan. Gently fold it in half and place it in your pie pan. Unfold and line the bottom of your pie pan.

Add your filling. This is an apple pie filling with dots of butter on top.Add your filling. This is an apple pie filling with dots of butter on top.

Make and add your pie filling. Roll out your top crust. Fold it in half and place in the middle of your pie. Unfold and cover your filling. Then pinch the edges of the bottom and top crusts together with your thumb and first finger all the way around the pie. If there is extra crust hanging off the outside edge of the pinched crust, pull or cut it off.

I sprinkle the top pie crust with sugar and then I prick it with a fork. Otherwise, the sugar may block the fork holes.I sprinkle the top pie crust with sugar and then I prick it with a fork. Otherwise, the sugar may block the fork holes.

At this point, I almost always sprinkle sugar on the top of the pie. Then I stick a fork into the crust three or four times so the steam can escape through the holes while the pie is baking.

Be sure to use a fork and make some vent holes in the top crust.Be sure to use a fork and make some vent holes in the top crust.

I have a Pampered Chef crust protector that I place on the edge of the pie while baking. During the last ten minutes of baking, I remove it so the crust can brown. This prevents the crust edge from burning. If you don't have a crust protector, use foil around the edges.

I also bake my pies on a cookie sheet to prevent messes in my oven. Once in a while, your filling will bubble over and you will have a mess to clean up if you don't use a cookie sheet.

Each pie recipe will give you specific baking instructions.

Add a pie crust protector when baking your pie. Take it off for the last ten minutes.Add a pie crust protector when baking your pie. Take it off for the last ten minutes.
Your pie will look awesome and taste great if you follow my pie crust recipe.Your pie will look awesome and taste great if you follow my pie crust recipe.

Pull that pie out of the oven and let it cool.

You can use this pie crust recipe for any pie.

One Crust Pie For Cold Filling

If you want to put a cold filling in it, place it in the pie pan and pinch the edge of the crust to make it look pretty. Using a fork, prick the crust all over the bottom to keep the crust from bubbling up and breaking. Bake it at 475 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes. Let cool completely and then add your filling.

David's Garden Seeds® Is A Trusted Brand

Since 2009, over 1,500,000 home gardeners, all across the USA, have relied on David's Garden Seeds® to grow beautiful gardens. Trust is at the heart of it. Our customers know David's Garden Seeds® stocks only the highest quality seeds available. Our mission is to become your lifetime supplier of quality seeds. It isn't just to serve you once; we want to earn your trust as your primary supplier.


Watch Our 2022 TV Commercial!

Sing Along To Our Jingle

Matt with one of our Barred Rock chickens. The chickens adore him. ♪♫♪♪♫♫Matt with one of our Barred Rock chickens. The chickens adore him. ♪♫♪♪♫♫

 ♪♫♪♪ ♫ ♪ ♫♪♫♫

 ♪♫♪♪♫♫

Peppers and peas

And lots of yummy greens

You can't go wrong

With Squash This Long

At David's Garden Seeds

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫


Our New 2024 TV Ad


Please like and subscribe on YouTube and come visit us at our Farm Store! The music on our TV ad was written, played, and sung by our son, Matthew Schulze. You can meet him when you come to the farm. He just might give you a tour. Ask him to grab a guitar and sing our jingle that he wrote.


David's Garden Seeds BBB Business Review

David of David's Garden Seeds® zipping along on his little tractor across the farm. He is having a blast!David of David's Garden Seeds® zipping along on his little tractor across the farm. He is having a blast!
All Non-GMO, we've got the seeds you want!All Non-GMO, we've got the seeds you want!

We are David's Garden Seeds®. If you need great seeds, we've got over 1,000 varieties to choose from.

Return from Pie Crust Recipe to Favorite Recipes


Subscribe To Mrs. David's Garden Seeds® Newsletter For FREE!

Hi! I am Juanita aka Mrs. DGS. This photo was taken in our commercial kitchen during a potluck.Hi! I am Juanita aka Mrs. DGS. This photo was taken in our commercial kitchen during a potluck.
Mrs. David's Garden Seeds in the greenhouse with Lucy the lap dog.Mrs Davids Garden Seeds in the greenhouse with Lucy the lap dog.

Find out what is going on down on the farm by reading our blog and by subscribing to our free newsletter for all of the information going down at David's Garden Seeds® and on the farm. I love to share helpful information with you. Please let your friends know and y'all come on down for a visit when you get the chance. We would love to meet you!