Go to Pie Crust

If you’ve ever wished you had a pie crust on call instead of mixing one from scratch every time the urge strikes, this is the answer. The recipe scales up to 5 pounds of flour and a full can of butter-flavored shortening, mixed once and split into twenty individual dough balls before going into the freezer. The butter-flavored shortening is the upgrade over plain: it brings a hint of dairy richness without losing the workability and shelf-stability of regular shortening.

The core technique is forgiving. Cut the shortening into the flour, then add water until the mixture holds together when squeezed but doesn’t quite turn into a sticky mass. Twenty balls go in the freezer wrapped individually; thawing takes 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave per ball. Whole pies, single shells, fruit galettes, even savory hand pies all start with this same dough, ready when you are.

Pro Tips

• Wrap balls in waxed paper before bagging. Plastic bags pressed against the dough draw moisture out over weeks of freezer time.
• The dough should be tacky, not sticky. Add water in tablespoon increments and stop the moment it holds.
• Date the freezer bag. Three months is the realistic window before the dough starts to pick up off-flavors.
• After thawing, let the dough rest at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling. Microwave-warm spots make the dough sticky.

Variations

• Use plain (non-butter-flavored) shortening for a more neutral, less rich crust under cream and custard pies.
• Replace half the shortening with cold butter for a richer, less stable dough; freeze for less than a month if you do.
• Press a rosemary leaf into the dough before freezing for savory tarts.