I admit it, I hate pie crust, that is all pie crust except mom’s “very best” pie crust! It seems like it is usually so difficult to make a pie crust that tastes great and also has a good texture. Here’s mom’s famous homemade pie crust recipe which really is the VERY BEST! Make some extra to freeze and use later and you’ll cut your preparation time for your next pie! Tawra
The Very Best Pie Crust Recipe
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 cups shortening, cold
1 egg, cold
1 Tbsp. vinegar, cold
5 Tbsp. cold water
sugar
Mix flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives. Add egg, vinegar and 3 tablespoons water. Mix lightly. If dough is too dry, add more water. Mix with hands. Don’t overmix. Mix just until the dough sticks together. Divide into thirds. Roll out to make 3 pie crusts. When using the crust for the top of the pie sprinkle sugar on top. Crust can be frozen in balls and then defrosted and rolled out when ready to use. Makes 3 crusts.
For more home cooked scratch recipes like this homemade pie crust recipe, check out our Dining On A Dime Cookbook!
[...] own pies instead of buying the expensive pre-made ones. If you are daunted by the thought of making pie crust, just buy a ready made one. They are usually on sale for very little around [...]
[...] own pies instead of buying the expensive pre-made ones. If you are daunted by the thought of making pie crust, just buy a ready made one. They are usually on sale for very little around [...]
Jill, This is a yummy recipe.
Lemon Pineapple Pie (Makes 2 pies)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can lemon pie filling
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple (well drained)
1 (8 ounce) carton of cool whip
2 graham cracker crumb crusts
Combine the condensed milk, lemon pie filling and the drained pineapple; mix well. Fold in cool whip. Pour into pie crusts. May be frozen.
If it has sweetened condensed milk in it you have me sold.
I like sweetened condensed milk in recipes too. Yummy.
Hi Bea, Hi Jill:
this looks really good, but I’m a little confused. What makes the pie actually “set up”? the lemon pie filling, does the cool whip get solid again?
I bet a little cream cheese would thicken it even more and cut some of the sweetness? love the flavors presented here, but sweetened condensed milk is a little too sweet for me. ?
thanks, I hate it when I’m a bit dense! And Jill, I’m determined to learn to make pie crust! I can’t even unroll the premade ones and have them work!
No problem Donna. The lemon pie filling is thick enough added to the cool whip and when you chill. It thickens it just fine. You should just gently fold in the cool whip which helps keep its thickness.
I’m not sure if it would work but sometimes when I do things with pudding and cool whip I add some sour cream and that cuts the sweetness although I love sweetness and could drink the can of sweeten condensed milk.
Bea, thanks for the recipe. My mom loves lemon and pineapple, but lemon pies often contain egg (she’s allergic). I’m definitely going to try this recipe.
You are welcome Tanya. Hope you like it. I like lemon and pineapple too. YUMMY. Even Island Pineapple Jello.
Ensure that they didn’t sneak eggs into the lemon pie filling. I use them in mine.
Could you just use lard or butter if you have it on hand (I’m a newbie!
)?
A friend of the family told me the best pies are made with lard!
Thanks
I always used lard for my pie crust for years and my mom still does. It is the best. I like it even better then butter because it gives an extra flakiness to the crust. I stopped using it because everyone went to this fat craze a few years back and it got really hard to find lard at some stores which caused me to start using Crisco. It is pretty close to using lard and since I always have it on hand and don’t have the lard I use it. I finally did find some lard and it was in the meat section.
Butter, well many people use butter for the nice flavor it gives the crust but the texture and flakiness is often not quite as good as lard or Crisco. If I really didn’t want to give up my butter flavor I would use the butter flavored Crisco.
I say use Crisco in my recipes here because most people wouldn’t know what lard was let alone try and find it and Crisco is a close second.
Thanks Jill