Never Fail Pie Crust lives up to its name. It works every time! It’s flaky, tender, and perfect for any type of pie, savory or sweet.
I heard from many readers on Facebook that this is their go-to pie crust. And now I’m converted. Never Fail Pie Crust is by far the best pie crust I’ve made. It’s easy to roll out, super tender, really flaky, and it really does work every time.
The difference between this one and “regular” pie crust are a few ingredients:
- An egg
- A tablespoon of vinegar
- Lard (though you can use shortening or butter if you like)
The egg and the vinegar both add tenderness to the crust. And the lard makes it really easy to work with (shortening has a similar affect; butter is a bit harder to roll out). I tried both an all-lard version and a half lard/half butter version. I liked the half lard/half butter version slightly more. Butter makes everything better! Whichever fat you use, you will not be disappointed with this classic recipe.
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Here’s What You’ll Need
- You’ll need all-purpose flour for best results.
- Lard is traditional in this pie crust, but you can substitute shortening or butter (or mix any of those three).
- The egg should be large size.
- White vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used.
How to Make Never Fail Pie Crust
- Mix the flour and salt, then cut in the lard/shortening/butter with a pastry blender or two forks.
- Whisk the egg, cold water, and vinegar together in a measuring cup.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, and mix to combine. The dough should be shaggy.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into two portions. Fold the dough until it comes together, and form each portion into a disk. You should have two disks.
Rolling Out the Dough
- Flour a work surface. Roll out one disc of dough into a 12-inch circle. Repeat with the other disc of dough. I LOVE that this recipe makes plenty of dough so I’m not struggling to roll out a big enough circle.
- Gently lift the one piece of dough and place into a glass pie plate.
- Fill with your desired pie filling, and top with the other piece of pie dough. Trim the edges as needed, then fold them in at the lip of the pie plate. You can crimp the edges with your knuckles or a fork.
- Bake the pie for 50–60 minutes at 375°F, or until golden brown. Here it’s shown with an Old Fashioned Apple Pie as the filling. You can also see it as a single crust (half of a recipe) in this Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie.
Want a Shiny Crust?
You can either bake the pie as-is, or add an egg wash for a shiny crust. For the shiny crust, whisk one egg with one tablespoon of milk, and gently brush it over the top crust. You can sprinkle with turbinado sugar or sanding sugar if you’d like. The egg + sugar also helps it brown more (the pies below were baked for the same amount of time).
Tips and Troubleshooting
Add a sprinkle of water to the dough and fold it together with your hands, like you are (very gently) kneading bread dough. Add water a very small amount at a time until it comes together.
Add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough is no longer sticky.
The beauty of this pie crust is that it does NOT need to be refrigerated before rolling out.
Yes! Shape the dough into two disks and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. It’ll keep in the fridge for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. If you freeze it, wrap it in foil and then place in a resealable freezer bag. Let the dough come to room temperature before rolling out.
Yes! Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap then foil, then place in a resealable freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to two months. Defrost overnight at room temperature.
📖 Recipe
Never Fail Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup lard (or shortening or butter)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- ⅓ cup cold water
Instructions
- Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the fat (lard, shortening, or butter) and mix with a pastry blender or two forks until pea-sized lumps form.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, vinegar, and cold water.
- Add the liquid to the flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough into two portions. Keep at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to roll out.
- Place one portion on a floured work surface. Roll with a rolling pin, then turn 90°F and roll again. Continue, turning and rolling, until the dough is in a 12-inch circle.
- Use as directed in a pie recipe.
Thanks for saying that it’s a good one for children, too. Somewhere, I lost my ‘crust mojo’, and feel like trying this one out right now! Lol… now I need to consider a filling choice! Fingers crossed, as the holidays get closer.
Thanks for sharing, Gloria! You could even make them now while you have the “crust mojo” and freeze for the holidays. 🙂
Do you think this would work as a press in piecrust? 🙂
I haven’t tried it, so I don’t want to steer you in the wrong direction unfortunately!
I found a version of this in a military wives cookbook. It made 5 single pie crusts and froze well. I used 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening- the butter for taste and shortening for flakiness. Tasted like Marie Callander’s pie crusts. Very easy to roll and handled. This was over 50 years ago. Had to stop cooking due to physical problems but everyone I passed it on to loved it.
Thanks for sharing, Barbara!
can I substitue all purpose flour with almond flour?
I haven’t tried that to know for sure, unfortunately!
I’ve used this recipe for years and years but mine also has a half tsp baking powder. I got the recipe from my wonderful aunt who is no longer here to make pie. The dough can be put in the freezer also so you can make it ahead of time
Thanks for those tips, Ruth! I love that it can be frozen successfully.
Would love to try this recipe but can’t figure out the quantities. Is it possible to give them in grams or ounces? No idea how to weigh solid fats by the cup. Not something we do in UK recipes. Many thanks.
Use this all the time
Great recipe, I always add 1/4 cup brown sugar to the recipe, give my crust a better taste
Yes I forgot to mention that my recipe also calls for a tablespoon of sugar but, of course you can use as much sugar as you like. This recipe makes a great crust even when handled a lot too.Good for children to make.