This vintage-style pie crust recipe delivers a flaky, tender, and flavorful foundation for both sweet and savory pies. Combining lard with a touch of butter and a vinegar-water blend, the dough achieves the perfect balance of richness and structure. Ideal for fruit pies, quiches, or pot pies, this crust is easy to work with and stores well in the refrigerator, making it a practical staple for any home baker.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1¼ cups home-rendered lard (or substitute: ½ tbsp butter + 1 tbsp Crisco)
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 5 tbsp cold water
Instructions
Step 1: Sift Dry Ingredients
- Sift together 3 cups of flour, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp baking powder in a large bowl.
Step 2: Cut in Fats
- Cut in 1¼ cups home-rendered lard until mixture forms small clumps the size of peas.
Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, mix 1 beaten egg, 1 tbsp vinegar, and 5 tbsp cold water.
Step 4: Mix Dough
- Add wet mixture to flour mixture and gently mix with a fork until dough comes together into a ball.
Step 5: Chill and Roll
- Divide dough if needed. Roll out to desired thickness on a floured surface.
Step 6: Storage
- This will make enough for 2 double-crust pies. Dough will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.
Tips
- Chill the dough before rolling for flakier layers
- Substitute half butter for lard for added flavor
- Use ice-cold water to prevent fat from melting
- Roll dough between parchment for easier handling
- Dock crust for blind baking to prevent bubbling
- Freeze wrapped dough balls for future pies
- Add a pinch of sugar for sweet pies
- Add extra salt for savory fillings
Nutrition
Calories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 2gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 95mgPotassium: 25mgFiber: 0.5gVitamin A: 120IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.8mg
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