Addicting and easy to handle, this Amish Never Fail Pie Crust will be your go-to pie crust recipe. Despite how you use it – hot pies, cold pies, or hand pies – you’ll get a delicate flaky holding vessel every time! Try it for all the layers in my Tomato and Corn Pie.
Amish Never Fail Pie Crust Recipe
This Amish never fail pie crust is my go-to crust for everything that needs, well, a crust. It is light and flaky and perfect for anything from apple pies to pot pies. This recipe comes from some Amish friends and while they go about things in a very traditional Amish matter, I still use my basic kitchen technology to help the process along. Feel free to use your elbow grease though! No matter how you shake this up, the recipe itself is super simple. I promise you can do it!
How to Make this Amish Pie Crust Recipe
Mix together the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the shortening and combine until crumbs about the size of a pea form. Bring the dough together with a wooden spoon. In a separate small bowl, whisk together your egg, vinegar, and water. Pour this over the dough and mix tother until it is fully incorporated. Don’t worry if the dough is sticky at this point. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set it in your refrigerator to chill for a minimum of one hour.
Hot Pies
For a hot pie, divide the chilled dough in half and set it on a flour work surface. Roll out half of the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and then transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan. If the hot pie is covered, repeat this with the second half of the dough. Bake the pie as instructed in the recipe. Store any remaining dough by wrapping tightly in plastic and refrigerating.
Cold Pies
For a cold pie, move the oven rack to the lowest tier and preheat the oven to 375°F. Divide the chilled dough in half and set it on a flour work surface. Roll out half of the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and then transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan. Loosely fit aluminum foil over the pie dish and weigh it down with pie weights, raw rice, or uncooked beans. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove the foil and weight and continue to bake for an additional 12 minutes (until golden brown). Fill and chill according to the recipe.
Amish Never Fail Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups vegetable shortening, cubed
- 1 large egg, beaten and room temperature
- 1 tablespoon distilled vinegar
- ½ cup water, room temperature
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the shortening and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Transfer the dough to a large bowl and bring the dough together with a wooden spoon.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, vinegar, and water. Pour over the dough and mix until combined (dough will be sticky). Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before rolling.
- For a hot pie (e.g. with a filling that needs to be baked), divide the chilled dough in half on a generously floured work surface. Roll half of the dough to ¼-inch thick and transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Repeat with the second half of dough if the pie is covered. Bake as instructed in the recipe. Wrap any remaining dough in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerate.
- For a cold pie (e.g. with a filling that doesn’t need to be baked), move oven rack to the lowest tier and preheat oven to 375°F. Divide the chilled dough in half on a generously floured work surface. Roll half of the dough to ¼-inch thick and transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Loosely fit aluminum foil over the lined pie dish and weigh down with pie weights, raw rice or uncooked beans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and continue baking for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Fill and chill according to the recipe.
Did you make this recipe?
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Photography by The PKP Way.
first time I have ever made a pie crust from scratch and it was amazing so tender! 5 stars
This is an answer to Prayer. I used to how to make a flakey pie Crust but forgot how! It came back to me!!!! Yummy for the tummy!
Can I substitute Beef Tallow for the Shortening?
I’ve been making this pastry dough, also called the perfect pie crust, for 30 years now It makes enough for 4 single or a double & a single and I usually end up freezing half of it to make another day and it turns out great. This recipe is a little moister than most, so it’s actually rolls out so much better it’s really forgiving that way, you’ll really enjoy it’s taste & superb flakiness. I roll mine out between 2 sheets of parchment w/a scant dusting if flour.
Can the pie dough be frozen and then thawed for another use at a later time?
Is ok to refrigerator more than an hour. It made a lot of dough which I have refrigerated for couple of days. Want to make another pie.
Yes
Same farm house recipe as my Mom’s except instead of vinegar she uses vodka. Does the same thing.
I’ve been making this pie crust for years, not sure if its Amish pie crust , But its called” No fail Pie Crust” Trick to any pie crust is to roll out between wax paper!
I agree @SusieQ, my mother in law gave this recipe to me 40 plus years ago. And it’s called “never fail pie crust”. I switched up the flour, using part unbleached flour and pastry flour. AP flour works beautifully as well. Not sure of any amish origin.
I think the Amish have existed for more than 40 years. It is entirely possible that is where your mom got the recipe. 🙂
The water is supposed to be ice water, i.e. VERY COLD
Amish do not use electric. I know because we lived next door to the community in PA.
Love all the recipes
I can’t wait to try this pie crust!
May I use this crust for Piggy blankets ?
This is the recipe I’ve been searching for for 50 years. Tasty, flakey, easy to work, beautiful results. It’s a keeper.