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.
I am making this crust and when I used the food processor it came together more solid than lied peas. What did I do wrong?
It should be okay! You can always add a bit more flour if the dough is too wet, then just re-work it into the dough.
Love everything I’ve read. Hope to be part of the family.
Have you ever made oatmeal or vinager pie? Great pies
Chess pie is my favorite. It’s similar to Vinegar and is Southern. I was born & grew up in Memphis, TN. My husband’s is Oatmeal. But Red Raspberry Cream is the BEST in Season. We lived in Wayne County, OH (Amish Country) for 18 years and the County over now. This crust recipe looks great. I’d like to try it.
I am 67 years old & my mother-in-law taught me how to make the perfect pie crust using these same ingredients except she used apple cider vinegar. I made her apple pie recipe with her crust & won a first place blue ribbon at the South Haven Autumn Festival in 2016. Delicious!!
It depends where you live. I live in Idaho and it is dry here, so, it takes more water. Different flour has different moisture content. Just add more if you need to.
Can you freeze the extra divided crusts if you are making just one?
Stupid question – white or cider vinegar? (never made a pie crust before)
I have been making this crust for 50 + years. I use my mixer. Add vinegar, egg, in cup and add water till 3/4 cup. Everyone ask for recipe. My mother got the recipe from a woman in Canada when we were there for vacation many years ago.
I loved this recipe! The egg and vinegar gave it more elasticity than my typical crust, which always seems too dry. Thank you!
I am going to bake a Pineapple pie and use the Amish Never Fail Pie Crust. It’s one of my favorite pies.
I would like to be put on your recipes mailing list 💜
I would love to be on Your Pie Crust List!!!
This is the only crust I use. Except I use my own fresh rendered lard. And if I make apple pie I’ll add a couple teaspoons of cinnamon to the crust.
I’m sure this is a dumb question BUT how do you make “fresh rendered lard” ? Thank you. 😏
take fresh pig fat cut into small chunks or grind it. I put it in a big pot over med low heat with a cup of water… let it cook until the fat is crispy. Strain and let cool… fresh lard!! some people will do it the same but in the oven at like 200’f…
My mom and grandma rendered lard in a big iron vat over an open wood fire outside. Butchering a couple of hogs was a long day!
First you have to kill a hog……………
My father-in-law was a wonderful pie-maker. He stated to use the water “like it was made of gold”, meaning you use as little as possible. I think maybe the vinegar and eggs add enough extra moisture. The less moisture gives a less tough more flakey crust, which does make it more of a challenge, less easily rolled, takes a little more patience. I tried this recipe, and it was great!! Thank you Diana…keep up the good work!
Thank you so very much for sharing this recipe. I love to bake but have stayed away from pies do to the fact that I couldn’t find a good pie crust recipe. This one is delicious and I got 3 pies out of it!
I want to say God Bless and keep the recipes coming. Thank You
I’m anxious to try this recipe. What is the purpose of the vinegar? Just curious!
Helps keep it from forming gluten which can cause it to get tough
Years ago I worked at a festival. I volunteered for any area. They put me into kitchen with a mixed group of people and most of us NEVER EVER MADE A PIE CRUST. Same ingredients, except we used lard. The crust rolled out perfectly. So for 25-27 people who really NEVER made a pie crust we ended up making 250-300 pies for sale in the festival. This was a time honored recipe for pie crust at this festival. I bought three pies myself and the crust was out of this world. Plus if you didn’t roll out just right….no problem pick it up, roll it out again.. it never ever gets tough. I am making this pie dough recipe for our Thanksgiving dinner. 2017 and I am sure it will be just as fantastic as it was in 1982.
I bet you ALL were pie crust champions after that challenge! I really love stories like yours! Thank you and God bless you!
What is vegetable shortening cubed??? Is this butter?
Crisco is in semI-solid form so is real butter. You just cut whichever you are using into cubes before adding the cubed Crisco or butter to the flour because it makes it easier to blend into the flour.
Carol
May I have the exact recipe you used. Please. I made 2 pie crust yesterday and I had. No trouble, I have heard horror stories on pie crust so I had never tried it until yesterday. I am going to make the chocolate pie today. But would love your recipe
I made this recipe yesterday but it took three quarters of a cup of water and I think I could have used a little bit more. And I got four pie crusts out of a four cups of flour. Taste test to come.
I am in the process of making this pie crust I don’t see how it can be sticky with only 1/2 cup of water I had to add at least a quarter cup more and I’m not sure how it’s going to roll out but it’s chilling right now I’ll keep you posted. I am making 10 pecan pies for a fundraiser at a pet fair.
My mom always put the egg and vinegar in a measuring cup then filled it up to one cup with water.
I’m rather surprised to see an Amish recipe using a food processor. I would also think that lard or butter would be used rather than vegetable shortening.
Has this recipe been modernized by a non-Amish baker?
This is the same recipe I have been using for 60 plus years. It was same recipe from my grandmother, except for blending method. Old fashioned way is to cut cold shortening in with 2 knives. And who does that these days?.
Been awhile since I did the knife thing, but I do use manual pastry cutter.
I like those.
I use half butter and half lard or vegetable shortening for the best flaky, tasty crust. Same recipe but learned to use 1/2 one and the other as made it easier. Use a hand pastry cutter.
What is a manuel or hand pastry cutter?
It’s shaped like a “u” with a handle on top with multiple blades that cuts the shortening/butter in the flour. I’m sure you can find one anywhere they sell kitchen gadgets.
Love your answer! 💕
Lovely! I’ve just bought an old fashioned pastry cutter but your method sounds even more straightforward!
HaHa I just did it today! I could not find my pastry cutter.
I use a pastry cutter, but we used knives when ai was a kid.Now my Grandma and Mom could make some delichious pies and cakes and biscuirs and rolls.I do a good job but will never be able to catch themand my Aunt Verion.Wow.those were what you call Chefs.
LOL I still use the knives. Can’t wait to try this recipe. I’ve never used eggs or vinegar.
I still use knives, too.
Penny
I have used this receipt for several years now, the vinegar and egg make it so easy to handle. Flaky crust good with either savory or sweet!
I’m going to try this recipe. I’ve been making Crust for about 60 years two and I use a pastry blender. The old fashion kind With a wooden handle. Thanks for the recipe. I’ve never seen it before this posting.
I cut this recipe out of our newspaper about 45 yrs ago. it is a great recipe. Best I ever used. Really good w/lard.
I’m 67 and My mom had one of the first Cuisinart on the road. She also had a KitchenAid. But between all the bakers in my family it was 2/3 butter and 1/3 shortening. Butter flavored Crisco was a new thing those days. And the Amish Pie crust has been a thing for!ever!! We were farmers with Amish friends all around and so we got our recieps first hand. Those were the good old days. And we feed everyone on our farm and 2 neighboring farms who helped us… the Hired Hands.
Amish baking and cooking is the BEST EVER!! I grew up around Amish and went to school with them to the eighth grade and they are so much more educated in the basics of life than any college could give. smart in economics , gardening, farming, no tv or electronics to distract their learnings and very mannerly and polite with 6 to 10 kids. They are so well behaved, not rude or mean .
The Amish LOVE Crisco!
I thought the same thing about the food processor.
The lead-in explains that “technology” was added.
if you read her article she states that she brought it up to date with technology
Good point, food processor. Also, now is that an electric oven ??…lol