Southern homemade pie crust is a staple recipe in our home and was passed down to me by my mom. This recipe makes two pie crusts and is perfect for any classic Southern recipe, like quiche or pie. Made with a combination of butter and lard or shortening, this is flaky and full of flavor, and you'll never buy store-bought again!

An unbaked pie crust in a pie plate. Salt, measuring spoons, a rolling pin, and flour in a bowl next to the pie crust.

Heather's Love Affair with Homemade Pie Crust

Confessional time. I truly don't understand why anyone buys store-bought pie crust.

There. I said it. I know. I am all for ease and convenience sometimes in the kitchen (and in life - let's be honest) - and I totally get it. But there are just some things that I think are 1000x better homemade and worth the extra effort for the payoff in the end. And homemade pie crust is one of them.

As a Southern cook, I have lots of pie and quiche recipes on the site. Staple recipes like Southern pumpkin pie and bourbon pecan pie - and all of them have a homemade crust. I have grown up making this since I was young enough to remember. It is a recipe I have memorized by heart and know how to make it by feeling instead of with the actual recipe card.

If you are someone who normally uses store-bought crust, let me walk you through step by step on how to do it the homemade way. You will mix flour, salt, butter, and lard/shortening with a pastry knife in a large bowl. Then add ice water to bring the dough together. Separate in half and roll out into two pie crusts. I promise you, it is not hard. You can do it! And the results are so beyond worth it!

Equipment Needed

This is some of the equipment that will help make this recipe easier for you:

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A Couple of Ingredient Call-Outs Before We Start

You actually only need 5 staple pantry ingredients for this recipe. Because there aren't a lot of elements to a butter pie crust recipe, using high-quality ingredients (like flour and butter) is super important for to the best-tasting pie crust possible!

I also like to use combo butter and lard or shortening in this recipe. You will find a lot of recipes that either use all butter or all shortening (my mom actually uses all shortening) - but I like to use both. I think it gives you the flakiness with the shortening and the buttery flavor with some butter.

Clear bowls of flour, salt, butter, lard, ice water, and a pastry cutter on a white board.

Step By Step Instructions

⭐️ BEFORE YOU START PRO TIP ⭐️- dice your butter into small cubes so that it is easier to cut into the flour to start!

Using a pastry cutter to cut in flour into flour when making pie crust. — In a large bowl, add flour, salt, cold butter, and cold lard/shortening. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter and lard into the flour until the mixture resembles small pea-sized shapes.

Crumbly dough in a bowl with a pastry knife. — Fill a large glass with water and ice. Using a tablespoon, measure 5 tablespoons of the ice water into the flour. Using a fork or spatula, mix well. You may need to add in more water if still floury and not coming together. I start with 5 tablespoons but usually end up using more.

A hand holding crumbly pie crust dough. — You will know you have enough water added by the look and feel of the dough.

A hand squeezing together pie crust dough. — It will still look crumbly but it will be sticking together in some parts. Put the dough in your hand or ball and squeeze together...

A hand holding pie crust dough that has just been squeezed together in the hand. — ...if it sticks together in a ball and stays without being too dry and crumbly then you have the right amount of water added.

⭐️PRO TIP ⭐️- if you have worked the dough for a bit and it has gotten warm, stick it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to chill back up before proceeding with the recipe. We want to keep the fats cold during this whole process so it's important to work fast or rechill if needed.

Pie crust dough on top of a kitchen counter. — Sprinkle flour lightly out onto the counter and place dough on top.

A ball of pie crust dough on a kitchen counter. — Roll around flour so that all sides are covered and bring it together into a ball shape.

Pie crust dough formed in a ball and then cut in half with a butter knife. — Split the dough in half making 2 pie dough balls. This recipe makes 2 pie shells.

A rolling pin rolling out pie crust dough and in a thin large circle. — Roll out with a rolling pin in a circle until it is larger than your pie plate.

Pie crust inside a pie plate that is unbaked and getting ready to have the edged crimped. — Gently pick up the crust at one end and scoot the pie plate right up next to the dough so that it is easy to flip over/drag over onto the pie plate *(this allows you not to have to pick up the entire piece of dough and risk breaking)*. Make sure the dough lays evenly around all the edges.

pie crust over the top of a pie plate on the counter. — Trim off any excess on the sides of the crust, then gently crimp your edges with your fingers.

pie crust that has been crimped and shaped in a pie sheet before needing to be blind baked on the kitchen counter. — To crimp: gently fold the excess crust under itself on the edge. With your pointer finger and thumb on both hands, gently pinch together the crust then push both hands together to meet, forming a small pinch. Repeat around the entire crust.

What to Do Next...

Depending on what you are using the lard pie crust for is what you do next from here. You have a couple of options:

blind bake it for a recipe
bake it fully for a recipe
freeze it for later

How and Why to Blind Bake: Blind baking a pie crust is the process of partially cooking a crust in its shell without a filling inside. You do this for any liquid or custard-based quiches or pies because they are liquid fillings (recipes like Crispy Bacon Onion Gruyere Breakfast Quiche or Southern Pumpkin Pie with Canned Pumpkin Puree). If you were to place a liquid filling in an unbaked pie crust and bake, the bottom of the pie crust would never be able to fully bake and still be raw. By blind baking it by itself, you ensure that the bottom of the crust actually gets baked for those types of recipes.

To do this process, you will need to use pie weights, or better yet, just buy a bag of $1.50 dried pinto beans from Walmart and designate them to be your "baking beans" used only for this recipe (my mom and I have ours stored in a mason jar). You will need the weight of the beans on top of the crust to ensure an even bake on the bottom without any air bubbles forming.

If a blind or partial bake is needed, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place wax or parchment paper over the pie crust on the pie plate. Pour in baking beans or pie weights and evenly distribute around the shell.
Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Pick up the edges of the wax or parchment paper and pour the beans into a mason jar. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

unbaked pie crust with baking beans inside it.

How/Why To Fully Bake

There are some pies or desserts you will make that are no-bake pies. Pies like coconut cream, lemon meringue, and strawberry. For those pies you will need a fully baked pie crust, which is very easy to do:

If you need a fully baked pie crust for a no-bake recipe, follow the directions above for blind baking with the pie weights in the shell and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown and the bottom fully cooked.
Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the pie weights.
Let the pie crust cool completely before proceeding with the recipe.

homemade unbaked pie crust in a pie plate with a napkin, salt and butter next to it.

How/When to Freeze

Since this particular recipe makes two pie crusts, you may need the full recipe for situations like...

if you are making 2 recipes that need a crust
a recipe like Southern apple pie that needs 2 crusts for the top and bottom
or some sort of pie that has a top or latticework

If you are not any of those three situations and only need one crust, then you will have one leftover. And while you can certainly half this recipe, just go ahead and make the whole thing because it is no more work and you'll have one extra on hand for when you will need it.

2 pie crust dough's shaped in disks wrapped in plastic wrap.

How to store and/or freeze:

ONE - Keep wrapped tightly in plastic in a flat round disk in the fridge for 3-4 days until needed for another recipe.
TWO - Freeze extra pie crust in a disk wrapped tightly in plastic wrap multiple times to remain airtight and store in the freezer for 6-12 months. To thaw, place in the fridge for 24 hours then roll out and use as needed.
THREE - Freeze in a pie shell. Go ahead and place it in the pie shell with crimped edges like you are going to use it. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to flash freeze, then wrap airtight in plastic wrap a couple of times. Place back in the freezer for 6-12 months. When needed, place in the fridge to thaw for 24 hours then proceed with the recipe as directed.
FOUR - Make double your recipe! A lot of pies can be frozen if need be. If you have a circumstance, just go ahead and make 2 of whatever you're making (or one of a different recipe) and have 2 options for a party, holiday's, or gift to a friend.

Whatever the case, it is just as easy to make this whole recipe and store it in multiple ways and to have something already prepped on hand than to half the recipe!

Bonus Use!

I have a bonus treat for you that is totally frivolous but so delicious and fun - and a sweet memory for me.

When my mom made pies growing up, she would take the excess crust that she had trimmed off the edges and place them on a baking sheet sprinkled with sugar and bake for a little treat for us. We would just call the pie crust scraps and they aren't anything special but a fun little treat when you have an extra crust on hand but not enough to do something with.

No need to form into any special pattern, just keep as is as you've trimmed them off. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, sprinkle with white sugar on top, and place in the oven at 375 for 15 minutes until slightly golden brown and flaky...then enjoy!

pie crust scraps with white sugar on top before being baked in the oven.

Recipe

Southern Homemade Pie Crust (Lard or Shortening)

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Author: Heather Bilyeu
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 crusts 1x

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Description

Southern homemade pie crust is a staple recipe in our home and was passed down to me by my mom. This recipe makes two pie crusts and is perfect for any quiche or pie you are baking! Flaky and full of flavor, you'll never buy store-bought again.

Ingredients

Scale

2 Cups Flour
6 Tablespoons Butter
6 Tablespoons Lard or Shortening
1 Teaspoon Salt
5-10 Tablespoons Ice Water + more if needed

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Instructions

Crust

In a large bowl, add flour, salt, cold butter, and cold lard/shortening.
Using a pastry cutter, cut butter and lard into the flour until the mixture resembles small pea size shapes. If the butter and lard have gotten too warm in the process, place into the freezer for 5 minutes to chill before continuing.
Fill a large glass with water and ice. Using a tablespoon measure, spoon 5 tablespoons of the ice water into the flour mixture. Using a fork or spatula, mix well. You may need to add in more water if still floury and not coming together. You want the dough to just begin to come together - not sticky and wet but not floury and crumbly as well. It will still be a bit crumbly but when you squeeze it together with your hands it stays together (see the picture below). Do not add too much water (I usually end up adding around 10 tablespoons most of the time).
Sprinkle flour lightly out onto the counter and place dough on top. Roll around flour so that all sides are covered and bring it together into a ball shape. Split the dough in half making 2 pie dough balls. This recipe makes 2 pie shells.
Roll out with a rolling pin in a circle until it is larger than your pie plate.
Gently pick up the crust at one end and scoot the pie plate right up next to the dough so that it is easy to flip over/drag over onto the pie plate (this allows you not to have to pick up the entire pie of dough and risk breaking). Make sure the dough lays evenly around all the edges.
Trim off any excess on the sides of the crust, then gently crimp your edges with your fingers all the way around the pie plate. (To crimp: gently fold the excess crust under itself on the edge. With your pointer finger and thumb on both hands, gently pinch together the crust and push both hands together to meet, forming a small pinch. Repeat around the entire crust.)
Repeat with the second crust, or reserve for the top of the pie, or see the post for how to store it.

To Blind Bake

If a blind or partial bake is needed, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
Place wax or parchment paper over the pie crust on the pie plate. Pour in baking beans or pie weights and evenly distribute around the shell.
Place in the oven for 15-16 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Pick up the edges of the wax or parchment paper and pour the beans into a container. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

To Bake Fully

If you need a fully baked pie crust for a no-bake recipe, follow the directions above for blind baking with the pie weights in the shell and bake at 375 for 30-32 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the pie weights.
Let the pie crust cool completely before preceding with the recipe.

Notes

Keep extra dough wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in a dish for 3-4 days before using.
Freeze extra pie dough in a disk wrapped airtight multiple times or already formed in a pie plate for 6-12 months before using. Place in the fridge to that for 24 hours before using for the desired recipe.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 crust
Calories: 1107
Sugar: 0.4 g
Sodium: 1169.9 mg
Fat: 74.2 g
Carbohydrates: 95.4 g
Fiber: 3.4 g
Protein: 13.3 g
Cholesterol: 128.1 mg

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