Flaky Paula Deen Pie Crust Recipe for Perfect Pies

Pie crusts by Paula Deen transform ordinary baking into an extraordinary culinary canvas.

Nestled within simple pantry ingredients lies a recipe that whispers pure magic.

Butter becomes the secret weapon, dancing through flour to create impossibly tender layers.

Professional chefs and weekend warriors alike bow to this foolproof technique that guarantees flaky perfection.

Every crumb tells a story of delicate craftsmanship and delicious potential.

Whisking and folding create a pastry so light it might just float off the counter.

This golden treasure promises to turn your next dessert into a showstopping masterpiece that will have everyone begging for seconds.

Instructions for Making Pie Crust the Paula Deen Way

• Craft Dry Ingredient Base

Sift flour, salt, and sugar in a roomy mixing bowl. Blend ingredients until silky smooth, ensuring perfect texture without pesky lumps.

• Blend Shortening Magic

Crumble cold shortening into flour mixture using fingertips. Break down fat until mixture looks like rustic breadcrumbs with delicate, uneven pieces.

• Butter Transformation

Add chilled butter cubes quickly to the mix. Massage ingredients until they resemble sandy terrain with tiny butter fragments scattered throughout.

• Hydrate Delicate Dough

Splash ice-cold water into the crumbly mixture. Tenderly fold and press, creating a unified dough that sticks together without becoming overly wet.

• Shape And Chill Dough

Form dough into two gentle discs. Wrap each carefully in plastic, then tuck into refrigerator for 30 minutes. This resting period allows gluten to relax and fats to solidify.

• Roll And Prepare Crust

Dust work surface with flour. Roll dough into round shapes, maintaining consistent thickness. Transfer carefully to pie dish, pressing gently into corners and trimming edges for a professional finish.

• Final Preparation

Customize crust for specific recipe. For pre-baking, puncture base with fork and cover with parchment. Add pie weights to prevent unwanted rising during initial baking stage.

Tips and Tweaks for Paula Deen’s Pie Crust

Try different flour types like whole wheat or almond flour for unique flavor profiles and textures.

Freeze butter for 10-15 minutes before cutting into cubes, ensuring ultra-cold fat that creates flakier, more tender pastry layers.

Replace water with cold vodka to reduce gluten formation, resulting in an incredibly tender and delicate pie crust that resists toughening.

Prepare pie dough up to 3 days in advance and store in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 2 months, allowing convenient meal planning and stress-free baking.

Creative Serving Ideas for Pie Crust Recipes

• Create Delightful Pie Pairings: Fresh berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream complement the buttery crust, adding a refreshing and creamy contrast to the rich pastry.
• Serve with Culinary Flair: Drizzle warm caramel sauce or sprinkle powdered sugar over the pie for an elegant and indulgent touch that elevates the dessert experience.
• Boost Flavor Dimensions: Pair with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg to enhance the pie's aromatics and create a more complex taste profile.
• Make It a Memorable Meal: Serve alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea to balance the richness of the pie and create a cozy, comforting dining moment.

How to Store Pie Crust for Future Baking

• Preserve Pastry Perfection: Store unbaked pie crust discs wrapped in plastic film inside an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They'll stay fresh and ready for your next baking adventure.
• Freeze For Later: Wrap raw pie dough tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Frozen pie crust can maintain quality for 2-3 months, providing a convenient shortcut for spontaneous baking sessions.
• Prevent Soggy Situations: Keep pie crust crisp by brushing the bottom with egg wash or melted butter before adding wet fillings. This protective barrier blocks moisture and maintains a delightful, flaky texture.
• Revive Refrigerated Dough: Let chilled pie crust sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before rolling. This gentle warming helps the dough become more pliable and easier to work with, ensuring smooth preparation.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Calories: 370 kcal

Servings: 8

Ingredients to Make Paula Deen’s Pie Crust

• All-Purpose Flour: Choose unbleached flour for better texture and more natural flavor.
• Salt: Opt for fine sea salt to ensure even distribution and clean seasoning.
• Granulated Sugar: Select pure white sugar for consistent sweetness and smooth blending.

• Vegetable Shortening, Unsalted Butter: Select high-quality, cold dairy products with minimal water content for flakiest pastry texture; European-style butter works wonderfully for extra richness.

• Ice Water: Use filtered water with ice cubes to keep ingredients extremely cold, which helps create a tender, flaky pie crust; avoid tap water with strong mineral taste.

Tools for Mixing and Rolling Paula Deen’s Pie Crust

• Mixing bowl: Large, spacious vessel for combining dry ingredients.
• Sifter: Tool to evenly distribute flour, salt, and sugar.
• Pastry blender: Handheld tool for cutting shortening into flour mixture.
• Fingertips: Perfect for breaking down cold shortening into crumbly texture.
• Measuring cups: Precise measurements for flour and sugar.
• Measuring spoons: Accurate portioning of salt.
• Plastic wrap: Used for wrapping and chilling dough.
• Rolling pin: Essential for rolling dough into thin, even circles.
• Pie dish: 23 cm (9-inch) ceramic or glass dish for forming pie crust.
• Fork: Used for pricking dough base before blind baking.
• Parchment paper: Prevents dough from sticking during blind baking.
• Pie weights: Keeps crust flat during pre-baking process.
• Kitchen knife: Helpful for trimming excess dough edges.

Buttery Paula Deen Pie Crust Recipe

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• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Southern comfort emerges in Paula Deen’s legendary pie crust, blending rich butter and delicate flour for a melt-in-mouth pastry. Bakers can craft this classic recipe with simple ingredients and precision technique, ensuring delightful homemade desserts.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
• 12 tbsps (170 g) cold and cubed butter
• ¼ cup (57 g) cold vegetable shortening
• 3 tbsps (38 g) granulated white sugar
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• ¼ to ½ cup (60–120 mL) ice water

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Instructions

1. Dry Ingredient Preparation: Sift flour, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl, ensuring a uniform distribution of dry components for a consistent pastry base.
2. Fat Integration: Incorporate cold vegetable shortening using fingertips or a pastry cutter, breaking it down until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs. Add cold butter cubes, continuing to work quickly and lightly to maintain delicate fat pockets that will create flaky layers.
3. Dough Formation: Gradually introduce ice-cold water, gently folding and pressing the mixture until it cohesively binds without becoming soggy. Avoid overworking the dough to preserve its tender texture.
4. Chilling and Resting: Divide the dough into two equal disks, wrap individually in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to relax gluten and solidify fat, enhancing the crust’s overall structure.
5. Rolling and Shaping: On a lightly floured surface, roll each chilled disk into a circular shape approximately 25-28 centimeters in diameter, maintaining consistent thickness for even baking.
6. Pie Dish Transfer: Carefully transfer the rolled dough to the pie dish, gently pressing it against the sides and trimming excess edges. Create a decorative crimp around the perimeter for a professional finish.
7. Preparation for Baking: For blind baking, prick the base with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with ceramic pie weights to prevent rising and ensure a crisp, well-structured crust.

Notes

• Chill Ingredients: Keep shortening, butter, and water extremely cold to guarantee a supremely flaky, tender pie crust texture that melts in your mouth.
• Handle with Care: Minimize dough manipulation to prevent developing tough gluten, which can make the crust dense and chewy instead of delicate and light.
• Resting is Crucial: Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes to allow flour to hydrate and fats to solidify, ensuring maximum flakiness and easier rolling.
• Blind Baking Tips: Use ceramic weights or dried beans to prevent crust from puffing up, creating a crisp, even base for both sweet and savory pie fillings.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 370
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 50 mg
• Fat: 26 g
• Saturated Fat: 16 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 35 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 45 mg