Pastry for a 9 Inch Single Crust Pie

Store dough wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Unbaked pie shells freeze well for up to 3 months. Baked crusts stay fresh at room temperature 1–2 days, refrigerated up to 5 days.

Keep all ingredients and tools cold; this helps create a flaky crust by preventing the fat from fully mixing into the flour.

Don't overwork the dough—mix just until shaggy and combined. Gluten development makes crust tough.

Chill the dough at least 30 minutes before rolling to relax the gluten and prevent shrinkage.

Prick the bottom with a fork or use pie weights if pre-baking to prevent puffing and bubbling.

Let baked crust cool completely before filling to avoid a soggy bottom.

Overmixing the dough, which develops gluten and results in a tough, dense crust instead of a tender one.

Using warm or room-temperature ingredients, which prevents flakiness.

Skipping the chill time, causing the crust to shrink or puff unevenly during baking.

Not docking (pricking) an unbaked shell before filling with a wet filling, leading to a soggy crust.