If the holidays leave you feeling rushed when it’s time to make pies, consider preparing pie crumbs ahead of time. These ready-made crumbs can be refrigerated and used as needed to make quick, reliable pie crusts.
Busy holiday weeks often mean trying to bake everything at once. I discovered pie crumbs as a time-saving trick and tested a small batch before the season arrived. It turned out to be a great decision — they’re convenient and produce excellent crusts.
My sister Nancy used to make large batches of pie crumbs for holiday use, and I rediscovered her approach when I found her recipe. I adapted it slightly: I increased the liquid a bit and experimented with either milk or water. The original used milk, but I couldn’t detect a meaningful difference, so I stick with ice water now. I also found that dough made from these crumbs can be rolled thinner than typical pie dough — it doesn’t shrink during baking.
A small batch yields about 10 cups of crumbs, enough for roughly five single pie crusts. Make a batch ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator; it will save valuable time when holiday baking gets hectic.
Pie Crumb Ingredients
All-Purpose Flour – Use all-purpose flour for this recipe. Salt and baking powder are added separately.
Crisco Solid Shortening – Use solid shortening like Crisco for the best texture. Once opened, shortening can develop a strong odor or flavor if left at room temperature, so keep it refrigerated after opening and store the prepared pie crumbs in the fridge as well.
Salt – This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of salt. It seems like a lot, but the batch makes multiple crusts, so the amount per crust is modest.
Baking Powder – Baking powder helps prevent crust shrinkage by encouraging slight expansion and also aids in browning.
How to make pie crumbs
- Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl.
- Add half of the Crisco. Using a pastry blender (or two knives), cut the shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
- Add the remaining shortening and continue cutting it into the flour until the pieces are the size of small peas.
- Transfer the crumbs to an airtight container and refrigerate. Do not store them in the pantry; refrigeration prevents the shortening from developing an off taste or smell.
Pie Dough Recipe with Pie Crumbs
- 2 cups lightly packed pie crumbs
- 5 to 6 tablespoons very cold milk or ice water
- Measure 2 cups of pie crumbs into a medium bowl. Add very cold milk or water, starting with 5 tablespoons.
- Using your hands, mix the liquid into the crumbs until the mixture is slightly moist and holds together. If it still looks too dry and falls apart, add another tablespoon of liquid.
- Form the dough into a disc. If it breaks, add a little more liquid; the dough should be pliable and easy to shape.
- Roll the dough into a roughly 12-inch circle and transfer it to a 9-inch deep pie dish. This dough can be rolled thinner than usual without shrinking, so I like a slightly thinner crust for the bottom and sides.
If you need a double crust, simply double the pie dough recipe above.
Some pies benefit from par-baking (blind baking) the crust before adding the filling. Follow your pie recipe’s instructions to determine whether to pre-bake.
Pro Tips
- Always refrigerate pie crumbs in an airtight container. Opened shortening can develop a strong flavor if kept at room temperature.
- Roll this dough on the thin side — it holds its shape and doesn’t shrink much during baking.
- Whether you use milk or water, make sure the liquid is ice cold to keep the fat in the dough from softening prematurely.
If you try this recipe, please leave a rating or comment to share how it turned out — feedback from home bakers is always helpful.
Pie Crumbs
Description
These pie crumbs are a simple, make-ahead solution for holiday baking. Keep them chilled and add ice cold milk or water to form dough when you’re ready to bake.
Ingredients
- 7 cups all-purpose flour, spoon and level, then sift
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 (1 pound) can Crisco solid shortening
Instructions
- Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl.
- Add half the shortening and cut it into the flour until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal.
- Add the remaining shortening and continue cutting until pieces are the size of small peas.
- Store the crumbs in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- To make a pie crust: mix 2 cups of pie crumbs with 5 tablespoons of ice water, form into a disc, roll to a 12-inch circle and fit into a pie dish.
Notes
- To make a larger batch, use a 3-pound can of Crisco and about 5 pounds plus 2 cups of all-purpose flour.