Crisco pies crust

[Theresa’sson]

Hi Everyone I’m new here but wanted to share my trials and tribulations with crisco crust. First off I wanna say I kinda feel like I failed my mother she made the crisco crust ( the one on the back of the container) religiously as my grandmother made before her. After her passing it was my time to take over the family tradition. Try as I might I could never get it right and I did everything she never refrigerated anything she used ice cold water and room temp crisco and bam every time perfect. I tried that, I tried refrigerating the crisco, then refrigerating the dough once it was combined, and tried over flouring the the outside/ surface I was rolling out on and always got the same result the dough kept sticking!!!!! I tried over hydrating I tried under hydration and still it would stick or it would crack as soon as it was pulled off the surface. Finally I gave up and made a butter dough (a lot more forgiving I found) and continued making the pies of our family but I still see it in my father when I say how’s the pie and I can tell he knows it isn’t the same. Any help is welcome but unfortunately I think we are in a world without crisco crust now and it isn’t the same.

 

[retired baker]

 

[MrsM]

I make my pie crusts with part butter/part Crisco. Once the crust is made, it has to be refrigerated for several hours or overnight to hydrate the flour. Rolling: The trick is to roll the crust between sheets of plastic wrap. You will need to overlap 2 sheets on bottom and top. When you get your dough round rolled out, carefully peel off the top side of the plastic wrap. You can pick up the entire crust, still attached to the bottom crust, flip it over into your pie plate, press it into the pie plate, and then remove the plastic wrap. Works like a charm, uses no extra flour.

 

[sshapero]

My wife has been using butter-flavored Crisco for her pie crusts for years, and I just started making pies recently with it. As long as I follow the instructions carefully, it comes out fine, but it takes practice to get the hydration right.

If the butter works for you, I would stick with that (the flavor will be better that with Crisco) or try a 50/50 mix of the two. The key for me is to keep the dough cold and not to overwork it with my warm hands.

Don't stress about it. Just tell your father you have a new way of doing it that you think tastes better.

 

[Robin N.]

Hi Everyone I’m new here but wanted to share my trials and tribulations with crisco crust. First off I wanna say I kinda feel like I failed my mother she made the crisco crust ( the one on the back of the container) religiously as my grandmother made before her. After her passing it was my time to take over the family tradition. Try as I might I could never get it right and I did everything she never refrigerated anything she used ice cold water and room temp crisco and bam every time perfect. I tried that, I tried refrigerating the crisco, then refrigerating the dough once it was combined, and tried over flouring the the outside/ surface I was rolling out on and always got the same result the dough kept sticking!!!!! I tried over hydrating I tried under hydration and still it would stick or it would crack as soon as it was pulled off the surface. Finally I gave up and made a butter dough (a lot more forgiving I found) and continued making the pies of our family but I still see it in my father when I say how’s the pie and I can tell he knows it isn’t the same. Any help is welcome but unfortunately I think we are in a world without crisco crust now and it isn’t the same.

Hello,

Don't feel like your letting your mom down, she'd be happy how hard you have tried. Believe me, nothing I make, and I am not bragging but pretty good cook, but nothing tastes as good as my mom and grams. Don't guilt yourself! Start a new tradition! I will share my no fail pie crust. I use half crisco, half salted butter. Yes salted, works great. I hope this helps. It makes two large pie crusts, and you can trim and make cinnamon pie scraps with it. My mom always did that. Here you go...

3 cups flour
3/4 cup crisco
3/4 cup very cold salted butter cut up in small squares
I do about 1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup ice cold water, more if needed.

You can mix the flour, crisco, butter and salt in a food processor, just pulse, then add water. It should form a big kind of ball. Then split in half, and make disc's. You can put in fridge for half hour or up to two days. Or freeze for a month. Or, if you do not have a food processor, then a pie crust tool works great, lastly a fork if you don't have the tool. Just cut into flour and butter/crisco until you see them turn into pea sized crumbs, then add water slowly until the dough comes together. Not to moist, it will turn out harder. When I bake with double crust, I always do an egg wash on top, or even milk sometimes. Comes out great. Blessings to you!

 

[Mona]

I totally understand the pressure of carrying on a family tradition, especially with something as special as your mom's Crisco crust. It sounds like you've tried everything to get it right, and I admire your determination. Pie crusts can be tricky, and sometimes small adjustments, like using parchment paper to roll the dough, can make a difference. But don’t be too hard on yourself your love and effort are what truly matter. Whether it's with Crisco or butter, you're still creating cherished memories with your family.

 

[juan witmore]

Hi Everyone I’m new here but wanted to share my trials and tribulations with crisco crust. First off I wanna say I kinda feel like I failed my mother she made the crisco crust ( the one on the back of the container) religiously as my grandmother made before her. After her passing it was my time to take over the family tradition. Try as I might I could never get it right and I did everything she never refrigerated anything she used ice cold water and room temp crisco and bam every time perfect. I tried that, I tried refrigerating the crisco, then refrigerating the dough once it was combined, and tried over flouring the the outside/ surface I was rolling out on and always got the same result the dough kept sticking!!!!! I tried over hydrating I tried under hydration and still it would stick or it would crack as soon as it was pulled off the surface. Finally I gave up and made a butter dough (a lot more forgiving I found) and continued making the pies of our family but I still see it in my father when I say how’s the pie and I can tell he knows it isn’t the same. Any help is welcome but unfortunately I think we are in a world without crisco crust now and it isn’t the same.

Carrying on your family’s Crisco crust tradition sounds meaningful yet challenging. Crisco crusts are tricky, but here are a few ideas to try. First, chill the dough for at least an hour after mixing to let the flour absorb the water fully, which might reduce stickiness. Rolling between wax paper or plastic wrap can also help prevent sticking. As for water, add just a drop or two more if the dough feels too dry. You’re doing a wonderful job keeping this tradition alive, and remember—it's the love you’re putting into it that truly matters. Good luck!

 

[robinm]

Hi Everyone I’m new here but wanted to share my trials and tribulations with crisco crust. First off I wanna say I kinda feel like I failed my mother she made the crisco crust ( the one on the back of the container) religiously as my grandmother made before her. After her passing it was my time to take over the family tradition. Try as I might I could never get it right and I did everything she never refrigerated anything she used ice cold water and room temp crisco and bam every time perfect. I tried that, I tried refrigerating the crisco, then refrigerating the dough once it was combined, and tried over flouring the the outside/ surface I was rolling out on and always got the same result the dough kept sticking!!!!! I tried over hydrating I tried under hydration and still it would stick or it would crack as soon as it was pulled off the surface. Finally I gave up and made a butter dough (a lot more forgiving I found) and continued making the pies of our family but I still see it in my father when I say how’s the pie and I can tell he knows it isn’t the same. Any help is welcome but unfortunately I think we are in a world without crisco crust now and it isn’t the same.

Hiya! So I started making pies in 1991 at 9 years old when my mother, who absolutely cannot cook, let alone bake, promised the entire extended family that she would make pies for thanksgiving and after several hours of only failure she absolutely broke down in tears and locked herself in the bathroom. My father had taught me to cook and bake at a young age and because I wasn't going to let my mom fail, I picked up the Crisco box, followed the recipe and made lovely pies, and went on to make multiple pies, several times a year until my 30s. I recently decided to start making them again and bought some Crisco only to find the recipe had changed, suddenly the box recipe has no egg and no vinegar!!! So maybe you're experiencing my same issue. Solution: I start with the Crisco recipe for a single crust but double it (the one they have for 1 double crust does not work) So: 3 cups flour 1 tsp salt + 1 cup Crisco (I do not chill mine, I find it easier if its warm). Mix salt into the flour and then cut the crisco in using two knives until it looks like coarse oatmeal. Here's where I differ from their current recipe, instead of using the 6-12 tablespoons of ice cold water, in a glass I beat together,1 egg, 1 tablespoon of regular white vinegar and 3 tablespoons of ice cold water and then pour it into the flour & Crisco mix. I mix it slightly, just until I can form it into a ball. Divide the ball in 2. Tape some parchment to the counter (to make clean up easier) and sprinkle some flour on it. Take one ball (I do not chill mine, I find this one way easier when it's warm) flatten one ball with your hands, then pick it up, sprinkle a little more flour down and flip it over. Start rolling it with a lightly floured rolling pin. When it's half way to being the right size, loosen it from the paper with a spatula. Then roll it to size. Use the spatula to loosen it fully from the paper, but then use the spatula to lift one half up and fold it over the other half, this makes it WAY easier to get on the pie plate. Slide the pie plate up to the flat side of your half circle of crust, lift it up, slide it on the plate and unfold. I swear the vinegar and egg make all the difference in the world. The crust is infinitely easier to work with, it's night and day. When it's cooked it's flaky and the egg adds a touch of lovely richness that would usually only come from butter. Plus it cooks perfectly golden, not egg wash brown but perfect pie crust golden. Don't let the pies get you down, it's the thought and the love that matter