Baked Press-in Crust

(5,604)

This super-easy no-roll pie crust can be pressed into the pan for an easy dessert.

Total Time:
1 hr
Yield:
1 9- x 13-inch crust

This five-ingredient press-in pie crust is a no-fuss recipe that will make holiday baking so much more manageable. Ditch the food processor and plug in a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer. Start by creaming together cold butter and light brown sugar, then add the sifted flour and salt and beat until the ingredients come together and resemble dough. Unlike some pie doughs, there’s no need to chill this one. Just press it into the pan and then bake until it is browned. The result is a sweet, crispy crust that’s somewhere in between a shortbread cookie and traditional pie crust. 

Once baked, fill it with our simple chocolate mousse or a classic vanilla pudding.

Frequently asked questions

Is pie crust better with shortening or butter?

Debate is inevitable during the holiday season and few topics are more contested than using butter vs. shortening for pie crust. Butter adds more, well, buttery flavor than shortening, which means your slice of pie will taste better overall. Meanwhile, shortening makes the dough more pliable and easier to roll out. Some home bakers like using a combination of butter and shortening, reaping the flavorful benefits of butter with the flakiness and ease that shortening offers.

What is the secret to the flakiest pie crust?

Using cold ingredients — namely, chilled butter and ice water — is the secret to flaky pie crusts (though some pastry chefs go so far as to chill the flour, too). As the cold butter melts in the oven, it creates long, flaky layers. The water content in the butter (which is anywhere from 16% to 20%, depending on the kind you use) will also create steam in the dough, contributing to those desirable flaky pockets.

Should I cook pie crust before filling?

Most pie recipes call for baking the crust before adding the filling in order to prevent the crust from becoming soggy from the addition of a juicy fruit or custard-like filling. Blind-baking or par-baking pie crust also ensures that the crust will be flaky — win-win!

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

It’s important that the dough is pressed evenly into the baking dish so that it bakes evenly. To prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers, rest a layer of plastic wrap on top of the dough and use the bottom of a metal measuring cup to press it evenly into the pan.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour sifted with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the butter with the sugars at medium speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer at low speed, beat in the sifted flour-and-salt mixture.

  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9- x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches of overhang on the two long sides. Transfer the dough to the pan and press it over the bottom and 1 1/4 inches up the side all around. (You can cover the dough with plastic wrap and press with the bottom of a measuring cup.) Be sure the corners are not too thick. Refrigerate until firm.

  3. Bake the crust for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown; halfway through baking, use the back of a spoon to smooth the sides and corners of the crust. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the crust cool before filling.

Originally appeared: November 2013

Related Articles