Making a pie that calls for the bottom crust to be fully baked or partially baked before filling? Here’s a clear, step-by-step guide to rolling, fitting, shaping, and pre-baking a bottom pie crust so it’s ready for your filling.
- Roll out the pastry
- Fit the pastry into a pie plate
- Shape the edges
- Partially or fully bake the crust before filling it
My favorite pie crust: Foolproof Pie Crust. I’ve been using the same foolproof recipe for decades. Make the dough, then chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to five days before rolling.
How to Pre-Bake or Partially Pre-Bake a Bottom Pie Crust
#1. Preheat the oven and prepare a foil liner.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Tear off a piece of aluminum foil about 16 inches long. Invert a pie plate on the counter and press the foil over it so the foil takes the pan’s shape. Remove the shaped foil carefully and set it aside, keeping its shape. Set the pie plate right side up and leave it ready.
#2. Roll out the pastry and fit it into the pie plate.
Lightly flour a clean work surface and keep extra flour nearby. Place one piece of chilled dough on the floured surface, dust the top with flour, and roll the dough into a 14-inch circle. Using a large, flat spatula, fold the circle in half and then in half again to make a triangle. Place the triangle in a 9½-inch pie pan with the point in the center, and gently unfold to cover the pan.
Press the dough into the pan corners with your fingers so the dough snugly fits the pan. Let the edges drape slightly over the rim.
#3. Trim and shape the edges of the dough.
If more than about 1 inch of dough hangs over the pan, trim the excess. Fold the remaining overhang under itself to create a neat rim that rests on the pie plate edge. To crimp, place one hand inside the crust edge and one outside. Use the index finger of the inside hand to push the dough between the thumb and index finger of the outside hand, forming a U or V. Repeat around the entire edge for a consistent decorative finish.
#4. Weigh down the pastry.
Press the pre-shaped piece of foil gently into the crust and fold its edges over the rim, taking care not to flatten or distort the crimped edge. Weigh the foil-lined shell with 1–2 pounds of dried beans or pie weights to hold the crust flat while it bakes. (Reusable dried beans stored in a zip-top bag work well and are economical.)
#5. Bake the pastry.
Place the pan in the center of the 400°F oven and bake for 17 minutes. Remove it, lift away the foil and weights, and return the crust to the pan. Use a fork to pierce the bottom of the crust about 10–12 times, twisting slightly with each poke to widen the holes and let steam escape.
Lower the oven temperature to 375°F. For a partially baked shell, bake an additional 10–12 minutes. For a fully baked shell, bake 17–20 more minutes until the crust turns a light golden color. Remove and cool on a wire rack until ready to fill.
How to Keep the Edges of the Pie Crust from Burning
If the rim is browning too quickly when fully baking the crust, protect it with foil:
- Cut two pieces of foil about 24 inches long and lay them on a baking sheet at right angles to each other.
- Set the pie in the center and fold the foil up and over the rim, crimping it so the edges are loosely covered. This shields the rim from direct heat while the bottom continues to bake.
A Few Favorite Pie Ideas
- Caramel Apple Pie
- Pecan Pie (without corn syrup)
- German Apple Pie
- Blueberry Pie
- Sweet Cherry Crumb Pie
- Mixed Berry Plum Pie
- Chocolate Cream Pie
- Coconut Cream Pie
Recipe
How To Pre-Bake a Pie Crust
Yield: 1 pre-baked or partially pre-baked pie crust
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: About 39 minutes (total varies by partial vs. full bake)
Total Time: About 54 minutes
A straightforward method for blind-baking a bottom crust so it’s ready for wet fillings or for a fully baked crisp shell.
Ingredients
- Foolproof Pie Crust dough, well chilled (or your favorite pie crust dough)
- 1–2 pounds dried beans or pie weights
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Shape a 16-inch piece of foil over an inverted pie plate and set aside, then set the plate right side up.
- On a floured surface, roll the chilled pastry into a 14-inch circle. Fold gently into quarters using a wide spatula to transfer into the pie pan.
- Unfold and press the dough into the pan, letting the edges drape over the rim.
- Trim excess so about 1 inch overhang remains. Fold that overhang under itself to form a neat rim.
- Crimp the edges using the index finger inside and thumb outside to form a U or V pattern.
- Press the shaped foil into the shell and fold the foil edges over the rim gently. Add dried beans or pie weights to the foil-lined shell.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 17 minutes. Remove, lift out the foil and weights, then return the crust to the pan.
- Prick the bottom of the crust 10–12 times with a fork, twisting slightly to enlarge holes.
- Reduce oven to 375°F. Bake 10–12 minutes more for partially baked, or 17–20 minutes more for fully baked until light golden.
- Cool on a wire rack before filling.
Notes
To prevent over-browning of the rim while fully baking, loosely cover the edges with foil as described above. The foil will shield the edges while allowing the base to brown evenly.