Homemade Pie Crust

This year, I decided to step it up and make pie crust from scratch for Thanksgiving. I'll admit it...I really wanted to break in my new cookie cutters for a decorative trim. When I found out this crust can be frozen for up to two months, I decided to make it two weeks in advance of the holiday.

Each year, my family celebrated Thanksgiving at my grandparent's house. Man can that woman cook! She would slave away in the kitchen for days leading up to Thanksgiving day, and when the day came there was a spread that would put restaurants to shame. Homemade casseroles, the biggest turkey you've ever seen, and at least 6 different desserts draped her giant kitchen island as we all lined up with empty stomachs and empty plates, ready to dive in.  

{ I don't see nothin' wrong, with a little bit of chop and grindddd }

Once my grandfather passed away, my grandmother wasn't as fervent to make the holiday feast, so I decided I'd try my hand at passing on her legacy. Up to this point, I have always purchased crust from the freezer section, because it was one less task on my to-do list. 

As I began writing my list of recipes, old and new, I would be cooking this year, I thought about those homemade pie crusts she made. They were warm and buttery and oh-so crusty. It was always the highlight of the dessert course in my family. I suppose making homemade crusts has dwindled, like mincemeat pies, they're seldom seen around the holidays anymore. 

This is her recipe.

All of this time, I thought making crust would be insanely laborious and messy...wrong. It took only ten minutes to make! Now, the decorative rim is a different story.

After cutting the draped edges of the pie, I shaped the trimmings into a ball and rolled them out again,  cutting strips to form a braid. I haven't braided hair, or anything for that matter, in so long, I completely forgot how and had to YouTube it! Once I began braiding the crust, I decided I wanted to go for a different look. I removed the braids from my pie rim and rolled them back out to a blank canvas. I grabbed my new set of pie cutters and began punching out little leaves and adhered them using melted butter.

You can grab my set here:

 

I love the result! It is so festive and pretty! I can't wait to see it once it bakes!

What desserts are you making for your Thanksgiving dinner?

Homemade Pie Crust

Makes one crust

Preparation:  10 min

                  Cook Time: 0 min  Total Time: 10 min                       

Ingredients

        

          1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

          1 tbsp sugar

          1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter

          3 tbsp cold water

        

Instructions

          1) Using a food processor, pour one cup of flour and half of the amount of butter and pulse until well 

                blended.

          2) Add the remaining flour and remaining butter to the food processor, and pulse until completely 

               blended. Add sugar and pulse a few more times.

          3) Transfer the mixture to a bowl or your kitchenaid and add the water. Mix with the paddle 

                attachment and blend until the dough begins to form. It should be somewhat sticky.

          4) Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before rolling 

                out. Dough can be frozen for up to 2 months and refrigerated for up to 5 days.