17 Surprising Recipes That Start With Store Bought Pie Crust (2024)

FAQs

How do you enhance store-bought pie crust? ›

A brush of butter (and maybe a sprinkle of cookie crumbs) adds moisture and texture. Since store-bought pie crusts have a tendency to dry out, our experts suggest using a moistening agent to imbue the crust with texture and flavor.

If your recipe calls for a baked or par-baked pie crust, and you are using store-bought pie dough, you still need to par-bake it. For example, if using store-bought crust in this brownie pie recipe, you still need to follow the par-baking instructions in that recipe (which are the same instructions you find below).

Ready-made pie crust does not stand up well to re-rolling, so cut out your shapes as close to edges as you can and bake up any scraps by tossing in plain or cinnamon sugar for cook's treat snacks, Be sure to let your bakes cool completely before frosting, glazing or filling.

Sugar: Not all pie crusts have sugar, but those that do will be more tender since sugar interferes with gluten development. In our experience, sugar can also make the pie dough so tender that it's hard to roll out and transfer to your pan without breaking. Egg: This makes the dough more pliable and easy to roll out.

Claire suggests pairing "citrus zest with fruit pies, warm spices with custard pies, and vanilla with just about anything." Liquid flavoring like fruit juices are not recommended—they add more moisture and can potentially cause tough crusts.

With docking, the holes allow steam to escape, so the crust should stay flat against the baking dish when it isn't held down by pie weights or a filling. Otherwise the crust can puff up, not only impacting appearance but also leaving you with less space for whatever filling you have planned.

If you don't blind bake with weights, or poke holes into the bottom of the crust, the bottom of the crust can puff up.

How long to prebake pie crust at 350? ›

If your recipe doesn't have instructions and you're wondering how long to pre bake the pie, here's what I do: I pre bake the prepped pie crust at 350°F. If the crust is homemade from scratch, I pre bake for 35 minutes. If the crust is store-bought, I pre bake for 30 minutes.

For a slightly richer tasting crust, brush lightly with melted butter. Refrigerate until firm before filling the crust as desired. Repeat the dusting and rolling process with the second crust, and drape it over the pie filling. Crimp the top and bottom crusts together.

This tip comes from Dorie, who says: “Brushing the prebaked bottom crust with beaten egg white before filling your pie is helpful, as is brushing it with melted chocolate — both make good raincoats, one more flavorful than the other.” PJ particularly recommends using melted chocolate when making pecan pie for a candy- ...

While pie is still hot fill with a paste made from 1 part butter 2 parts flour. Gently and carefully fill crack and smooth bake for 5-10 min until dry at 375F.

Baste crust with oil, then butter

Just after you've finished stretching the dough into its final shape, brush the entire surface with olive oil before adding your sauce, cheese, and any toppings. Basting the dough with oil both adds flavor and aids in the cooking process, giving the top crust a bit more crunch.