Skip to Content

Old Fashioned Lard and Butter Pie Crust

5.0 from 1 vote

This old fashioned pie crust recipe combines butter and lard to create a pie crust that is both flavorful and flaky. Pie crust gets a reputation of not being worth the time and effort to make from scratch, but it totally is!

I promise that once you get the hang of it, it really isn’t that difficult for something so much more natural and delicious for your special (or everyday) occasion! I usually make 2-3 crusts at a time so I can freeze the extra for future pies!

I began making my own pie crusts when we decided to remove seed oils from our family’s diet. Almost all store-bought pie crusts utilize vegetable shortening. However, I have continued to make pie crusts the old fashioned way because the flavor and texture cannot be beat!

I had always felt the crust was more of a supporting actor, but once I started making the pie crust from scratch I was amazed at how it became a main character! The lard adds the perfect texture and the butter, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla add amazing flavor.

I find this pie crust works best with the classic fall pies such as pumpkin, pecan, and apple. If you’re using this recipe for a quiche or savory pie, I recommend leaving out the vanilla and pumpkin pie spice (or better yet substitute with some herbs or pepper)!

Ingredients for Old Fashioned Pie Crust

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 115 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
  • 130 g lard, cold, cubed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 80-100 g ice cold water (I usually use about 90 g, but have extra on hand!)

How to Make Old Fashioned Lard and Butter Pie Crust

Combine the flour, corn starch, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a mixing bowl.

Cut the lard and butter cubes into the dry mixture using a dough cutter, electric hand mixer or two forks. A food processor works well for this step, but I honestly never bother to pull mine out. Combine until the mixture is crumbly, with the largest bits of fat about the size of a pea.

Whisk together the egg, vinegar and vanilla extract. Add the cold water to this mixture until you have about 2/3 cup of total liquid. I recommend combining these ingredients in a measuring cup to allow easy measuring.

Gradually add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture using a fork. It is important to do this gradually because you may not need to use all of the liquid. You want your dough to be just moistened (like playdough that is slightly dried out), not sticky. I start by adding about 1/2 cup of the liquid and continue adding 1 tbsp at a time to the visible dry spots until I achieve the correct consistency.

Divide the dough into two. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator or store in the freezer for future use.

When you are ready to bake a pie, flour a work surface and remove the dough from the wrap.

Roll the dough out into a circle that is 12-13 inches in diameter. This size will fit a standard pie pan.

Transfer the dough (using a flat spatula if needed) to an un-greased pie dish. Help seat and shape the dough to the dish without pressing too hard. Cut any excess crust around the edges (if needed).

Now your dough is ready for filling or to be pre-baked!

How to Par Bake Old Fashioned Lard and Butter Pie Crust

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line the inside of the crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.

Optional: Apply an egg wash (1 egg whisked together with 1 tbsp of milk or cream) to the exposed crust (not covered by the parchment).

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven. Remove the parchment paper and the weights and poke holes into the bottom of the pie crust with a fork. Return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
Note: If your pie crust lifts up when you remove the weights, return to the oven for an additional 2-5 minutes before baking without the weights.

The pie crust is ready once it begins to have a golden color and solid appearance, even at the bottom of the dish.

Tips & Tricks

  • Keep it Cold: For the flakiest crust, keep your lard, butter, and even the water cold. If the fats start to melt before baking, your crust won’t puff up the way you want. You can even chill your mixing bowl and utensils if you’re feeling extra.
  • Cutting in the Fat: When cutting the lard and butter into the flour, aim for pea-sized pieces. This creates steam pockets during baking, which gives you that sought-after flaky texture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips, but work quickly to avoid warming the fats.
  • Minimal Handling: Overworking the dough will lead to a tough crust. Mix just until the ingredients come together, then stop. The less you handle it, the better. Pat it into a disk, wrap it, and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling.
  • Rolling Technique: Roll from the center outwards, turning the dough occasionally to ensure even thickness. If the dough starts to stick, lift and dust with a bit more flour. But remember, too much flour can make the crust dry, so go easy. Chilling the dough again after rolling can help maintain shape and prevent shrinkage in the oven.

Old Fashioned Lard and Butter Pie Crust

Old Fashioned Lard and Butter Pie Crust

Recipe by Hailee
5.0 from 1 vote

This old fashioned pie crust recipe combines butter and lard to create a pie crust that is both flavorful and flaky.

Course: DessertCuisine: American
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Calories

120

kcal
Total time

25

minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups 3 all-purpose flour

  • 1 tbsp 1 corn starch

  • 1 tsp 1 salt

  • 1 tsp 1 pumpkin pie spice

  • 115 grams 115 unsalted butter, cold, cubed

  • 130 grams 130 lard, cold, cubed

  • 1 whole 1 egg

  • 1 tbsp 1 white vinegar

  • 2 tsp 2 vanilla extract

  • 90 grams 90 ice cold water

Directions

  • Combine the flour, corn starch, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a mixing bowl.
  • Cut the lard and butter cubes into the dry mixture until the mixture is crumbly, with the largest bits of fat about the size of a pea.
  • Whisk together the egg, vinegar and vanilla extract. Add the cold water to this mixture until you have about 2/3 cup of total liquid.
  • Add about 1/2 cup of the liquid and mix with a fork until it is as combined as possible. Add 1 tbsp of the liquid at a time to any visible dry spots and mix until the dough begins to come together and no longer has dry flour.
  • Divide the dough into two. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator or store in the freezer for future use.
  • When you are ready to bake a pie, flour a work surface and remove the dough from the wrap.
  • Roll the dough out into a circle that is 12-13 inches in diameter.
  • Transfer the dough to an un-greased pie dish. Help seat and shape the dough to the dish without pressing too hard. Cut any excess crust around the edges (if needed).
  • Now your dough is ready for filling or to be pre-baked!
  • How to Par Bake Old Fashioned Lard and Butter Pie Crust
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Line the inside of the crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
  • Optional: Apply an egg wash (1 egg whisked together with 1 tbsp of milk or cream) to the exposed crust (not covered by the parchment).
  • Bake for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the crust from the oven. Remove the parchment paper and the weights and poke holes into the bottom of the pie crust with a fork. If your pie crust lifts up when you remove the weights, return to the oven for an additional 2-5 minutes before baking without the weights.
  • Return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
  • The pie crust is ready once it begins to have a brown/gold color and solid appearance, even at the bottom of the dish.

Notes

  • Keep it Cold: For the flakiest crust, keep your lard, butter, and even the water cold. If the fats start to melt before baking, your crust won’t puff up the way you want. You can even chill your mixing bowl and utensils if you’re feeling extra.
    Cutting in the Fat: When cutting the lard and butter into the flour, aim for pea-sized pieces. This creates steam pockets during baking, which gives you that sought-after flaky texture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips, but work quickly to avoid warming the fats.
    Minimal Handling: Overworking the dough will lead to a tough crust. Mix just until the ingredients come together, then stop. The less you handle it, the better. Pat it into a disk, wrap it, and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling.
    Rolling Technique: Roll from the center outwards, turning the dough occasionally to ensure even thickness. If the dough starts to stick, lift and dust with a bit more flour. But remember, too much flour can make the crust dry, so go easy. Chilling the dough again after rolling can help maintain shape and prevent shrinkage in the oven.

Nutrition Facts

  • Serving Size: 1g
  • Total number of serves: 6
  • Calories: 120kcal
  • Fat: 10g
  • Cholesterol: 10mg
  • Sodium: 102mg

About Us


We are happy to share our collection of “Old Fashioned Cravings” with you! This is our collection of family recipes that we have to collected, modified and created over the years. Our favorite meals are comfort foods tweaked to be a little bit healthier! We hope you enjoy the content and we would love to hear your favorites and suggestions!

5.0 from 1 vote