🥧 Grandma’s Secret Pie Crust Recipe
A Legacy of Love, Passed Down Through Generations
Today, I made an apple pie. But not just any apple pie — one wrapped in memories, heritage, and love.
The crust? That was the best part.
It’s my grandmother’s recipe — one she carefully wrote by hand in an old ledger book filled with decades of notes, stories, and kitchen secrets. She had two versions, but this one was always my favorite.
What made it special?
A pinch of cream of tartar.
She’d smile and say, “That’s the secret. Don’t forget it.”
Now, I never do.
This isn’t just a recipe. It’s a connection — to her, to simpler times, and to the smell of flour and butter filling the kitchen on cool afternoons. I’m passing it to my daughter, just like it was passed to me. One day, she’ll pass it down too.
And that’s how love stays alive.
💛 Grandma’s Pie Crust (The Secret One)
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (✨ Grandma’s secret!)
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups Crisco (or cold shortening)
4 to 8 tablespoons very cold water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 well-beaten egg
Instructions:
Start Cold:
Grandma always said “cold hands, cold heart — perfect crust!” Keep your flour, shortening, and even your mixing bowl cold. That’s her #1 tip.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and cream of tartar. Mix gently with your hands or a wooden spoon.
Cut in the Crisco:
Add the shortening to the dry mix and cut it in using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the texture resembles coarse crumbs.
Mix the Liquids:
In a small bowl, beat 1 egg. Add vinegar and 4 tablespoons of very cold water. Stir together.
Combine Gently:
Slowly add the liquid to the flour/shortening mix a little at a time. Mix just until the dough comes together. You may not need all the water — use just enough until the dough holds without being sticky.
Form and Chill:
Divide the dough into 2–3 balls, flatten slightly into discs, wrap tightly, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
Roll by Hand:
Roll the dough out gently on a floured surface. Remember — Grandma said do it by hand. Never overwork it. That’s how you get a tender, flaky crust.
📝 A Few of Grandma’s Tips
Keep everything cold — even your flour!
Always use your hands. “You feel the dough better that way.”
Don’t over-mix. Pie crust should be tender, not tough.
If you tear it, patch it. Pie crust isn’t meant to be perfect — just delicious.
Every time I make this crust, I think of her. Flour on her apron, Crisco can on the counter, and that quiet wisdom in her hands.
Now it’s my turn to pass this little legacy on.
🧡 Because the best recipes aren’t written on paper — they’re written in memories.