Pat-in-the-Pan Hot-Water Pie Crust
- MakesMakes one 9-inch pie shell
- Cook Time45 minutes
- Active time plus cooling15 minutes active, plus cooling
If you dread making classic pie dough, rolling it out and fitting it into the pie plate, this is the crust for you. It’s a twist on a hot-water pie crust we learned from food writer Paola Briseño-González. The fat in the dough is melted and brought to a simmer with a little water, then the flour is stirred in, so there’s no need to keep the ingredients cold, nor for delicate handling. The dough is patted into a pie plate, eliminating the need for tricky rolling and transferring. The baked pie shell has a sturdy, sandy, cookie-like texture rather than the flakiness of classic pie pastry; it is good with almost any type of filling. We use a combination of butter and coconut oil as the fat. Refined coconut oil has a neutral flavor; unrefined can be quite assertive. Either works, so consider the flavor profile of your filling when deciding which to use. Alternatively, feel free to swap in an equal amount of shortening.
Don’t cool the dough before transferring it to the pie plate. While it is too hot to handle, begin pressing it in place with a silicone spatula or the bottom of a dry measuring cup. Then when it’s only warm to the touch, use your hands to form the sides and flute the edge.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle position. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, coconut oil, sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, stirring to melt the solids. As soon as they’re melted and the mixture is simmering, add the flour and salt. Remove the pan from the heat and, working quickly, stir with a silicone spatula until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened and without any dry patches; the dough will be very soft and resemble mashed potatoes.
Step 2
Scrape the hot dough into the center of a standard 9-inch pie plate. Using the spatula or the bottom of a dry measuring cup, press the dough into an even layer into the bottom of the pie plate. When the dough is cool enough to handle, use your hands to continue to press it into the corners and up the sides of the pie plate until the dough lining the sides is of even thickness and stands about ½ inch above the rim. Flute or crimp the edge, making sure it sits on the rim of the pie plate; this will help prevent the sides from slipping during baking.
Step 3
Carefully line the dough with a large sheet of foil, gently pressing it into the corners and against the sides, then fill with about 2 cups pie weights. Bake until the dough is set, about 20 minutes. Carefully lift out the foil with weights, then prick the pie shell all over with a fork to deflate any air bubbles and prevent additional ones from forming. For a partially baked pie shell, bake until lightly browned, another 10 to 12 minutes; for a fully baked pie shell, bake until deep golden brown, another 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
