So You’ve Made Your Pie Dough, Now What?
You’ve made your pie dough, shaped your pie crust, and put it in the freezer. Now what? If your pie crust isn’t in the freezer yet, go ahead and pop it in while you read this. Freezing pie crusts before baking them keeps the crust flakier and helps it hold the shape you worked so hard to create. It also makes it easier to add weights for blind baking.
This section is all about how to blind bake a pie crust – also sometimes called par-baking, pre-baking, or simply baking an empty pie shell. There are many names for the process, but they all mean the same thing: baking a pie crust before adding the filling. (If you’re looking for instructions on baking a double-crusted pie, skip ahead to Part IV: Double-Crusted Pie Designs).
What is Blind Baking a Pie Crust (and Why Do It)?
Blind baking a pie crust simply means baking the pie crust on its own, before any filling is added. You may also hear this step called par-baking (short for partially baking), or pre-baking. All of these terms describe the same process: giving the crust a head start in the oven.
So why should you blind bake a pie crust? The most obvious reason is for pies where the filling isn’t baked, or is cooked separately from the pie crust. Some examples are the lemon curd in lemon meringue pie, chocolate pudding in chocolate cream pie, or vanilla pastry cream in banana cream pie. These fillings would not set properly if you poured them into a raw pastry crust and popped the whole thing into the oven, so the crust has to be fully baked to perfection first.
But blind baking isn’t just for no-bake fillings. Sometimes, even when a pie needs to be baked in the oven with its filling, the crust still benefits from a head start. This is often the case when the crust takes longer to bake than the custard inside. Examples of this include pumpkin pie, buttermilk pie, and chess pies. Giving the crust that extra time from blind baking helps ensure it bakes all the way through and stays crisp.
Finally, there are pies that technically don’t require blind baking but can still benefit from it. Fruit crumble pies, for instance, spend well over an hour in the oven, which is plenty of time to bake through. Still, I like to give the crust a short blind bake to add insurance against soggy bottoms.
Methods for Blind Baking Pie Crust (Docking, Rice, Beans, and More)
When blind baking, the main challenge and goal is to keep your crust flat and in place. As steam from the melting butter chunks builds up, the bottom of the crust naturally wants to puff up into a big bubble, while the sides can shrink and slump down into the pie pan. To prevent this, bakers use two main strategies: docking (poking holes in the dough to let the steam escape), or weighing down the crust with something heavy.
Each method has pros and cons but they all serve the same purpose – helping your carefully designed crust hold its shape while it bakes.
Using Aluminum Foil vs Parchment When Blind Baking
Most blind-baking methods require lining the pie crust before filling it with weights. The two standard options are aluminum foil and parchment paper. While both work, they behave differently in the oven.
At first glance, aluminum foil might seem like the better choice. It conducts heat efficiently, and feels sturdy when pressed into the pie crust. But foil has two drawbacks: it traps steam against the dough, which can lead to uneven or spotty browning on the bottom of the crust, and it isn’t nonstick, so it can tear a delicate partially baked crust.
Parchment paper, on the other hand, is more breathable. Steam can escape, which promotes more consistent browning. It also conforms more naturally to the shape of the crust, especially fluted edges, so it does a better job of supporting the sides and preventing slumping. Finally, it’s non-stick, making it much easier to lift out of a delicate, partially baked crust without tearing it.
For these reasons, I recommend parchment paper for most blind-baking methods. If you’re curious, America’s Test Kitchen also has a side-by-side comparison of parchment paper verus aluminum foil in blind baking.
Docking
Docking is the simplest and cheapest way to blind bake a pie crust. All it takes is a fork and a few seconds of poking small holes across the bottom of the dough. These holes give steam an escape route, which helps keep the bottom of the pie crust from puffing into big bubbles as it bakes.
That said, docking isn’t my preferred method of blind baking a pie crust. First, it’s very easy to poke too far and accidentally create holes all the way through the crust. For some pies that’s no big deal, but for pies with liquid fillings, like custard pies, the filling can seep through the holes, causing the crust to fuse to the pan as it bakes. Second, docking only prevents the bottom of the crust from puffing up; it doesn’t provide any support to the sides of the crust, which means your carefully shaped edges are more likely to slump inward as they bake. This can be especially tricky for beginner bakers getting comfortable with shaping pie dough.
Docking does work well with sturdier applications like tarts, where the height of the sides of the crust isn’t as critical. But for most traditional pies, I recommend one of the weighted methods below for more reliable results.
Rice
Rice is my go-to method for blind baking pie crusts. It’s inexpensive, easy to find, and I almost always have some on hand. Another advantage is coverage: when you fill a pie shell all the way to the top with rice, it settles into every nook and cranny, even the crevices of the fluted edges. The weight of the rice keeps the dough pressed firmly against the side of the pan, which helps prevent the sides from slumping inwards as the crust bakes.
To blind bake with rice, center a piece of parchment over your frozen pie shell. Then fill it with rice, being sure to press down into all the corners of the pie crust. You can reuse rice for blind baking many times, just keep it in a container in your pantry.
Beans
Using beans as pie weights works almost exactly the same way as using rice. Line your frozen crust with parchment, then fill it with dried beans to weight the dough down as it bakes. Like rice, beans are inexpensive and can be reused for blind baking more crusts. The only reason I tend to use rice more often than beans is just because I tend to have more rice in my pantry than beans.
Sugar
Sugar is another excellent option for blind baking, and it comes with a sweet bonus: you end up with toasted sugar that can be used in other recipes. Similarly to the methods using rice and beans, fill a parchment lined frozen pie shell with sugar.
Toasted sugar has a lightly caramelized flavor and makes a great substitute for regular granulated sugar in many baking recipes! Unlike most of the other methods for blind baking, you cannot reuse the sugar from blind baking for future pie crusts.
Pie Weights
Pie weights are a classic, reusable option for blind baking. They’re usually made of ceramic or stainless steel and they conduct heat more efficiently than rice, beans, or sugar. Theoretically, this helps the crust bake more evenly.
However, pie weights are more expensive than rice, beans, or sugar, and one package usually does not contain enough to fully fill a pie shell. To get full coverage up the sides of the pie shell, you typically need two or sometimes even three packs. In a pinch, one pack will keep the bottom of the crust from puffing up, but won’t support the sides of the crust.
For me, the trade-off comes down to cost. Personally, if I’m going to spend extra money on a specialized tool, I want it to perform significantly better than rice or beans. In my opinion, there isn’t much difference. However, if you bake pies regularly and want to invest in reusable pie weights, they are convenient, easy to use, and will last indefinitely.
To use pie weights, line a frozen pie crust with parchment and fill it to the top with pie weights before baking.
Pie Chain
Another tool you may come across for blind baking is a pie chain. A pie chain is a long strand of connected metal beads which is coiled across the bottom of the crust to weigh it down during baking.
This is my least-recommended method. Like pie weights, a pie chain is a specialized tool that you have to buy, when cheaper pantry staples can do just as well. Additionally, a pie chain only weighs down the bottom of the crust and doesn’t provide support up the sides. In practice, it functions more like docking than one of the fully weighted methods.
That said, some bakers like pie chains because they’re reusable, easy to clean, and simple to lift out of the partially baked crust.
How to Blind Bake Pie Crusts - Light, Dark, and Fully Baked Shells
So you’ve chosen your blind baking method and lined your crust with some form of weight. Now how long should you bake your pie crust?
The answer depends on the type of pie you’re making and how the crust will be used. For many pies, the crust goes back into the oven once it’s filled, so you don’t want it to get too dark during the blind-baking stage or it may burn before the whole pie is finished.
In general, blind-baked pie shells fall into three categories: light-baked, dark-baked, and fully baked. Each serves a different purpose depending on the filling and bake time of the finished pie.
Light-Baked Pie Shells
Light-baked pie shells are best for pies that will spend a long time back in the oven at 350°F or above. This category includes most nut pies and fruit crumble pies, where the filling requires extended baking and the crust has plenty of time to finish cooking along with the filling.
For the pie dough recipe from Part I, a light-baked pie shell usually takes about 35 minutes at 350°F. When you pick up the corner of the parchment paper the weight is on, the bottom of the crust should look dry and matte, but not yet browned and still pale in color.
Dark-Baked Pie Shells
Dark-baked pie shells are best for pies that return to the oven for a shorter bake, typically less than 45 minutes, or for pies baked at lower temperatures like 325°F. This includes most custard pies such as pumpkin, buttermilk, or chess pies where the filling sets fairly quickly.
For the pie dough recipe from Part I, a dark-baked pie shell usually takes about 45 minutes at 350°F. When you check the bottom of the crust, the crust should look baked and just beginning to turn a light golden-brown color. Overall, the shell should appear mostly baked but not quite finished, and ready to finish baking once the filling is added.
Fully-Baked Pie Shells
Fully-baked pie shells are used for pies that don’t go back into the oven once filled. This includes pies with stovetop-cooked fillings, such as cream pies, as well as pies with no-bake fillings like icebox pies.
For the pie dough recipe from Part I, a fully baked shell usually takes close to a full hour in the oven at 350°F. Timing can vary slightly depending on your oven and thickness of your crust, so visual cues are key.
The crust should be golden brown all over, including the sides and bottom, with no raw or pale spots left. The edges should look crisp and fully browned. At this stage, the shell will taste like a deliciously baked pie crust and just needs some filling to complete the pie!
Egg Washing vs Cream Washing
You don’t apply an egg wash or cream wash until your pie is fully assembled and ready to bake, but it’s an important part of creating a beautiful, professional-looking crust. Since this post is all about baking pie crusts, it makes sense to cover the difference here (you’ll also see this section again in Part 4: Double-Crusted Pie Designs).
An egg wash for pie crust is made by lightly beating an egg and brushing it over the surface of the dough before baking. This technique gives the crust a shiny, golden, and slightly firm finish, which makes it especially popular for savory pies. If you want your pie to look extra polished, egg washing is the way to go.
A cream wash, on the other hand, involves brushing the crust with heavy cream. This produces a softer, matte finish with a warm golden brown color. It’s less glossy than an egg wash, but I find it perfect for pies where I want a warm, natural, and inviting look.
Both methods enhance browning and improve appearance, but choosing between them depends on the style of pie you’re making. Personally, I use cream more often, reserving egg washes for the occasional savory pie or when I want extra shine.
