7 Types Of Pie Crusts, Explained

Whether sweet or savory, creamy or fruity, there's little more satisfying than a perfect piece of pie. Among the many different types of pie that you can enjoy, the filling is only part of what makes every slice so satisfying. Having an ideal foundation to house your filling is paramount for a well-rounded pie, and choosing the best pie crust for your next bake begins with understanding just how many different types of pie crusts there actually are. Between flaky pastry, choux, crumb, puff pastry, filo (or phyllo), hot water, and shortcrust, there are plenty of variations between the ingredients and processes to make them as well as the specific styles of pie to which each one is suited.

The right pie dough doesn't just complement its filling but is also fit to hold the filling in a way that looks, feels, and tastes pleasing. Spanning a range of lighter creams and meringues to heavy root vegetables and beef, it's important that your pie crust can handle whatever solid and liquid components accompany the filling. For example, a no-bake pie that requires only refrigeration to set would work much better with a graham cracker crust than a flaky pastry. It's also worth considering how some of these crusts come into play for pies that reach beyond the tin or plate and can be made into pocket-shaped and crimped handhelds.

Similar to puff pastry but with a distinct difference in density and fat content, flaky pastry is the number one choice for classic baked fruit pies, among other styles. The rich and buttery flavor that is a hallmark of this pie crust comes from the use of plain butter and, in some recipes, shortening. If you do use shortening in your flaky pie crust, look for a butter flavored shortening, like Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening (available on Amazon) to better homogenize the butter flavor. It is also crucial to use chilled ingredients in terms of your butter, shortening, and water. Ice water is preferable to get the ideal flakiness for your crust. 

Flaky pie dough is especially great for a double crust or a lavish lattice top pie. This gives your pie a classic look and taste and will definitely give you a bit of a workout in terms of honing your technique. When baking a fruit pie, you would typically use a thickening agent such as cornstarch, flour, or tapioca to get your filling to gel more. As such, a flaky pie crust is a great choice to hold a rich and thick fruit filling. Any of your favorite fruit pie recipes would be perfectly placed in a flaky pastry dough.

Choux crust isn't a typical pie crust, but it can definitely stretch the boundaries of what is considered a traditional pie. Known in French as pâte à choux, this delicate dough is made using eggs, butter, flour, and water. Unlike a flaky pie crust, however, choux pastry dough is prepared using heat, with the steam released in the process acting as a natural raising agent. Making the dough requires mixing together butter, water, and salt in a pot on the stovetop over a rolling boil first before lowering the heat and incorporating flour, stirring continuously all the while, and finally, removing it from the heat and carefully adding in the eggs. This is a delicate process, resulting in a dough that is traditionally meant to be piped out onto a baking sheet to make eclairs and beignets but can be adapted to create a shell for the perfect pie.

When it comes time to prepare your pie, simply pipe the choux pastry dough into a tin that's ready to bake to create a luscious shell. Merging your favorite sweet or savory pie flavors with your go-to pâte à choux recipe will yield a crust that is tender, flaky, and just right for many fun fillings. Think of the French eclair, and create a pie based on the creamy and chocolatey flavors therein. You can also go the savory route with a fish or beef filling that is nestled in the delicious choux dough.

Crumb crust is an umbrella term that encompasses any sort of pie crust made using cookie crumbs, graham crackers, crushed up saltines, breadcrumbs, or anything else your heart desires. The bevy of amazing options of cookies alone that would make a flavorful crumb crust goes to show the versatility of this non-traditional style of crust. There are a myriad of no-bake options that come together by setting in the fridge or freezer, which are ideal in a crumb crust. This type of pie crust is usually made with a mixture of crushed up cookies or crackers and butter that is pressed into your pie pan until fully covered. While you are welcome to bake it for extra crispness, if those are the only two ingredients you're using, that isn't necessary.

Whether you choose to buy a ready-made crumb crust, like Haddar Graham Cracker Pie Crust, or get creative and assemble your own, consider the many different no-bake pies to which you can match a crumb crust. For example, a key lime pie recipe is perfectly paired to a graham cracker crust, while a chocolate silk or peanut butter pie would do particularly well with a chocolate cookie crumb crust. You can even try a savory spin with peppery crackers or seasoned breadcrumbs to make an herb-rich cheese pie.

This type of dough is often mistaken for flaky pie crust or phyllo dough because of the similarities in texture. While you can easily find puff pastry like Aussie Bakery All Natural Puff Pastry Sheets or other brands in the frozen section of your local grocery store, there are also plenty of recipes for making a puff pastry pie dough from scratch if you're willing to put in the work.

While puff pastry dough also involves the same standard ingredients of butter, water, and flour, where it differs from a flaky pie dough is in the method by which these ingredients are combined. The process of rolling and folding layers of dough around chunks of butter creates the airy and flaky texture that is a hallmark of puff pastry. Whether homemade or store-bought, you can use this as a pie dough by first adding it to your pie tin and pre-baking it to prepare it for filling.

Puff pastry is an ideal type of dough to use for a savory chicken or beef pie or other similar recipes, particularly if you've taken care to blind bake it prior to filling. It's also especially suited to use as a single top crust for a chicken pot pie that doesn't require a bottom crust to fill. The flaky texture of the puff pastry on top of your favorite mix of rich, creamy gravy, succulent vegetables, and chicken, beef, or lamb would make an excellent combination.

Also known as "filo" crust, this option shares many similarities to flaky pie crust and puff pastry with regard to texture, yet differs largely from both in terms of fat content. Whereas puff pastry and flaky pie crust boast a bevy of butter, phyllo dough is made using olive oil, characteristic of its Mediterranean origin. As such, this dough has an extra crispy bite when baked, making it ideal for a number of different hand pies and more.

Prepared through a meticulous process of rolling out individual sheets, dusting each with cornstarch, and stacking them, homemade phyllo dough takes arduous work but is well worth the effort. Of course, you can also purchase a store-bought phyllo dough if time and convenience are of the essence. Whichever option you pick, phyllo dough has an incredible versatility for a variety of pasties, including the traditional Greek savory spinach pie known as spanakopita.

On the sweeter side, you can also use phyllo dough to make traditional Greek baklava, a dessert that fills layers of the dough with chopped nuts and honey syrup. You can even try making a baklava-inspired pie by lining a tin with sheets of phyllo dough and adding a filling of chopped nuts and honey syrup with a complementary whipped topping to finish it off.

The name really says it all. Similar to Pâte à Choux, this type of dough is also made with hot water. Where the two differ, however, is that a hot water crust is considerably more structured than a delicate choux. The process of preparing a hot water crust begins with melting either lard or shortening in hot water before bringing the liquid to a boil and adding a mixture of flour, butter, and salt. Including two different fats is good for a variance in both taste and texture that creates an ideal consistency in the dough, making it great for many deep dish savory pies filled with vegetables and meat.

With a more dense and structurally sound pastry dough, the pie possibilities are virtually unlimited. Traditionally, hot water crusts are just about inextricably linked with British meat pies, but this crust style can also be applied to fillings of fish, pork, potatoes, or just about anything your heart and taste buds desire. Consider the different robust meat and vegetable fillings that you can put into a hot water crust for delightful hand pies that you'll want to make over and over again.

Also known as pâte brisée in French, shortcrust is a crumbly pie dough that differs from others in the ratio of ingredients, where there is roughly double the amount of flour than fat. This makes for a delightfully crumbly textured crust, fit for a number of different pies, tarts, and quiches. This versatile pie crust is ideal for both sweet and savory flavors and can be easily prepared using a food processor for added convenience. The dough comes together using the same basic ingredients of butter, flour, salt, and egg, making sure that the butter and water are especially cold before combining into the mixture to ensure proper consistency. As with all pie crusts, it's a matter of patience, accuracy, and care to get your shortcrust ready for filling. Ideally, you'll want to let your shortcrust sit in the fridge before filling it with your favorite fruits, nuts, meats, or other mixture.

If you're a fan of quiches, a shortcrust is the way to go. Simply load up your shortcrust with all of the components for a quiche Lorraine and have a spectacularly shareable treat for brunch. On the sweeter side, you can also use shortcrust to make an unforgettable Torta Della Nonna (Grandma's Cake) recipe filled with vanilla custard and a whole lot of love. Any way you choose to use your crust, the time and effort spent will be worth every tasty bite.