Why Cold Butter Makes a Flaky Pie Crust
Flakiness isn't luck. It comes from pockets of fat that turn to steam in the oven and push layers of dough apart. Here's what's happening, and how to make it work for you.
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Step-by-step pie recipes for home cooks
How to Bake a Classic Apple Pie
A double-crust apple pie with a filling that slices cleanly, from choosing apples to the first cut.
How to Bake a Smooth, Crack-Free Pumpkin Pie
A silky spiced custard in a crisp crust, and how to tell exactly when it's done.
How to Make Key Lime Pie
Four-ingredient filling, graham cracker crust, no rolling pin required.
How to Bake Pecan Pie
A gooey filling under toasted pecans, baked until it's set but not dry.
How to Bake a Lattice-Top Cherry Pie
Jammy cherries under a woven lattice, with step-by-step weaving instructions.
How to Make Banana Cream Pie
Vanilla pastry cream and fresh bananas in a crisp, fully baked crust, topped with whipped cream.
How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie
Tart cooked lemon filling under a tall, golden meringue, with tips to keep it from weeping or shrinking.
How to Bake Blueberry Pie
A flaky double crust holds a lemony blueberry filling that bakes thick and slices cleanly.
How to Bake Sweet Potato Pie
Roasted sweet potatoes, warm spices and a silky custard baked in a flaky crust.
How to Bake Fresh Peach Pie
A juicy double-crust peach pie with a reduced, thickened filling that slices cleanly.
How to Make Chocolate Cream Pie
Rich stovetop chocolate custard in a crisp cookie crust, topped with fresh whipped cream.
How to Bake Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries under a golden lattice, with a filling that actually sets.
Features
Ingredients, seasons and the science behind them
Why Cold Butter Makes a Flaky Pie Crust
Fat, water, gluten and steam: the four things that decide whether a crust shatters or turns tough.
Key Limes vs. Persian Limes: What's the Difference?
One is small, seedy and fragrant; the other fills most grocery bins. How they differ, and whether it matters in a pie.
A Home Cook's Guide to Fall Produce
Apples, pears, squash, sweet potatoes and cranberries: how to pick, store and use them at their best.
How to Blind-Bake a Pie Crust
When to pre-bake a pie crust, how to use weights, and how to stop shrinking and slumping.
How to Prevent a Soggy Bottom Crust
Why pie bottoms turn damp, and the simple fixes: a low rack, a hot sheet, blind-baking and patience.
Pie Thickeners Compared: Cornstarch, Flour, Tapioca and More
How cornstarch, flour, tapioca and arrowroot differ, with swap amounts and the best choice for each fruit pie.
How to Store and Freeze Pie
Which pies need the fridge, how long they keep, and how to freeze, thaw and reheat fruit pies and dough.
Glass, Metal or Ceramic: Choosing a Pie Plate
How glass, metal and ceramic plates bake differently, plus deep-dish volume and glass safety.