03/09/2026

Get Your Crust Right This Pi Day: Tips, Tricks & Freezing Hacks with stretch-tite

Pi Day (3/14) is the perfect excuse to bake up something delicious, whether it be a sweet & bright lemon blueberry tart or a savory & comforting shepherd’s pie. But no matter your filling, one thing is certain: your pie is only as good as its crust.

A perfect pie crust is flaky, tender, crisp, and flavorful. Here are expert tips, tricks, and storage hacks to help you nail it.

What Makes a Great Pie Crust

Lemon Pie and stretch-tite

Keep ingredients cold: Cold butter and cold water are your best friends. When cold butter hits the oven, it steams and creates pockets of flakiness.
Don’t overwork the dough: Handle it lightly. Too much kneading develops gluten, which makes crust tough.
Chill often: Rest dough in the fridge after mixing, again after rolling, and even after shaping in the pan. This prevents shrinkage and helps the fat stay distinct for maximum flakiness.
Get the fat right: Butter adds flavor, shortening adds tenderness. Many bakers use a mix to get the best of both worlds.
Molly Wilkinson has an excellent article with more tips here!

Pro Techniques Every Baker Should Try

Rolling smart: Roll from the center outward, rotating often to keep it even. Dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking, but don’t overdo it.
Decorating edges: Crimp with fingers, make fork patterns, or try a lattice top. Watch: TIME’s lattice crust tutorial.

Make-Ahead: Freezing & Storing Pie Dough

Image Credit: Craig Bowman, Metro Weekly

Prepping dough hours in advance: Wrap discs of dough tightly with stretch-tite before chilling in the fridge. This prevents drying and cracking.
Freezing to use dough more than 24 hours later: Dough or shaped crusts keep for months when wrapped in freeze-tite, which protects against freezer burn. Just thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready.
Freezing whole pies after baking: Fruit pies freeze beautifully. Wrap cooled baked pies in freeze-tite for long – term storage.
Pro tip: Label each wrapped crust or pie with the date.
Looking for a more comprehensive guide on baking ahead? Check out Baker Bettie’s guide.