How To Blind Bake A Pie Crust

Instructions for how to blind bake a pie crust! A crisp, pre-baked pie crust can withstand the moisture from puddings, quiche fillings or even fruit fillings.

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Blind baking can be the bane of existence. I now know a few tricks that are very helpful when blind baking a pie crust. I also now greatly appreciate the results of an extra step in the baking process. When a bottom pie crust is perfectly crisp, golden brown and full of tender flakes, it can really stand up to the moisture of a custard, pudding or quiche. In certain situations, even fruit pies can benefit from the bottom crusts being blind baked first before the filling is added. This technique will work beautifully on both my classic pie dough recipe and even my sourdough pie dough recipe!

PARTIAL BLIND BAKING VS FULL BLIND BAKING

There are two options available when blind baking a pie crust. You can partially blind bake a pie crust or fully blind bake a pie crust. It all depends on whether you plan to bake the pie again with a filling or if you plan to fill the pie without baking again.

• 1. Partially bake a pie crust for baked goods like pumpkin pie or quiche. A partially baked crust only bakes once before a filling is added. A raw pie crust is weighed down and baked until the crust is *just* cooked. Then, the crust is removed from the oven, the weights are removed from the crust and the crust cools before a filling is added. The pie is then baked again until the filling is cooked and the crust is golden brown and crisp.
• 2. Fully blind bake a pie crust for baked good like lemon meringue and coconut cream pies. A fully baked crust bakes twice before a filling is added. A raw pie crust is weighed down and baked until the crust is *just* cooked. Then, the crust is removed from the oven, the weights are removed from the crust and the crust goes back in the oven to bake again for a short period of time. During the second bake, the crust will take on color and become crisp. Once it is cooled completely, a filling can be added.

ESSENTIAL STEPS FOR BLIND BAKING A PIE CRUST

• 1. Chill – I recommend rolling and crimping the pie dough to a pie plate and then letting it chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to an hour before blind baking.
• 2. Dock – “Docking” a pie crust simply means poking tiny holes all over the crust before baking. Docking allows steam to escape while baking and helps prevent the crust from puffing up too much. It’s important to just gently poke the top surface of the crust and not go all the way through to the pie plate!
• 3. Weight – The key step to blind baking is to line the crust completely with parchment paper or a commercial coffee filter. The liner is then filled with pie weights, raw rice or raw beans. The liner and weights act as the pie “filling” while the crust bakes to ensure it maintains its shape.
• 4. 1st Bake – Bake the weighted crust at a high temperature for a longer period of time than the optional second bake. The goal of the first bake is to cook the pie crust about 3/4 of the way through so it will maintain its shape when the weights are removed in the next step. If you plan to fill and bake the pie again, remove the pie crust and let it cool after the first bake!
• 5. *OPTIONAL* 2nd Bake – After the first initial bake, the crust is removed from the oven. The weights are carefully removed and the pie crust returns to the oven for a quick final bake. The second bake is only necessary if you do not plan to bake the pie again with a filling.
• 6. Cool – Once the pie crust is baked, it must cool completely before adding a filling.

BLIND BAKING Q & A

• Can I blind bake a store bought crust? Yes! The same steps can be used to blind bake a homemade or store bought pie crust.
• When should I partially blind bake a crust? A general rule of thumb is to partially blind bake the bottom crust of any pie that needs to be baked again once a filling or topping is added. Some examples are:
  • Uncooked custard pies: pumpkin pie, quiche, chess pie
  • Double crust or crumb pies: chicken pot pie, fruit pies whose fillings are more liquid than thick
• When should I fully blind bake a crust? When a pie will not return to the oven once a filling is added, it should be fully blind baked first. Here are some examples:
  • Cooked and cooled custard or cream pies: chocolate pudding pie, French silk pie, lemon meringue pie, coconut cream pie
• Do I really have to blind bake a crust? No! There are certain situations where I find the bottom crust bakes well without being blind baked first. For example, I do not blind bake the crust of my Pecan Pie. Because the filling is cooked and cooled first before baking in the crust, it is thick enough that it doesn’t release a lot of moisture into the crust while baking. I also can usually avoid blind baking double crust pies with this trick: bake your pie on the bottom third rack of your oven and start out at a higher temperature. If you bake your pie at 425 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes, then you can finish the pie at a lower temperature. The shock of heat at the beginning helps the bottom crust to set up before any liquid can hinder it.