Buzz
Welcome to The Lazy Thanksgiving Guide. While there are many resources for those preparing homemade desserts and artisanal breads, The Lazy Guide caters to those who could use a little extra help—even if it means borrowing a few shortcuts. Some might call it “cheating,” but there’s no harm in using modern tools and supermarket secrets to craft a delightful traditional feast—without all the traditional effort.
Love it or hate it, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to tell a little white lie to your family. Whether it’s a playful “no presents this year,” or serving up slices of “healthy” cheesecake, we all have our reasons. Here’s one to fool your culinary-snob cousin: “I made the crust from scratch.” Learn how to tweak a store-bought pie crust so you can serve up your creation, and steer clear of that “scratch-made is always better” debate.
The simplest pie crust
A store-bought pie crust can be a lifesaver on busy baking days and is a must-have for those who struggle with pastry. The goal is to eliminate the obvious store-bought appearance and find the most delicious pie shell. Many big-name brands exist, but not all of them are worth buying. Thankfully, I’ve done the testing for you and tried out several store-bought pie shells that taste great and bake up beautifully.
Of course, you could opt for one that’s already rolled out, ready to fit into your pie dish and proceed to Step 2. But if you only have pre-shaped frozen shells, don’t worry—it’s still possible. Choose one that comes in a 9-inch aluminum deep dish pan. Then:
1. Swap out the aluminum pan
After you’ve brought your deep-dish pie shell home, place it in the freezer for 10-20 minutes to firm it up. This is important for the next step. While the aluminum pan eliminates the need to roll out dough, it also gives away that it’s store-bought. Once the crust is firm, gently loosen the edges and start peeling off the aluminum pan. The stamped edges are the trickiest part, but once you’ve separated them, the rest of the pan will come off easily. Transfer the bare crust into a glass, ceramic, or metal pie dish of equal or nearly equal size.
2. Re-crimp the edges in a “rustic” fashion
Let the pie shell sit at room temperature, or in a slightly warm area, for around 30 minutes to soften up. (I left mine in the microwave above the stove with the stove light on, since it gets nice and warm in there.)
Once your crust has softened enough to be flexible, ensure it is properly pressed into the pan all around. Use your fingertips to gently press from the center outward, stretching the dough to close any gaps. Now, there's just one last task: remove that factory crimped edge.
Press the edge of the pie crust with your fingers to smooth out any factory markings. This will also soften the fats in the dough, making it more flexible. Once you've smoothed out the factory crimp, create your own. Might I recommend the classic method?
The simplest, quickest, and in my opinion, the most charming way is to press around the edges with the tines of a fork. Alternatively, you could crimp the edges with your fingers, as shown in the picture above. Press the crust into the space between your thumb and index finger. Don’t worry about making it perfect—slight imperfections will add to the homemade look. Once done, you can either fill and bake the crust or freeze it for later use. When your cousin asks for the recipe, just tell them you got it from Mytour.
