Here's How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust, by Sugar Spun Run on YouTube. 4 min 23 s.
- Video length
- 4 min 23 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Roll your chilled pie dough out on a lightly floured surface and fit it into the pie plate. Press it gently into the corners without stretching the dough.
Trim the overhang to about 1 inch, then fold it under and crimp the edge with your fingers or a fork.
Chill the lined plate in the fridge for 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 15, until the dough feels firm. Cold dough holds its shape.
Crumple a sheet of parchment paper into a ball, flatten it out again, then press it into the crust so it covers the base and up the sides.
Fill the parchment to the top with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Spread them right to the edges so the sides cannot slump.
Set the pie plate on the center rack of an oven preheated to 375F (190C).
Bake for 15 minutes, then pull the plate out and lift away the parchment and weights using oven mitts. The paper and weights are hot.
Return the crust to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes more if your recipe calls for a fully baked shell, until the surface looks dry and pale golden.
Cool the crust on a wire rack before spooning in a no-bake filling, or carry on with your pie recipe as written.
Tips and common mistakes
Do not skip the chilling step, or the crust will shrink down the sides of the plate as it bakes.
Skip docking the base with a fork if you plan to add a wet filling, since the holes can let liquid leak through.
Keep the dried beans or rice in a jar after baking and reuse them as weights, but do not eat them.
Check the crust a few minutes early near the end, because a thin shell can go from pale to dark very quickly.
Questions
Can I blind bake a pie crust without pie weights?
You can, but the base will puff up and the sides may slide down. Dried beans or plain rice work just as well as proper ceramic weights and cost less.
Can I use foil instead of parchment paper?
Yes. Press a sheet of aluminum foil into the crust and fill it with weights the same way, though parchment releases more cleanly from a sticky dough.
How far ahead can I blind bake a crust?
A fully baked and cooled shell keeps for a day or two at room temperature in an airtight container, or up to a month in the freezer. Re-crisp it in a low oven before filling.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
