Learning How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust is one of those simple yet essential baking skills that can take your pies from good to bakery-worthy. A blind baked pie crust is easy to achieve once you understand the process, giving you that perfectly crisp, flaky texture.
I've served up my fair share of underbaked pie crusts over the years, but after plenty of trial and error, I've learned what makes all the difference. Whether you're making a blind baked pie crust for a no bake cream pie or just want to make sure your pumpkin pie crust stays flaky, this step-by-step guide will walk you through everything you need to know.
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Fully Blind Baked vs. Partially Baked Pie Crust
There are two main types of blind baking: fully baked and partially baked (also called par baked).
- A fully blind baked pie crust is baked until it's completely cooked and golden brown. You'll use this type of crust for no-bake pies like Coconut Cream Pie and Chocolate Meringue Pie, where the filling is added after fully baking the crust.
- A partially baked pie crust is baked just long enough to set the crust before adding the filling. This method works beautifully for pies that bake for a long time, like Apple Pie or Pecan Pie, where you want to make sure the bottom of the crust gets done without overbaking the filling.
The key to blind baking is using pie weights to prevent the sides from shrinking and the bottom from puffing up, which would make the crust unusable. You can use dry rice or beans, which I used successfully for years, but I recently purchased actual ceramic pie weights and found them much easier to use.
How To Blind Bake a Pie Crust
Follow these simple steps for perfectly blind baked pie crusts every time.
Step 1: Roll out the chilled dough and place in the pie dish. Crimp or flute the pie crust edges.
Step 2: Place a piece of parchment in the prepared pie crust and fill with pie weights. Making sure to push them up against the sides to prevent shrinking. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Step 3: Bake for 15-16 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove the weights and poke small holes all over the bottom of the crust with a fork.
Step 4: Place back in the oven to finish baking. For a partially baked crust, bake for 7-8 minutes, until the bottom just starts to brown. For a fully baked crust, bake another 15-16 minutes, until the bottom is fully cooked and golden brown.
👉 Tips
- Use a glass pie dish: It's easy to check if the bottom is browned and fully baked. I like to be able to see the bottom for reassurance!
- Keep your pie dough cold: Cold dough helps prevent shrinking. Placing it in the freezer for 20 minutes after filling the crust with the weights helps it hold its shape better. Do not freezer longer than 20 minutes or your risk cracking the pie dish when placed in the hot oven.
- Don't skip the weights: Store bought, dried rice or dried beans, any of these will work.
When to Fill Blind Baked Pie Crust
When you add the filling really depends on the type of pie you're making. For no-bake pies, you typically wait for the crust to cool completely, unless the filling is hot like a cream pie filling, or if the filling is getting a meringue.
For pies that bake again, like pumpkin pie, you can pour the filling in while the crust is still warm.
I hope that this post has been helpful! Happy Baking!
-Sky🩷
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📖 Recipe
How To Blind Bake Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust see recipe in notes below
- pie weights you need 2 packs or see notes
- all-purpose flour for dusting
Instructions
- Make the pie dough: Prepare and chill the dough following the recipes directions.
- Roll out the pie dough: Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle, approximately ⅛-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a pie dish, pressing it gently into place. Trim the excess dough to leave a 1-inch overhang around the edge of the dish. Fold and crimp or flute the edges.
- Fill with weights: Line the pie dough with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang for easy removal later. Fill with both packages of pie weights, making sure they go up the sides to prevent shrinking.
- Chill the dough: Freeze for 20 minutes to help the dough hold its shape. While the dough is in the freezer go ahead and preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake: Remove from the freezer and bake for 15-16 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the parchment with the weights. Pierce the bottom of the crust all over with a fork and return to the oven.
- Partially Baked Crust: Bake for another 7-8 minutes until lightly browned.
- Fully Baked Crust: Bake for another 15-16 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Notes
- Use a glass pie dish: It's easy to check if the bottom is browned and fully baked. I like to be able to see the bottom for reassurance!
- Keep your pie dough cold: Cold dough helps prevent shrinking. Placing it in the freezer for 20 minutes after filling the crust with the weights helps it hold its shape better. Do not freezer longer than 20 minutes or your risk cracking the pie dish when placed in the hot oven.
- Don't skip the weights: Store bought, dried rice or dried beans, any of these will work.
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