There is nothing like the smell of pie baking in the oven. A slice of pie can be the perfect ending to a delicious meal or make for a tasty treat anytime of the day. Making the perfect pie crust isn't as hard as you might think. You can easily whip up a tasty pie crust with just a few ingredients.

Easy Pie Crust Recipe

There is a special secret to making a great pie crust: cold ingredients. All of the ingredients listed below should be very cold before mixing them together. You can achieve this by storing them overnight in your refrigerator or just for several hours before using them.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons water

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Slowly work in the shortening, cutting into the mixture until it looks like meal. Gradually sprinkle the water over the mixture, blending it into the dough until it holds together well. Let the dough stand for about 5 minutes and then roll into a circle, an inch larger than the size of the pie pan you are baking it in. If you are baking it in a 9-inch pie pan, roll out your dough into a 10-inch circle.

This recipe is for a single crust pie recipe. If you are making a double crust pie, then double the recipe.

For a single crust pie, loosely place the crust into the pie pan so that it drapes over the edge of the pan. Trim any excess crust hanging off the edge of the pan. You can create a nice finished look to the crust in a couple of ways. You can lightly press your finger all around the crust, along the edges. Or you can lightly press your finger against the rim and then pinch the outside with your right thumb and finger. This will give your pie a "fluted" look.