How to Blind-Bake a Pie Crust for Perfect Pies

Making a pie that calls for the bottom crust to be fully baked or partially baked before filling? Here’s how to:

Roll out the pastry
Fit the pastry into a pie plate
Shape the edges
Partially or fully bake the crust before filling it

Pie dough that's been fitted into a glass pie plate and is ready to be baked.

First of all, here’s my absolute favorite recipe for making pie crust: Foolproof Pie Crust. I’ve relied on this recipe for over 25 years. Mix the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 5 days.

How to Pre-Bake or Partially Pre-Bake a Bottom Pie Crust

#1. Preheat the oven and prepare a foil liner.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Tear off a piece of aluminum foil about 16 inches long. Invert a pie plate and press the foil over it so the foil takes the pan’s shape. Remove the shaped foil carefully and set it aside. Return the pie plate to its normal position.

#2. Roll out the pastry and fit it into the pie plate.

Lightly flour a clean work surface and keep extra flour nearby. Roll one piece of chilled dough into a 14-inch circle, dusting the top with flour as needed. To transfer the dough, use a large, flat spatula to fold it in half and then in half again into a triangle. Set the triangle in the center of a 9½-inch pie pan with the point facing the center, then gently unfold and press the pastry into the pan so it lines the bottom and sides.

Rolling out from scratch foolproof pie crust.

Folding rolled out pie crust pastry before placing it in a pie plate to bake.

Pressing a rolled out sheet of pie dough into a pie plate.

Pie crust dough fitted into a pie plate before the edges are trimmed.

#3. Trim and shape the edges of the dough.

Trim any excess so no more than about 1 inch hangs over the pan. Fold the overhang under itself to create a neat rim resting on the pie plate. To crimp: place one hand inside the crust rim and one outside, use the index finger of the inside hand to push dough between the thumb and index finger of the outside hand, forming a uniform U or V edge. Continue around the entire crust.

Crimping the edges of a pie crust before baking.

The bottom pie crust, fitted into a pie plate and ready to bake.

#4. Weigh down the pastry.

Press the shaped foil over the crust, folding the foil edges gently over the rim so you don’t damage the crimp. Weigh the crust down with 1–2 pounds of dried beans or pie weights to prevent the crust from puffing while it bakes. Reusable dried beans kept in a sealed bag work well.

Weighting down pie dough with dried beans before baking it.

#5. Bake the pastry.

Place the pan in the center rack of the preheated 400°F oven and bake for 17 minutes. Remove the pan and carefully lift out the foil and weights.

Use a fork to dock the bottom all over—10 to 12 holes—twisting slightly to enlarge each hole. Return the pan to the oven, lower the temperature to 375°F, and continue baking: 10–12 minutes more for a partially baked shell, or 17–20 minutes for a fully baked shell. A fully baked crust should be a light golden color. Cool on a wire rack until ready to fill.

Poking holes in the bottom of a pie crust before baking.

The bottom pie crust in a pie plate, ready to bake.

How to Keep the Edges of the Pie Crust from Burning

If the edges start to brown too quickly during a full bake, protect them with foil:

Cut two pieces of aluminum foil about 24 inches long and place them on a baking sheet so they cross perpendicular to each other.
Set the pie in the center, then fold the foil up and loosely over the rim so the edges are shielded. Crimp lightly so the cover stays in place without pressing on the crust.

A Few Favorite Pie Recipes

Caramel Apple Pie
Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup
German Apple Pie
The Best Blueberry Pie
Sweet Cherry Crumb Pie
Mixed Berry Plum Pie
Chocolate Cream Pie
Coconut Cream Pie

📖 Recipe

How To Pre-Bake a Pie Crust

Yield:
1 pre-baked or partially pre-baked pie crust

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
39 minutes 27 seconds

Total Time:
54 minutes 27 seconds

Making a pie that calls for the bottom crust to be pre-baked or partially pre-baked? Here’s how.

Ingredients

Fool Proof Pie Crust Dough, well chilled (or your favorite pie crust dough)
1–2 pounds dried beans or pie weights

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
Tear off a 16-inch piece of foil, form it over an inverted pie plate and set it aside, keeping the shape.
On a floured surface, roll pastry to a 14-inch circle. Fold with a spatula into a triangle for transfer.
Place the triangle in a 9½-inch pie pan with the point in the center; unfold and press into the pan.
Trim overhang to about 1 inch, then fold the excess under to form a rim.
Crimp the edges by pinching between your fingers to form a consistent edge.
Press the shaped foil over the crust and fold the foil edges gently over the rim.
Add dried beans or pie weights into the foil to weigh the crust down.
Bake in the center of the oven for 17 minutes. Remove foil and weights.
Dock the bottom with a fork 10–12 times, twisting slightly with each hole.
Return to the oven at 375°F: bake 10–12 minutes for partially baked, or 17–20 minutes for fully baked. The fully baked crust should be light golden.
Cool on a wire rack before filling.

Notes

How to keep the edges of the pie crust from burning:

Cut two 24-inch pieces of foil and place them crosswise on a baking sheet. Set the pie in the center, then fold the foil up and loosely over the rim to shield the edges while baking.