How To Lattice Pie Crust (Beginner)
How To Lattice A Pie Crust
If you’ve always wanted to create a pretty design for your pies but weren’t sure how, this post will show you how to lattice pie crust! It might look complicated, but if we break it down into steps – it’s a lot easier than it seems!
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There can be a lot of effort put into preparing and baking a pie. It’s a labor of love which is why that first bite tastes so delicious! Although a lattice may look complicated, it’s actually not as difficult as it may seem!
What Does It Mean To Lattice A Pie Crust?
Lattice means weaving together strips of pie dough to make a basket weaved design. This crust sits on top of the pie and has space in-between the pie strips. Having these vents allow steam to release during the baking process. Without the vents the pie filling can bubble up, explode, and cause a mess on the bottom of your oven (not fun).
Helpful Pie Tools
There’s really not too many tools that you need to cut out strips of dough. Chances are you may have them in your kitchen already!
Rolling pin: Use to roll out pie dough to an even thickness.
Pastry cutter (or pizza cutter): Use to easily cut pie strips.
Ruler (or eyeball it): Helps evenly measure out pie strips.
Pastry brush: Makes brushing on pie wash or egg wash a lot easier and even.
9-inch or 9.5-inch pie dish: I prefer using a glass pie dish because it’s easier to see when the pie is browned and done baking.
Pie Dough Recipe
What pie crust should you use for a lattice? Any pie dough will do! I love the taste of all butter pie crusts (you can’t beat it – crusts made with shortening just aren’t the same).
My made-from-scratch all butter pie crust recipe is perfect for beginners. It makes 2 pie crusts, either two single crust pies or one double crust pie which is what you need for making a lattice. My recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen which will save you lots of time in the kitchen.
Tips To Lattice Pie Crust
- Roll out the pie dough between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch. If the pie dough strips are too thick, it could make the baking process take longer or the strips can be soggy instead of flaky and crisp.
- Use a ruler to measure the width of each strip or eyeball it. Eyeballing it may look a little more “rustic” but I truly believe that pies that look a little more rustic tend to be extra delicious!
- Make sure the pie dough is cold and follow your recipes instructions for chilling times. If you’re using my pie crust recipe, it calls for chilling the dough before rolling out. You can’t work with warm dough! After you make a filling and lattice, my pie crust recipe calls for chilling the whole pie in the refrigerator before baking. Baking warm pie dough will result in a mess of melted dough.
- Don’t try to overwork the dough – roll it out once and don’t adjust the pie strips too much. Working with the dough too much makes it tough and warm. Pie dough can be tricky to master so don’t be discouraged! The more you practice, the better you’ll become!
How To Lattice Pie Crust
Were going to fold the pie strips up, lay pie strips horizontally, and then unfold the pie strips. Were not technically “weaving” anything so you don’t have to worry about pulling pie strips through each other.
- Roll out the pie dough into roughly 10-12-inch circle. Roll out the dough between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch thickness.
- Cut out the dough into 10 strips, about 3/4-inch to 1-inch wide.
- Lay 5 strips of dough vertically over the pie filling.
- Fold up strips 2 and 4 and then lay one pie strip horizontally so it lays on top of strips 1, 3, 5.
- Then, unfold strips 2 and 4 so they lay on top of the horizontal pie strip.
- Next, alternate the weave by folding back strips 1, 3, and 5. Lay another pie strip horizontally across strips 2 and 4. Make sure there is room between the horizontal strips. The pie needs vents to release steam while baking. Unfold strips 1, 3, and 5.
- Fold back strips 2 and 4 (as shown in the image on the left). Lay a third horizontal pie strip across the pie.
- Unfold strips 2 and 4.
- Fold back strips 1, 3, and 5. Lay a fourth pie strip horizontally across.
- Then unfold strips 1, 3, and 5.
- Fold back strips 2 and 4. Lay a fifth strip horizontally across.
- Unfold strips 2 and 4. You will have a basket weave design!
- Fold the excess dough from the pie strips back and pinch them together so that everything is folded tightly against the outer edge of the pie.
- *Optional* Use a fork to press crimp marks around the edge.
- Bake the pie per your recipes instructions.
Instruction Card
How To Lattice A Pie Crust (Beginner Video Tutorial)
Equipment
- pastry cutter or pizza cutter
- Ruler or eyeball it
Materials
Instructions
- Roll out the pie dough into a roughly 10-12-inch circle. Roll out the dough between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out the dough into 10 strips, about 3/4-inch to 1-inch wide. (10 pie strips keeps things simple, but you can get 12 strips out of my pie crust recipe for a fuller basket weave design.)
- Lay 5 strips of dough over the pie.
- Fold up and strips 2 and 4 and then lay one pie strip horizontally. It will lay over pie strips 1, 3, 5.
- Then, unfold strips 2 and 4 so they lay on top of the horizontal pie strip.
- Next, fold back strips 1, 3, and 5. Lay another pie strip horizontally across strips 2 and 4. Make sure there is about 1/2-inch room between the horizontal strips. The pie needs vents to release steam while baking. Unfold strips 1, 3, and 5.
- Fold back strips 2 and 4 (as shown in the image on the left). Lay a third horizontal pie strip across the pie (as shown in the image on the right).
- Unfold strips 2 and 4.
- Fold back strips 1, 3, and 5. Lay a pie strip horizontally across.
- Then unfold strips 1, 3, and 5
- Fold back strips 2 and 4. Lay a fifth strip horizontally across.
- Unfold strips 2 and 4.
- Fold the excess dough from the pie strips back and pinch them together so that everything is folded tightly against the outer edge of the pie.
- *Optional* Use a fork to press crimp marks onto the edges.
- Follow the baking instructions from your recipe.
