Individual Pie Crust Shell for a Single Serving

Name: Individual Mini Pie Crust Shell
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: ¾ cups all-purpose flour; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 ½ tablespoon cold unsalted butter (cubed (use shortening for dairy-free)); ⅛ cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (chilled); ⅛ cup iced water

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This individual pie crust shell makes it easy to enjoy a homemade pie without baking a full-size dessert. The simple small-batch recipe uses just a few basic ingredients for one flaky crust.

Use this mini crust for fruit pies, custard pies, quiche, or other sweet and savory fillings. It's a practical recipe when you're cooking for one and want just enough without leftovers.

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I've made this scaled down recipe for an individual pie crust shell several times. It's great for making a homemade single-serve apple pie without ending up with a full-size dessert to finish. I've found that keeping the dough cold makes it much easier to work with and helps give the baked crust the flaky texture I want.

The crust works just as well with savory fillings. I can use it for everything from quiche to a seafood pot pie, which makes it a handy basic recipe to keep around. I've also learned not to overwork the dough because handling it less gives me a more tender crust once it's baked.

Ingredients for an individual pie crust shell

You just need a few simple ingredients to make this mini pie crust. In fact, you probably already have everything you need in your kitchen.

You need these ingredients on hand.

Flour
Butter
Shortening
Salt
Ice water

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make a single serving pie crust

The process for making this scaled down single-serving pie crust is the same as what you'd do for a traditional recipe. You'll just need to form the dough, roll it out, form the crust, then bake.

Add the flour and salt to a small food processor then pulse to combine.

butter and shortening added to flour mixture.

Add cold butter and shortening to the mixture. Pulse until a coarse sand texture is reached.

Continue pulsing and pour cold water, one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together into a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface

Roll the dough ball with a rolling pin to ⅛-inch thickness. Transfer to a mini pie dish.

unbaked pie crust with fork piercing at base.

Pierce the dough base and press it into the pie dish, cut the extra excess dough, but leave about ½-inch all the way around, tuck inside and crimp the edges.

Bake in preheated oven until crust is light brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Variations

There are many ways to change up a mini pie crust recipe. Here are a few variations to try:

Chocolate: Substitute cocoa powder for the flour. This will give the crust a rich chocolate flavor that is perfect for filling with a creamy chocolate filling.
Nutty: Substitute chopped nuts for the flour. This will give the crust a crunchy texture and nutty flavor that goes well with fruit or custard fillings.
Gluten-free: substitute gluten-free flour for the regular flour. This will make the crust suitable for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

Tips

When making this individual pie shell, there are a few things you can do to ensure your crust is perfect every time. Here are some tips to help you make the best mini pie crust:

Use a food processor to mix your ingredients together. This will ensure that the mixture is well combined and results in a smoother dough.
Add more flour if needed. If you find that the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour until it reaches the desired consistency.
Press into pie pan evenly. Once the dough is ready, use a fork or your fingers to press it into the bottom and up the sides of your mini pie dish. Be sure to evenly distribute the dough so that it bakes evenly.
Preheat your oven before baking the plain crust or pie to ensure that they cook through properly.

Storage

Store an unbaked individual pie crust tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.

A baked pie crust shell can be kept covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 4 days. For longer storage, wrap the baked crust well and freeze it for up to 3 months, then let it thaw at room temperature before adding your filling.

FAQ

What is the best way to make a single serving pie crust?

There are a few different ways to make mini pie crusts, but one of the easiest is to use a food processor. Simply add your ingredients to the food processor and pulse until the dough comes together. Then, roll out the dough, press into a pan, and bake.

How long will a pie crust keep?

A pie crust will last for about 2-3 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. If you are planning on freezing your pie crust, it is best to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

What are the best ways to use a mini pie crust?

Making desserts such as fruit pies, custard pies, and shells for unbaked fillings is a great way to use them. Savory dishes like individual quiche and pot pies are another popular use.

Recipe

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Individual Mini Pie Crust Shell

5 from 5 votes

This mini pie crust recipe is perfect for an individual single serving pie. The ingredients are simple and the process to make it is super easy.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

chill time15

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings (Adjustable): 1

Calories: 103kcal

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Ingredients

▢ ¾ cups all-purpose flour
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ 1 ½ tablespoon cold unsalted butter cubed (use shortening for dairy-free)
▢ ⅛ cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening chilled
▢ ⅛ cup iced water

Instructions

Add the flour and salt to the jug of a food processor or see note for manual method. Pulse to combine.
Add the cold butter and shortening to the mixture, and pulse until it resembles coarse sand. Continue pulsing and pour cold water, one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together into a ball. You may not use all of the water.
Remove from the processor, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2h or 15 minutes in the freezer.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, and roll it with a rolling pin to ⅛-inch thickness.
Pierce the dough base and press it into the pie dish, cut the extra excess dough, but leave about ½-inch all the way around, tuck inside and crimp the edges.
To bake the crust without a filling, fill the crust with ceramic baking beans, dried rice or beans to weigh the pastry down. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until light brown, remove from the oven and place on wire rack to cool.

Notes

For dairy-free, replace the butter with shortening.

Can be made without a food processor by cutting the butter and shortening into the flour and salt mixture with a pastry blender or two knives.

Double the recipe for a double-crust pie as this one yields only 1 crust.

To bake with filling: Add your pie mixture into the crust, decorate and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Once ready, remove it from the oven and leave it at ambient temperature to cool down.

Nutrition

Equipment

Mini pie pan

Food processor

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