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How to Make a Lattice Pie Crust

Making a lattice pie crust has never been easier with this simple step by step photo article with my favorite pie crust recipe included!

Prep1 hr
Cook1 hr
Total2 hr
Serves1 pie

Published 24 Jul 2020

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Learninghowto make a lattice top for a pieis a fun skill to master and an extra pretty way to finish a pie.

Perfect lattice pie crust on a white marble background.

If you have never done it, making a lattice pie crust might be a bit intimidating, but I am here towalk you through each stepto a beautiful pie crust so that you can do it at home with ease!

Once you do it, you will wonder what has taken you so long to put this extra special touch on your fruit pies.

This lattice crust recipe works great oncherry pie,apple pie,strawberry rhubarb pie, andmixed berry pie.

Hands pinching the outside dough of pie crust together.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s afunway to add a little pizzazz to your pie.
The lattice top can helpthicken and set fruit pies.
It’snot hardonce you are familiar with the steps.

Recipe Ingredients

All-purpose flour
Salt
Shortening
Cold butter
Ice-cold water

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make a Lattice Pie Crust

Whole pie crust on a lightly floured white counter before it is rolled out.

Step #1.Prepare your pie dough and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using.

A hand using a rolling pin to roll out a pie crust on a lightly floured white counter.

Step #2.Roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface.

An evenly rolled out pie crust on a white counter.

Step #3.Rotate the crust to help it roll out evenly. Add more flour to the rolling surface and the top of the dough as needed to ensure that the pie crust doesn’t stick.

A pie plate placed on top of a rolled out pie crust to check the size of the crust on a white counter.

Step 4.Make sure that the pie crust is larger (by about 2 inches) than your pie plate by placing your pie plate on top of the rolled dough.

A pie crust folded in half into a semi-circle on a white counter.

Step #5.Remove the pie plate from the dough and gently fold the pie dough in half.

A pie crust folded in half twice so that it's in the shape of a quarter of a circle on a white counter.

Step #6.Gently fold the pie crust in half again.

The pie crust folded twice into a quarter of a circle in a clear glass pie plate on a white counter.

Step #7.Place the pie crust in an ungreased pie plate, stick it in the corner so that it evenly covers a quarter of the plate.

The pie crust unfolded into a semi-circle in a clear glass pie plate on a white counter.

Step #8.Unfold the pie dough once so that it’s covering half of the pie pan.

The pie crust unfolded into the clear glass pie plate on a white counter.

Step #9.Unfold the pie dough fully so that it fills in the whole pie plate. Gently press the pie dough into the bottom of the pan.

Close-up of the edge of the pie crust ensuring that there are no gaps.

Step #10.Make sure that the edges of the dough fully cover the pie plate, pull the dough gently to adjust it.

Pie filling of rhubarb and strawberries in the pie crust on a white counter.

Step #11.Fill the pie with the pie filling as called for in your recipe.

The second crust rolled out on a lightly floured white counter.

Step #12.Roll out a second pie crust on a lightly floured surface like you did the first pie crust about 12 inches wide.

The second pie crust cut into one-inch strips and a pastry cutter on a lightly floured white counter.

Step #13.Cut the pie crust into 12 even strips about 1-inch wide using a pizza cutter, pastry cutter, or sharp knife.

Six pie crust strips laid across the top of the pie with about one-half inch between them on a white counter.

Step #14.Gently place 6 strips of pie dough evenly across the top of the pie running parallel to each other. Space the strips evenly across the top of the pie with about a 1/2-inch gap between each strip.

Step #15.Fold back 3 of the pie crust strips that you just laid on top of the pie, alternating pieces so that every other one is folded back.

A strip of pie crust place perpendicular on the three strips resting on top of the pie.

Step #16.Place a short crust strip near the edge of the pie (perpendicular to the ones you’ve already placed on the pie) on top of the strips that you have not folded back.

All pie crust strips folded down to rest on top of the pie.

Step #17.Unfold the strips that are folded and rest them back on top of the pie. You’ve now done your first piece of lattice. The perpendicular strip will now be on top of 3 of the strips and under 3 of the strips.

Step #18.Fold back the opposite 3 strips as last time and place a second strip of dough about 1/2 inch from the first perpendicular piece you set down.

A second strip of pie crust has been added to the pie and all strips are resting down on the pie.

Step #19.Unfold the pie strips and gently rest them on top of the pie. You’ve now completed your second row of lattice work.

Three strips of pie crust are folded back and the last strip of pie crust is resting perpendicular to the folded back strips.

Step #20.Repeat this folding back 3 and laying down a new strip of pie crust (alternating which 3 you are folding back) until you’ve worked your way across the pie and added 6 perpendicular strips to the pie top.

Step #21.Once all 12 strips of your lattice have been added, use scissors or a sharp knife to trim any dough that is hanging past the rim of the pie pan more than 1 inch.

A hand folding the bottom piece of pie crust over the lattice top.

Step #22.Fold the bottom pie crust up and towards the pie center evenly around the whole edge of the pie to give it a clean look.

Two hands pinching the two layers of pie crust around the edge of the pie.

Step #23.Use your pointer finger and thumb from one hand and your thumb from the other hand to press and seal the pie crust. Do this evenly around the edge of the pie.

A hand holding a red silicone brush brushing water onto the lattice pie crust top.

Step #24.Brush your finished lattice pie crust with water and sprinkle it with white sugar to give it a pretty finish. Then, continue to follow the directions on your pie recipe for baking.

Recipe FAQs

How do I ensure my lattice crust stays secure while baking?

Make sure to press the ends of the strips firmly into the edge of the pie crust to ensure it stays put while baking.

How do I prevent the lattice crust from burning while baking the pie?

You can prevent the lattice crust from burning while baking the pie by covering it loosely with aluminum foil (or a pie crust cover if you have one) halfway through baking.

Why does this recipe call for shortening and butter?

The combination of shortening and butter in this pie crust recipe helps create a flaky and tender crust texture.

red pastry brush adding water to top of latticed pie crust

Expert Tips

When placing the crust strips,make sure they reach from one side of the pie crust to the other.
You’ll have some shorter strips of pie dough because you cut a circle, souse the shorter strips on the edges of the pieand use the longest strips in the center of the pie.
Brushing your finished lattice pie crust with water and sprinkling it with white sugaris a beautiful way to finish a lattice pie crust.
Be sure that the butter and water you use is coldor your crust will not have a flaky texture when baked.
To get even strips for the lattice,use a ruler or straight edge and a pizza cutterto guide your cuts and spacing.

More Dessert Recipes to Consider

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I hope these step-by-step instructions helped you to visually see just how easy it is to lattice a pie crust. Once you’ve seen it and done it once, it’s much easier to make a pretty pie crust again and again.

How to Make a Lattice Pie Crust

Learning how to make a lattice top for a pie is a fun skill to master and it's extra pretty. If you have never done it, it might be a bit intimidating, but have no fear. I'll walk you though all the steps to a beautiful pie crust so that you can do it at home with ease!

Ingredients

Instructions

Steps for making the pie dough:: Measure the flour by scooping it in your measuring cup, and leveling off the top with the back side of a butter knife. This will help ensure that you aren’t using too much flour.
Steps for making the pie dough:: Place the flour and salt into a medium mixing bowl.
Steps for making the pie dough:: Add the shortening to the bowl.
Steps for making the pie dough:: Cut the butter into thin pieces, or you can grate it with the large holes of your cheese grater, and add to the flour.
Steps for making the pie dough:: Use a pastry blender or a fork to combine the flour, salt, butter, and shortening. Press, or cut in, the shortening and butter until chunks about the size of peas remain.
Steps for making the pie dough:: Add the cold water all at once, and stir to combine.
Steps for making the pie dough:: The dough will come together nicely.
Steps for making the pie dough:: Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and use your hands to collect it all into one ball.
Steps for making the pie dough:: Cut the ball in half, and flatten each half into a disc.
Steps for making the pie dough:: Wrap each disc tightly with plastic wrap.
Steps for making the pie dough:: Store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using, or up to 3 days, or store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the dough thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Roll out the pie crust.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Rotate the pie crust to help roll it out evenly. Add more flour to the rolling surface and the top of the dough as needed to ensure that the pie crust doesn't stick
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Check the size of your pie crust by placing your pie plate on top of the rolled dough to be sure that the pie crust is larger (by about 2 inches) than your pie plate.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Remove the pie plate from the dough and gently fold the pie dough in half.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Gently fold the pie crust in half again.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Place the pie crust in an ungreased pie plate, stick it in the corner so that it evenly covers 1/4 of the plate so that you don't have to move it around too much.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Unfold the pie dough once so that it's covering half of the pie pan.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Unfold the pie dough fully so that it fills in the whole pie plate. Gently press the pie dough into the bottom of the pan and make sure that the edges of the dough fully cover the pie plate, pull the dough gently to adjust it.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Fill the pie with the pie filling as called for in your recipe.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Roll out a second pie crust on a lightly floured surface like you did the first pie crust. This pie crust needs to be about 12 inches wide.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Cut the pie crust into 12 even strips, using a pizza cutter, pastry cutter, or sharp knife. The strips should be about 1 inch wide.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Gently place 6 strips of pie dough evenly across the top of the pie - all running parallel to each other. Ensure that the strips are spaced evenly across the top of the pie, there should be about a 1/2 inch gap between each strip. You'll have some shorter strips of pie dough because you cut a circle, so use those shorter strips on the edges of the pie and use the longest strips in the center of the pie. Make sure the crust strips reach from one side of the pie crust to the other. Fold back 3 of the pie crust strips that you just laid on top of the pie, alternating pieces so that every other one is folded back.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Place a short crust strip near the edge of the pie - perpendicular to the ones you've already placed on the pie. Place the strip on top of the strips that you have not folded back.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Unfold the strips that are folded and rest them back on top of the pie. You've now done your first piece of lattice. The perpendicular strip will now be on top of 3 of the strips and under 3 of the strips.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Fold back the opposite 3 strips as last time and place a second strip of dough about 1/2 inch from the first perpendicular piece you set down. Unfold the pie strips and gently rest them on top of the pie. You've now completed your second row of lattice work. Repeat this folding back 3 and laying down a new strip of pie crust (alternating which 3 you are folding back) until you've worked your way across the pie and added 6 perpendicular strips to the pie top.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Once all 12 strips of your lattice has been added you are ready to trim the edges. Use scissors or a sharp knife to trim any dough that is hanging past the rim of the pie pan more than 1 inch.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Fold the dough outside of the rim towards the center of the pie so that the bottom pie crusts folds up and over the strips of lattice. It gives the pie a cleaner look. Fold the bottom pie crust up and towards the pie center evenly around the whole edge of the pie.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: Use your pointer finger and thumb from one hand and your thumb from the other hand to press and seal the pie crust. Do this evenly around the edge of the pie.
Steps for making a lattice pie top:: You've successfully made a lattice pie crust! Continue to follow the directions on the pie recipe below for finishing and baking. I'll often brush the top of my pies with water and then give them a good sprinkling of sparkling sugar. It makes for really pretty baked pie.

Notes

Be sure that the butter and the water are cold when you prepare the pie crust. Using a pizza cutter or pastry cutter with a ruler or straight edge is an easy way to keep the strips consistent. When sealing the piece crust edge, be sure to use firm pressure to keep the lattice top secure while baking. You can use these lattice crust instructions here with any pie crust recipe that you prefer.