Maisey Yates | Grandma's Pie Crust

This recipe is special to me for two reasons. First of all, this pie crust is an old family recipe. If done right, it is the best pie crust in the world. My grandma used to make cherry pie with it, and my mom has used it to make every kind of pie there is.

Pie is something that feels very HOLIDAY to me, no matter what you put in it. But I like blackberry pie, and winter is the perfect time to rummage around the freezer and get out the berries you might have frozen from summer. (Or not. I didn’t pick any this year! But it’s a nice idea!)

The ingredients to the crust are simple, but following the steps is what gets you flaky crust and not chewy crust.

Double 9’ Crust
— 2 Cups Flour
— 1 Cup Shortening
— 1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix (press with fork) together until crumbly

Step 2
- 1/2 cup water
- additional 1/4 cup flour

1. In a jar mix 1/2 cup COLD water with a 1/4 cup flour, blend well.

2. Add to flour mixture. Mix gently until blended well. Handle as little as possible. Separate pastry into two balls.

3. Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

Filling
- 4-6 Cups Blackberries
- 3/4 Cup sugar (I like a little tartness, so depending on the berries, I sometimes put less. If the berries were really firm you might need more)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- 1 Tbsp butter

1. In a large bowl, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon. Add berries and mix until coated (I like to use my hands). Spoon filling into pie pan, dot with butter. Cover with top pastry. Cut slits in the top, seal and flute. Cover the edges with tin foil to prevent excessive browning.

2. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours. (Or cut into it and take your chances…that’s what I do!)

About Maisey Yates

USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit.

In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book. Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard. She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.

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