12 Essential Pie Crust Tips and Tricks

While butter is often used in homemade pie crust, shortening is another viable option. Butter crusts will cook up golden brown and will puff up slightly due to the water content in the butter creating steam and causing the crust to rise as it bakes. Shortening crust, as pictured, is lighter in color and denser as it doesn't puff up. The flavor will also be more neutral.

Get the recipe: apple pie with shortening crust