This Grandma’s “Brilliant” Hack for Creating Beautiful Pies
One of the memories that I adore most about my late grandmother is the holiday ritual of digging into her perfectly spiced sweet potato pie. With meticulous care, she would crimp the edges of her crust — whether it was a homemade creation or a store-bought shortcut — adding a nostalgic decorative touch that made every slice feel like a treasured delight.
Whenever I make pies, I do my best to decorate the crust like my grandmother did. But instead of looking elegant and polished, my attempts often turn out messy and overly rustic.
I recently found a TikTok with thousands of views that shows an easy way to crimp pie crust. And it will be my saving grace this holiday season.
The creator demonstrates the technique by spreading one hand open like they’re giving a high-five and then placing it on a pie pan that already has the crust lined inside. Using the gaps between her fingers, they show how to pull the edge of the crust inward to create beautiful ridges. The process takes less than 15 seconds and produces a perfectly crimped crust.
Keep in mind that if you want to use this hack, it’s important to start with a good foundation. If your pie crust dough is too dry or too soggy, the crimping technique won’t work properly. For dough that’s easily malleable or crimpable (and comes out extra flaky), you’ll want to go with a base that uses a half-and-half blend of butter and shortening.
While I’ll never unearth my grandma’s secret method for crimping her pie crust, I find solace in this new route that’ll help me create beautiful pies this holiday season. I can’t wait to try this hack and fill my crusts with delicious fillings like ginger pumpkin, stewed apples, or a creamy buttermilk custard. This way, I can continue my grandma’s tradition of delighting our family with decadent desserts.
Further Reading
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