Chatelaine Kitchen

Pastry 101: How to braid pie dough

Learn this deceptively simple trick for the holidays. Plus, three more pie-decorating styles and our absolute favourite rolling pin.

By Claire Tansey Updated September 21, 2015

How to braid pie dough. (Photo, Rob Caruso.)

My mom makes legendary pies. So did my grandmothers. Me? Not so much. I’m okay at it now, but it took a long time and tons of practice—once, I volunteered for a charity bake sale and we made 200 pies in one day (ouch). The only easy part is the eating. In the Chatelaine Kitchen, we have made a lot of pies and have learned a few truths: Food processors make excellent pastry in less than 3 minutes. Always bake pie on a baking sheet to save the oven from spillovers. Everyone’s pie turns out differently (at Chatelaine, I can tell who made a pie by the crimp). And if a pie looks terrible, just cover it with whipped cream. It’ll be delicious.

Glossary: Paté brisée

Also known as short crust, it’s a classic pie pastry. It’s a simple mix of flour, fat (butter, lard or shortening) and water, with optional add-ins of sugar and salt. Get our recipe here.

Braided edge

If you want to dress up this year’s pumpkin pie—or are planning to bake the stunning chocolate-bourbon pecan pie from our October issue, try this deceptively simple way to transform any pie into art:

Step one

Cut pastry into 12 long, thin strips.

Step two

Braid strips. You should have four braided pieces.

Step three

Brush rim of crust with beaten egg,

Step four

Lay braids on edge, gently joining the pieces together. Brush with beaten egg.

Recipe: Chocolate-bourbon pecan pie

Crimping style

Fork crimped edge

Novice: Fork crimp
Works best for pumpkin or crumble-topped pies since no top crust is required. Trim overhanging pastry, then press tines of a fork evenly around the edge.

Pastry cut outs

Intermediate: Pastry cut-outs
Ideal for apple pie. Roll out a top crust and use cookie cutters to create steam vents. Cut out more shapes from pastry scraps. Use egg wash to attach shapes evenly around the edge.

Lattice

Advanced: Lattice
Shows off the rich colours of berry, cherry or peach pies. Roll out pastry and cut into strips. Weave into a lattice, then brush with egg wash or cream.

Recipe: Traditional pumpkin pie