BEST Pie Crust and Pumpkin Pie Recipes

This recipe comes from my Mom's 1970's Betty Crocker cookbook. It's still just as good, and always turns out for me. I prefer my crust to be made with vegetable shortening, as opposed to butter (or lard...). And this pie crust recipe can be used to make any pie!

Standard Pastry for an 8- or 9-inch One-Crust Pie:

1/2 cup plus one tbsp. shortening (I always add an extra tablespoon)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 to 3 tbsp. cold water (extra can be added, if necessary, but it's best to use the extra tbsp. shortening instead)

Pumpkin Pie Filling for 9-inch One-Crust Pie:

2 eggs (1 egg for 8-inch One-Crust Pie)

2 cups canned cooked pumpkin  (11/4 cups for 8-inch)

3/4 cup sugar (2/3 cup for 8-inch)

1/2 tsp. salt (1/4 tsp. for 8-inch)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon (3/4 for 8-inch)

1/2 tsp. ground ginger (1/4 tsp. for 8-inch)

1/4 tsp. ground cloves (1/8 tsp. for 8-inch)

12/3 cups evaporated milk (11/4 cups for 8-inch)

Heat oven to 425 degrees. (If you have an old oven, I do recommend using an oven thermometer to get the exact temperature. It is important when baking pies!) Directions below!

Recipes I used from my  cookbook.

Ingredients to make the pie crust, plus the recipe.

Cut shortening with flour with a pastry cutter or two forks. Add water and toss with a fork until pastry is moistened and cleans sides of bowl.

 Gather pastry into a ball and shape into flattened round on floured surface.

Roll out with a floured rolling pin, making sure to push  sides inward so that the pastry stays round.

 Fold pastry into quarters and ease into pie plate. Unfold, making sure there is leftover pastry hanging over the edges.

 Fold over hanging pastry up.

 Flute, as seen in photos.

 Ingredients I used to make the pumpkin pie filling, minus the sugar. Beat eggs with hand beater slightly before adding other ingredients.

 Add other ingredients using hand beater.

 Pour into Pie crust, as shown. Before putting the pie in the oven, cover edges of crust with tinfoil so that they do not burn. You can take these off the last 15 minutes it is baking. After 15 minutes of baking in 425 degrees, lower temperature to 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes longer, until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

About 40 minutes later, voila! Mmm...

Have a great Thursday!

xo Caroline