Make Your Pie Instagram-Worthy With This 2-Step Crimping Hack
When it comes to scratch-made pies, the crust is arguably the trickier part. Even the simplest butter mistake can keep you from the flakiest pie crusts and you may need a do-over if you don't know how to save your pie crust from burning with a piece of foil.
It turns out you can achieve a traditional crimped crust using nothing more than your fingers and some old-fashioned ingenuity. Several social media accounts posted about this hack, but @lundstromlinda, herself over 70 years of age explains that this particular trick was something she learned from her mother.
It goes like this: Once you fit your crust into the pie pan and readied it for crimping, instead of using your thumb to press between the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, spread four fingers over the edge of the crust. Let your fingers rest on the rim of unbaked dough, pressing lightly, and use a finger on your other hand to draw the crust between each finger back a bit, creating a gentle arc. Repeating the process around the entire pie results in a ready-to-fill crust in a third of the time.
How this pie crust crimping hack works
Place your fingers gently but firmly onto the edge of the dough to ensure the crust stays in place. To ensure evenly-spaced flutes, spread your fingers evenly. Especially for those with smaller hands, you may have to spread them as wide as they can comfortably go each time. It's the space between your top knuckles (closest to your nail) that determines the size of the flutes. Rest your hand with the top knuckle of your index finger on the edge of the pie plate with all your fingertips extending beyond the rim. Pull the dough back toward the inside edge of the pie plate.
This hack works best with a properly made dough. You don't want dough that's too sticky or delicate, nor do you want dough that's too warm or cold. If you're concerned about your ability to produce what you need, this hack makes the most of a store-bought crust. Instead of defrosting a freezer crust that's already in the pie plate, opt for the kind that comes rolled up, such as Pillsbury Premade Refrigerator Pie Crust.
Unfortunately, this hack is only for single-crust pies. Since a double-crust pie is already filled when you crimp it, you can't get your hand in the right place. And even if you could, when it comes to double-crust pies, crimping is both decorative and structural, helping seal the two crusts together. So a traditional pinch crimping method is preferred, as it gives you more leverage for really securing those crusts.