Impress your family and friends with a lattice top pie! This decorative pie crust design is classic and beautiful - and surprisingly easy to do. This step-by-step tutorial (including a video) will show you exactly how to make a lattice pie crust from scratch.
Lattice pie crust is a simple and impressive pie crust design, made from strips of pie crust dough woven together. Though it may look difficult, don't be fooled... lattice pie crust is actually quite simple to do.
And while lattice pie crust is beautiful to look at, but it's more than just an impressive design. Lattice pie crust actually serves a function purpose, too. As pies bake, steam from the filling needs to escape or you'll end up with a soggy pie. The spaces between the strips of pie crust in a lattice design offer ventilation for the filling as the pie bakes.
Equipment & Ingredients
You'll need just a few basic kitchen tools and a trusty pie crust recipe to tackle a lattice pie crust.
- One double-crust pie crust, meaning that there are two pieces of pie crust (one for the top and one for the bottom of the pie). A pie crust that is supple and easy to work with will be best. This easy pie crust recipe is made in the food processor and is my go-to recipe!
- A wire cooling rack, for letting your pie crust dough rest at room temperature before rolling it out.
- All-purpose flour, for flouring your work surface before rolling out your dough.
- A rolling pin, for rolling out the pie crust dough.
- Pie filling, for filling the pie. Use any recipe you like!
- A pizza cutter or pastry wheel, for cutting the dough into strips. I love using a fluted pastry wheel to create wavy edges.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed recipe instructions.
Prep: Prepare the pie crust dough and filling in advance according to the recipes. Just before making the lattice top, roll out the bottom crust and place it into the pie plate, leaving at least 1 inch of overhang around the edge of the plate. Fill the bottom crust with the pie filling. Set aside.
Step 1: Roll out the pie crust dough into a circle that's ¼ inch thick. Slice 12 vertical slits into the circle of dough, creating 13 strips.
Step 2: Place 7 strips, evenly spaced, vertically across the top of the pie.
Step 3: Pull back 3 alternating strips to expose the pie filling underneath. Lay 1 strip horizontally across the top of the pie, next to the folded edges of the vertical dough strips.
Step 4: Replace the dough strips that had been pulled back so they lay flat across the pie. The horizontal strip of dough will now be woven into an under-over pattern with the vertical strips of dough.
Step 5: Repeat step 6, lifting the other 4 vertical strips and placing another strip of dough horizontally across the top of the pie before replacing the folded back strips of dough. Continue to repeat this pattern until you've reached the edge of the pie, then repeat on the other side so the pie is covered.
Step 6: Crimp or seal the edges of the pie and bake according to the filling's instructions.
Video: How to Make a Lattice Pie Crust
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Recipe
How to Make a Lattice Pie Crust
Special Equipment
- Cooling rack
- Rolling Pin
- Pizza cutter or pastry wheel
Ingredients
- 1 double-crust pie crust
- Pie filling of your choice
- All-purpose flour for rolling out pie crust dough
Instructions
- Prepare the pie crust dough and filling in advance according to the recipes. Just before making the lattice top, place the bottom crust into the pie plate, leaving at least 1 inch of overhang around the edge of the plate. Fill the bottom crust with the pie filling. Set aside.
- Remove the disk of pie crust dough for the top crust from the fridge and place on a cooling rack. Allow the dough to sit for 10 to 15 minutes so that the dough comes to a cool room temperature. (The dough should still be slightly firm, but not so cold and firm that it cracks significantly when rolled. If the dough feels soft or mushy when held or pressed with your thumb, it has become too warm and will need to be re-chilled before it can be rolled out.)
- Generously sprinkle flour on a pastry cloth or clean counter and onto your rolling pin so that the dough won't stick when rolled. Place the disk of dough onto the floured surface and roll the dough into a circle that's ¼ inch thick. (While rolling, be sure to alternate directions and roll your rolling pin beyond the edges of the dough to ensure an even thickness throughout. The circle should be a few inches larger than the diameter of your pie plate.)
- Use a pastry or pizza cutter to slice 12 vertical slits into the dough, creating 13 strips.
- Place 7 strips, evenly spaced, vertically across the top of the pie.
- Lift 3 alternating strips, pulling each back halfway to expose the pie filling underneath. Lay 1 strip horizontally across the top of the pie, next to the folded edges of the vertical dough strips. Replace the dough strips that had been pulled back so they lay flat across the pie. The horizontal strip of dough will now be woven into an under-over pattern with the vertical strips of dough.
- Repeat step 6, lifting the other 4 vertical strips and placing another strip of dough horizontally across the top of the pie before replacing the folded back strips of dough. Continue to repeat this pattern until you've reached the edge of the pie, then repeat on the other side so the pie is covered.
- Roll the edges of the bottom crust tightly inward over the edges of the lattice top to create an edge. Use your fingers to crimp the edge of the pie, or use the tines of a fork to press and seal the edge.
- Bake the pie according to the recipe's instructions.
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