A woven lattice pie crust is a trick that makes even the most average baker look like a total rockstar and results in oohs and ahhs from guests. And it really is so easy to achieve! We use it to top apple pie, strawberry rhubarb pie, cherry pie, peach pie, and many more. I may not be much of a cake decorator, but I can make the prettiest pie around with this easy technique for pie crust design. You might also find my Perfect Homemade Pie Crust Recipe and tutorial for How to Blind Bake Pie Crust to be helpful resources if you are new(ish) to pie-baking.
Best Pie Dough for Lattice Crusts
You can make a lattice crust with any pie dough, whether you prefer an all-butter crust or rely on my tried-and-true pie crust recipe that uses both butter and shortening for maximum flakiness and flavor. You can even use a refrigerated store-bought refrigerated or frozen pie crust if you prefer. Just make sure to thaw it first in the fridge or on the counter before attempting to weave it into a lattice pie crust.
Equipment Needed
Rolling pin (affiliate link) Pie plate (affiliate link): Metal, ceramic, or glass pie plates all work! I use standard sized 9-inch glass or metal pie plates most often. Pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or even a sharp knife: A pastry wheel has ruffled edges for decorative cutting, but a simple pizza cutter works just as well. Bench scraper or thin metal spatula: This is helpful for scraping the dough off the counter if it gets stuck. Pastry brush: This tool is handy for brushing on egg wash for a golden brown finish.
Step-by-Step Photos
Pro Tips
Don’t try to add a woven lattice pie crust onto hot filling. If you have just made cherry or blueberry pie filling and it’s still warm when you try to assemble the pie, the fat in the pie crust will melt as you try to weave the pie crust and it could be a disaster! Let the filling cool COMPLETELY before using it and assembling your pie. Give your lattice pie crust a finished look by brushing it with an egg wash made from one egg beaten with one tablespoon of milk or water. Sprinkle a little granulated sugar over the egg wash if you want more of a crackly glaze or use coarser turbinado or sanding sugar for more sparkle and crunch. Check your pie crust partway through the bake. If the edges look like they are getting darker faster than the rest of the pie, use a pie shield or wrap them in aluminum foil so they don’t burn. If the dough strips break, don’t worry! Chances are you can cover up the tear with another strip. And even if you can’t, once you bake it I bet hardly anyone will even be able to tell where the flaws are.
I used my Cranberry Apple Pie as the model for this particular lattice crust, but my Raspberry Peach Pie is another favorite and you can see in that post how simply varying the width of the pie dough strips can create a totally new look using the same weaving technique laid out here.
More Pie Recipes
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Sour Cream Apple Pie Apricot Pie Homemade Blueberry Pie
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