Old-Fashioned Lard Pie Crust

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Frostings fillings toppings Medium

A flaky pie crust made with lard as the main fat; lard gives a crisp, very tender shell. This is the traditional double-crust dough for fruit and meat pies, made with cold lard and ice water. Makes 2 discs in about 2 hr 5 min.

Prep 20 min

Cook 45 min

Cooling 1 hr

Total 2 hr 5 min

Yield 2 discs

Diet Dairy free

Ingredients

Adjust yield

discs

2 ⅓ cups (300 g)all-purpose flour
¾ tsp (5 g)fine salt
6 oz (170 g)lard, very cold, in 1/2-inch pieces
⅓ cup (80 ml)ice water, about

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Instructions

Whisk the flour and salt. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender until the pieces are the size of peas and a few almonds.
Sprinkle the ice water over a tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until the dough just holds when squeezed.
Divide in two, flatten into discs, wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
Roll the discs on a floured board to 1/8 inch thick. Line a 9-inch pie plate with one and fill.
Top with the second crust, seal and crimp, and cut vents.
Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 15 minutes, then lower to 350 F (175 C) and continue until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles, 35 to 45 minutes.

Tips

Chill your lard well; soft lard makes a greasy crust.
Leaf lard gives the most neutral flavor.
Handle the dough as little as you can for a tender crust.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make old-fashioned lard pie crust?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to chill. The recipe makes 2 discs.

How should I store old-fashioned lard pie crust?

Wrap and refrigerate dough up to 3 days or freeze 3 months.

Can I make old-fashioned lard pie crust ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 2 servings this recipe makes.

1313 Calories / serving

86.5g Fat

114.0g Carbs

15.0g Protein

0.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (2 servings): ~2626 cal · 173g fat · 228g carbs · 30g protein · 1g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.