The Perfect Cream Cheese Pie Crust 16 Recipes

FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Place a medium bowl into freezer to chill.
• Wrap cubed butter in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour in a medium bowl; add salt and whisk to combine. Rub in cream cheese using clean fingers until mixture develops coarse crumbs. Place cream cheese mixture and chilled butter into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag.
• Flatten the cream cheese-butter mixture into thin flakes through the bag, using a rolling pin. Freeze until mixture is firm, about 10 minutes. Pour mixture into the chilled bowl. Sprinkle with water and vinegar, tossing lightly with a spatula. Knead until dough holds together and is slightly elastic.
• Place dough back into the plastic bag and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate, 45 minutes to overnight, before using.

CREAM-CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F if you are baking the pie shell.
• Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and stir with a fork to mix, or put into the food processor.
• Add the shortening and cream cheese, and cut them into the flour until the mixture looks like small pebbles, it will be irregular, and some pieces will be larger than others, or process with"pulses" in a food processor.
• Sprinkle the water evenly over the mixture, a little at a time, stirring with a fork or with"pulses" after each addition to distribute the water evenly.
• Depending on the moisture in the cream cheese, the dough might not need all of the second tablespoon.
• If it feels quite soft (but not sticky), and holds together in a rough ball, it is ready to roll out.
• Shape it into a cake about 1 inch thick.
• Dust your rolling surface and rolling pin with flour, and roll the dough into a circle about 1/2 inch thick and at least 2 inches larger than the inverted pie pan.
• Transfer the dough to the pie pan, trim and crimp the edges, and the pie shell is ready to he filled before baking, or to be partially baked or fully baked.
• To bake the pie shell; Prick the dough all over with a fork at 1/2-inch intervals.
• Press a 12-inch square of heavy-duty foil snugly into the pie shell.
• Bake for 6 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 4 minutes more if you want a partially baked shell.
• If the dough begins to puff or swell, push it down with the tines of a fork.
• If you want a fully baked shell, bake for 8 to 10 minutes more, or until it is lightly browned.

CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Combine water and vinegar in a small bowl. Combine flour and salt in another bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter and cream cheese into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining.
• Add water mixture to dough in a slow, steady stream, stirring, until mixture just begins to hold together. (Alternatively, pulse ingredients in a food processor.) Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and wrap. Press dough into a disk using a rolling pin. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight. (Dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw before using.)
• Roll dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim edge, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Turn overhang under so that edge is flush with rim. Flute edge. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Make filling (see our Pecan Pie recipe).

THE PERFECT CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST [16]

Steps:

• Cream together the cream cheese, butter, and salt in a large mixing bowl until evenly blended. Mix in the flour until a dough forms; divide into 6 balls. Use immediately or wrap tightly and freeze until needed.

CREAM CHEESE CRUST

Steps:

• Soften cream cheese and butter and mix together incorporating flour a little at a time.
• Roll out with a rolling pin between 2 wax papers. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and prick with fork before half-baking to prevent shrinkage. Bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).