In my recipe column for 225, I’ve always stressed how store-bought pie dough is a wonderful product to use in place of scratch dough—and I stand by that statement. As much as I enjoy cooking, I like to take a shortcut whenever I can, especially when the end result is as delicious as something from-scratch. However, this year, with the holidays approaching, I decided to try my hand at mastering my mother’s from-scratch pie crust. When I was little, I remember hanging out in the kitchen while my mother would make pie crust. She would always give me the extra dough to play with. I loved rolling it out with my own rolling pin and cutting it into shapes. We’d sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the cut-outs and bake my own little creations. With this happy memory fresh in my mind, I was delighted to find that her recipe is surprisingly easy. The crust is tender and delicious, with a nice buttery flavor. To keep extra dough on hand for a later use, this recipe can easily be doubled. Portion out the leftover dough and place it in the fridge for up to four days, or the freezer in a freezer bag for up to two months.

Servings: Yields 2 (9-inch) pie crusts

This article was originally published in the November 2022 issue of 225 magazine.