Is there anything more satisfying than a perfectly golden brown pie crust?
Cooking Tips
3 Simple Ways to Prevent Your Pie Crust from Overbrowning
It’s fun and games until your pie crust overbrowns. Here’s how to prevent it.
By Published Nov. 17, 2022
Sometimes, your pie crust turns on you and gets a little too brown. The audacity!
Whether it’s the top or bottom crust you’re worried about, there’s no need to panic.
It can be prevented.
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1. Aluminum foil your sheet pan (for the bottom crust)
For most pies, we recommend baking in an aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. It ensures the bottom crust doesn’t overbrown in the time it takes the filling to cook by providing some insulation.
2. Make an aluminum foil shield (for the top crust)
And if at any point the edges or top of a pie appear to brown too quickly, you can shield them lightly with a piece of foil. To find out how to easily make an aluminum foil pie shield, read this.
3. Use the right pie plate
A pie plate is one of the most important items for perfect pie baking. While Pyrex and good ceramic dishes stand the test of time, the ultimate plate—we tested dozens—is the Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch Nonstick Pie Dish. This golden-hued metal plate bakes crusts beautifully without overbrowning; even bottom crusts emerge crisp and flaky.