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Baking Tips

How to Roll Pie Dough into a Perfect Circle Every Single Time

The trick? Rotate the dough, not the rolling pin.
By

Published Nov. 21, 2022.

How to Roll Pie Dough into a Perfect Circle Every Single Time

There’s something about a warm piece of pie at this time of year that is so comforting. And the baking itself is a kind of meditative comfort as well.

That is, of course, until I start getting extremely frustrated by the fact that rolling pie dough into an even circle is always more difficult than I anticipate. I often end up with some kind of amoebic shape that sits awkwardly in my pie plate.

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That was until I learned Cook’s Country’s simple tip for perfectly symmetrical pie dough.

The trick our test cooks like to use when rolling rounds of pie dough is simply to rotate the dough—not the rolling pin—so that youre always rolling up from the center of the dough. Here’s how to do it.

How to Roll Pie Dough

  • Place your well-chilled disk of dough on a floured counter and sprinkle the dough lightly with flour. 
  • Place the rolling pin in the center of the dough with the ends at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock, and roll the dough upward from the center, applying even, gentle pressure. 
  • Using a bench scraper, lift and turn the dough 90 degrees. Roll upward again from the center with the same stroke and the same pin position. 
  • Lightly flour the counter as necessary to prevent sticking, and repeat the rolling and turning steps (keeping your hands at 9 and 3) until the dough is an even 12-inch circle.

Now you can enjoy the whole process of making, baking, and (of course) eating your pie this holiday season.

And to dress up your perfect pie, try our Ginger Whipped Cream or Sugared Cranberries.

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