The Easiest Pie Crust Starts With A Roll Of Store-Bought Cookie Dough

One of the most time consuming parts about baking a homemade pie is making the crust. You have to measure everything properly, get out the mixer, and mix the ingredients (not to mention wash the mixer afterward), alongside all the time it takes to chill the dough, roll it out, and then run the risk of still messing it all up regardless. Fortunately, there is an easier way. Using store-bought cookie dough might sound like cheating but it's actually a way to work smarter, not harder. When you select a good quality cookie dough, it can create a delicious base for all kinds of pies.

To start, decide on the type of pie you want to make, then pick from the many different kinds of cookie dough available. The classic chocolate chip cookie dough will add an extra sweet and gooey layer. Or, grab the sugar cookie dough for a sweet, but more neutral base. For a more grounded option, go with peanut butter cookie dough to add a delicious nuttiness. There's also the cinnamon twist of snickerdoodle dough, and the muted tones of shortbread dough for a delectably buttery taste.

Once you've chosen your store-bought dough, briefly throw your pie sheet into the refrigerator before pressing the dough in. This will help with chilling the dough, making it easier to manage. It also helps in keeping the crust from spreading too much while it's baking. If you're using a filling that doesn't need to be baked for long, it's always a good idea to bake the crust before adding any of it. To avoid rising, use a fork to prick the bottom of the crust to let the heat bake fully through.

Once you've decided what type of pie you want to make and have picked out your crust, you can start having fun with all the different fillings. A snickerdoodle cookie dough crust is a delicious match for fruit pies, as the cinnamon and sugar of the snickerdoodle create a comforting taste palette with every bit of a Granny Smith apple, or you can reach for frozen peaches to create a texturally pleasing pie. If you've opted for the buttery shortbread dough, it would pair nicely with stronger-tasting berries like raspberries, blackberries, or you could even try your hand at Oregon's official state pie, the marionberry pie.

Likewise, you can also make smooth cream pies, like chocolate, banana cream, or coconut cream, with store-bought chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie dough. The combination of a peanut butter dough with banana cream filling would make an especially soothing pie. But, if you're looking to skip baking altogether, you can grab chocolate chip cookie dough, and use our recommended five-ingredient, no-bake peanut butter pie recipe. To complement your pie, keep some of the dough that you don't use aside and then use it to bake delicious pie crust cookies, or make cute cookie cups resembling its older, pie cousin.