Home Kitchen How To

How to Make a Pie Crust Shield to Keep Edges from Burning

Taste of Home

Be a pie crust hero! With just some aluminum foil, you can make your own pie crust shield.

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It’s every pie bakers worst nightmare: You pop your gorgeous pie in the oven and before the center is completely cooked, the edges have burned to a crisp. Such a shame for a perfect pie crust!

To rectify the situation, you might, like me, haphazardly scrunch strips of foil onto the edges. I can tell you, this doesn’t work so well. The foil falls off more often than not. But that doesn’t mean that aluminum foil isn’t the right tool for the job. In fact, you can make a pie crust shield from foil that actually works. Here’s how to do it.

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How to Make a Homemade Pie Crust Shield

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The first step of creating your own pie crust shield is to tear off a square sheet of aluminum foil that’s big enough to cover your pie. You don’t need to use heavy-duty foil, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. Pick up this bulk-sized roll ($29) and you’ll be set for years of serious pie baking.

Then fold the foil in half, then in half again—the same way you would if you were making paper snowflakes. Cut a curve around the edge making sure that the circle you’re forming with this cut is large enough to fit around the outside edge of your pie dish. Cut another curve about three inches inside of your first slice.

You should end up with a large ring. This is your pie shield (and it’s OK if it’s not a perfect circle).

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And don’t worry about the foil ruining your scissors. It actually can help sharpen them!

How to Protect Your Pie Crust

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Using your shield is super simple. Just set the ring of foil over your crust and lightly crimp the foil around the edge of the pan so it stays in place. Don’t crimp too hard, though—you don’t want to ruin a gorgeous, decorative edge.

Now, there are two schools of thought when it comes to using a pie crust shield: Put it on early or put it on late. Both methods work just fine. If you want to use the shield right away, lightly crimp it over your uncooked crust. Then remove it with about 20 minutes to go in your bake time. You can also place the shield over your crust when it’s nearing that perfectly golden point. The foil will protect it for the rest of the bake.

Use This Trick on These Juicy Fruit Pies

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Citrus Cranberry Pie

To showcase abundant fall cranberries, make this beautiful lattice-topped pie. A dollop of orange cream complements the slightly tart flavor. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Berry-Apple-Rhubarb Pie

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Sour Cream Apple Pie

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Banana Cream Pie

Banana Cream Pie

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Homemade Pear Pie

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Pineapple Pie with Coconut Cream

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Blueberry Dream Pie

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Juicy Cherry Pie

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Banana-Pineapple Cream Pies

Banana-Pineapple Cream Pies

My mother gave me this simple and delicious recipe years ago. The recipe makes two pies, so it's perfect for a potluck. I've never met anyone who didn't like it! —Robyn Appenzeller, Portsmouth, Virginia

Gingersnap Crumb Pear Pie

Gingersnap Crumb Pear Pie

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Hand-Held Apple Pies

Hand-Held Apple Pies

When I was in high school, my best friend's mother baked this mini apple pie recipe every year. I was thrilled when she shared it with me—I finally felt like an adult! —Katie Ferrier, Houston, Texas

Raspberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie

Raspberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie

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Lemon Supreme Pie

Lemon Supreme Pie

A friend and I often visit a local restaurant for pie and coffee. When they stopped carrying our favorite lemon supreme pie, I got busy in the kitchen and created this version, which we think tastes even better! The combination of the cream cheese and tart lemon is wonderful. —Jana Beckman, Wamego, Kansas

Berry Cream Pie

Berry Cream Pie

I found this recipe in a very old cookbook and made it for a family gathering. The pie was gone in no time. It's a perfect summertime treat.

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We captured the flavor and splendor of fall in this pretty lattice fruit pie.

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This was the first pie I created myself. Mangoes are one of my favorite fruits, and they deserve to be represented in a pie. Of course, everything is better with coconut. —Jennifer Worrell, Niles, Illinois

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Marshmallow-Almond Key Lime Pie

Summer is peak season for Key limes, a must for this pie’s distinctive sweet-tart flavor. Unlike other Key lime pies, mine has a smooth marshmallow top layer that makes it stand out as a crowd favorite. —Judy Castranova, New Bern, North Carolina

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Golden Peach Pie

Years ago, I entered this pie in the Park County Fair in Livingston. It won a first-place blue ribbon plus a purple ribbon for best all-around! Family and friends agree with the judges—it's a perfectly peachy pie. —Shirley Olson, Polson, Montana

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A whole Flaky Bumbleberry Pie on a table.

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Best Ever Fresh Strawberry Pie

Best Ever Fresh Strawberry Pie

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Cherry-Berry Streusel Pie

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Lattice-Topped Pear Slab Pie

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Cinnamon Swirl Apple Pie

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Rhubarb Strawberry Pie

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This strawberry rhubarb pie with frozen fruit recipe has become a favorite with us. My husband never liked rhubarb until he tasted this pie...now he asks me to make it often! — Sandy Brown, Lake Worth, Florida

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Tasty Lemon Meringue Pie

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Sour Cream Rhubarb Pie

Sour Cream Rhubarb Pie

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Bluebarb Pie

If you're a fan of strawberry-rhubarb pie, you'll want to try this twist on the classic. Here, blueberries provide the sweet counterpoint to the tart rhubarb, with mouthwatering results. —Steve Gyuro, Franklin, Wisconsin

Cranberry-Almond Apple Pie

Cranberry-Almond Apple Pie

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Star-Studded Blueberry Pie

Star-Studded Blueberry Pie

Family and friends say this patriotic pie is better than a local favorite from one of our best neighborhood restaurants. Sometimes, I switch things up and use gooseberries for half of the blueberries. —Nancy Barker, Silverton, Oregon

Upside-Down Apple Pie

Upside-Down Apple Pie

This pie has won eight ribbons at area fairs. People say it looks and tastes like a giant apple-cinnamon bun. I take time off from work around the holidays to fill pie requests from family and friends. The recipe has become everyone's favorite. —Susan Frisch, Germansville, Pennsylvania

Spiced Plum Pie

Spiced Plum Pie

The subtle tastes of orange and nutmeg bring out the fresh flavor of plums in this comforting pie. Be sure to have a slice while it's still warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. —Lucille Mead, Ilion, New York

Arctic Orange Pie

Arctic Orange Pie

This frosty orange pie is so easy to make. I have tried lemonade, mango and pineapple juice concentrates instead of orange, and my family loves each one. —Marie Przepierski, Erie, Pennsylvania

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

This recipe is a winner! The crust is so flaky and the filling is sure to please everyone. —Salem Cross Inn, West Brookfield, Massachusetts

Tart Cherry Lattice Pie on a pink tablecloth.

Tart Cherry Lattice Pie

Whenever my mom is invited to a party or potluck, everyone requests her homemade double-crust fruit pies. In the summer, she uses fresh tart cherries for this recipe. I love a slice topped with vanilla ice cream. —Pamela Eaton, Monclova, Ohio

Apple Rhubarb Crumb Pie

Apple Rhubarb Crumb Pie

My family and friends always ask for my apple rhubarb pie for birthdays and get-togethers. Everyone loves the unique flavor that the rhubarb adds to this pie. —Sherri Moon, Decatur, Indiana.

Red, White and Blueberry Pie

Red, White and Blueberry Pie

This creamy pie gets dressed up with berries to make a showstopping display at any Fourth of July party or summer get-together. It's as pretty as it is tasty! —Kimberly McFarland, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Pineapple Pie with Coconut Cream

Pineapple Pie with Coconut Cream

You’ll find pineapples and coconuts everywhere in the South Pacific, so we play them up in this creamy cool pineapple pie, dolloped with coconut cream. Divine! —Karen Naihe, Kamuela, Hawaii

Swedish Apple Pie

Swedish Apple Pie

This decadent apple pie serves up homemade flavor in every bite. This is a perfect snack with coffee or as an after-dinner treat. —Sarah Klier, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Frozen Peach Pies

Frozen Peach Pies

A refreshing, peachy filling and a buttery graham cracker crust are the perfect pair. I’ve found that this pie can be frozen up to three days. —Athena M. Russell, Florence, South Carolina

Juicy Peach & Strawberry Crumb Pie

Juicy Peach & Strawberry Crumb Pie

You've had peach pie and strawberry pie, and maybe even peach-strawberry pie. But throw in some garden-fresh basil and you're in for a real treat. Try it. —Lindsay Sprunk, Noblesville, Indiana

Star-Studded Blueberry Pie

Star-Studded Blueberry Pie

Family and friends say this patriotic pie is better than a local favorite from one of our best neighborhood restaurants. Sometimes, I switch things up and use gooseberries for half of the blueberries. —Nancy Barker, Silverton, Oregon

Raspberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie

Raspberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie

"Slab pie" is a pastry baked in a jelly-roll pan and cut in slabs like a bar cookie—or a pie bar, if you will. My grandfather was a professional baker and served pieces of slab pie to his customers back in the day. Here is my spin, featuring rhubarb and gorgeous red raspberries. —Jeanne Ambrose, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Cranberry-Cherry Nut Pie

Cranberry-Cherry Nut Pie

This delightful, stress-free pie combines cranberries with convenient cherry pie filling for a fresh, fun flavor. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Blue-Ribbon Apple Pie

Blue-Ribbon Apple Pie

This pie is special to me because I won a blue ribbon for it at the local fair and was able to compete at the state farm show. —Collette Gaugler, Fogelsville, Pennsylvania

Winning Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie

Winning Rhubarb-Strawberry Pie

While being raised on a farm I often ate rhubarb, so it's natural for me to use it in a pie. I prefer to use lard for the flaky pie crust and thin, red rhubarb stalks for the filling. These two little secrets helped this recipe win top honors at the 2013 Iowa State Fair. —Marianne Carlson, Jefferson, Iowa

Creamy Pineapple Pie

Creamy Pineapple Pie

Creamy Pineapple Pie is a light and refreshing dessert that's quick to make and impressive to serve. This is one of our favorite ways to complete a summer meal. —Sharon Bickett, Chester, South Carolina

Cranberry Pear Crisp Pie

Cranberry Pear Crisp Pie

Filled with a bubbling combination of cranberries and pears, this crumb-topped dessert is a wonderful change of pace from traditional pies. — Priscilla Gilbert, Indian Harbour Beach, Florida

Autumn Surprise Pie

Autumn Surprise Pie

When the weather starts getting a little cooler and the leaves start falling, what better way to welcome in fall than with a homemade pie? This version calls for apples, pears and raisins flavored with rum extract. —Karen Gauvreau, Clearwater, Florida

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