Flaky Cinnamon Pie Crust

My husband's all-time favorite dessert is cherry pie. I'm not big on pies because I always thought the pie crust was too plain to be a dessert. So, I came up with a pie crust with flavor.

Flaky Cinnamon Pie Crust

2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/8 Cup powdered sugar
1/8 Cup cinnamon
1/2 Cup plus 2 Tbs. Smart Balance (or other margarine)
4 Tbs. cold water
2 Tbs. vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in Smart Balance, mixing until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and water then add to the flour mixture, blending just until a soft dough forms.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

If dough is sticky and hard to handle, cover and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4 inch thickness and transfer to a pie plate. Prick bottom and sides of crust with fork.

Bake at 450 F for 9 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned (hard to tell with the cinnamon). Use with any pie recipe where you like the extra sweetness and cinnamon flavor.

*When making a cherry pie with canned pie filling, I add 1 tsp. almond extract and 1 tsp. vanilla extract to the filling to take away some of the tartness.


Laura Knight copyright 2008