I Have Crust Issues

Can we talk? I have crust issues.

Not making them – I can make a crust. My issue is knowing which one to make for which moment.

Apple pie needs flaky layers. Quiche needs something sturdy that won’t get soggy. And those éclairs at the French bakery? They look impossible, but I know they start with dough.

The problem isn’t skill. It’s decision paralysis.

So I simplified it. Three crusts. Breakfast, lunch, and after dinner. Each one has a purpose. Each one is simpler than you think.

Here’s how I solved my crust issues.

Choux Pastry (French Crullers)

Let’s start with the one that sounds the most intimidating.

Choux pastry – or pâte à choux if you want to sound fancy – is the dough behind éclairs, cream puffs, and French crullers. It sounds intimidating because it’s French. But here’s the secret: it’s one of the easiest doughs you’ll ever make.

There’s no rolling. No chilling. No “keeping the butter cold” anxiety.

You cook it on the stovetop. Flour, butter, water, eggs. That’s it. You heat the liquid and butter, dump in the flour, stir it into a ball, then beat in eggs one at a time. The dough is smooth, glossy, and pipeable.

For French crullers, you pipe the dough into rings, fry them until golden and puffy, then glaze them. They’re light, airy, ridged on the outside, and completely hollow inside. The kind of pastry people think you bought from a bakery.

Why it works for breakfast: They’re impressive without being heavy. Light enough for morning, fancy enough to make you feel like you’ve accomplished something before 9 a.m.

The simplicity: No fear of overworking the dough. No waiting for it to rest. You make it, you pipe it, you fry it. Done.

Bonus: The same dough makes éclairs (pipe into logs, bake, fill with cream, top with chocolate) and cream puffs (pipe into rounds, bake, fill with whipped cream or ice cream). One dough, endless applications.

Choux pastry is your “looks fancy, feels easy” crust.

Basic formula: ½ cup (142g) flour, ½ cup (113g) butter, ½ cup (118ml) whole milk, ½ cup (118ml) water, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 4 eggs

Short Crust (Quiche)

Short crust pastry – or shortcrust, if you’re British about it – is the workhorse of savory baking.

It’s called “short” because of its high fat-to-flour ratio, which creates a crumbly, tender texture. It’s sturdier than American pie crust, less delicate, easier to handle. It won’t shatter when you cut into it, and it won’t get soggy when you fill it with custard.

This is the crust for quiche. For savory tarts. For hand pies and galettes.

You make it by rubbing cold butter into flour until it looks like fine breadcrumbs or wet sand – no visible chunks, just an even, sandy mixture. Then add just enough cold water to bring it together. It’s forgiving – you can re-roll it without it getting tough. It doesn’t need perfect flakiness because that’s not the point. The point is structure.

Short crust holds up to wet fillings. Egg custard. Caramelized onions. Roasted vegetables. It stays crisp on the bottom and doesn’t compete with the filling for attention.

Why it works for lunch: Quiche is the ultimate brunch or lunch dish. You can make it ahead, serve it warm or at room temperature, and it feeds a crowd. Short crust gives you a sturdy, reliable base that won’t fall apart when you slice it.

The simplicity: No stress about visible butter chunks or flaky layers. You just want a tender, crumbly crust that does its job. Mix it, roll it, bake it. It’s hard to mess up.

Savory applications: Bacon and gruyere quiche. Spinach and feta tart. Mushroom and thyme hand pies. Tomato galette. Short crust is your go-to for anything that isn’t sweet.

Short crust is your “no drama, just works” crust.

Basic formula: 2 cups (250g) flour, ½ cup (113g) cold butter, 4-6 tbsp ice water, pinch of salt

Pie Crust (Classic Flaky Pies)

This is the one everyone thinks of when they hear “crust issues.”

American pie crust – the flaky, buttery, golden standard for fruit pies, cream pies, and pot pies. The kind with visible layers that shatter when you bite into them.

It has a reputation for being difficult. Too tough. Too crumbly. Won’t roll out. Shrinks in the oven.

But here’s the truth: pie crust isn’t hard. It just requires cold butter and a light touch.

You cut cold butter into flour until you have pea-sized pieces – or freeze the butter and grate it on a cheese grater for perfectly even, flaky shreds. You add ice water just until the dough holds together. You chill it before rolling. You don’t overwork it.

That’s it. The flakiness comes from those distinct chunks of cold butter creating steam pockets when they hit the oven heat. The tenderness comes from not developing too much gluten. Keep it cold, keep it quick, and you’ll get flaky layers every time.

Why it works for after dinner: This is the crust for holiday pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Pecan. Cherry. The classics that show up on Thanksgiving and Christmas tables. The ones people expect to be perfect.

The simplicity: Once you understand the science – cold fat creates flakiness – the rest is just technique. And technique gets easier with practice.

Sweet applications: Double-crust fruit pies (apple, cherry, blueberry). Single-crust custard pies (pumpkin, sweet potato, chess pie). Lattice-top pies for when you’re feeling fancy. This is the crust that makes people say “you made this?”

Pie crust is your “practice makes perfect” crust.

Basic formula: 2½ cups (313g) flour, 1 cup (227g) cold butter, 6-8 tbsp ice water, 1 tsp salt

Three Crusts, Three Meals, One Day

Here’s what I figured out: I don’t need to master every crust in existence. I need three solid ones that cover my bases.

Choux pastry for when I want to look like I know what I’m doing (French crullers for breakfast, éclairs for impressing dinner guests).

Short crust for when I need something reliable and sturdy (quiche for brunch, savory tarts for appetizers).

Pie crust for when I want the classic, flaky, holiday-table centerpiece (apple pie, pumpkin pie, the pies everyone expects).

Three techniques. Three purposes. No more decision paralysis.

Crust Issues? Resolved.

You don’t need a dozen crust recipes. You need three good ones and the confidence to know when to use them.

French crullers for breakfast. Quiche for lunch. Pie for after dinner.

One day. Three crusts. Crust issues officially resolved.

What’s your biggest crust challenge? Share it on IG @remixology