How to Microwave Pie Crusts

Your microwave oven can be useful for more than just heating a cup of coffee or a bag of frozen vegetables. For something new, try using it the next time you make pie crust. Use a recipe specifically for microwave cooking or, if you prefer, use store-bought crusts or your favorite pie crust recipe. The only real difference is that microwave cooking does not produce a traditional golden brown color, but a drop of two of food coloring in the dough can remedy any issues you may have with color.

Step 1.

Center the raw pie crust dough over a glass microwave-safe pie plate. Lower the dough into the plate, gently patting it with your fingers to set the dough in the bottom and alongside the edges of the plate.

Step 2.

Trim overhanging crust to within 1 inch of the edge of the pie plate with a knife. Fold the remaining overhang in half to create a standing crust edge around the plate. Pinch the edges with your fingers to seal and create a decorative flute.

Step 3.

Cover the bottom and sides of the crust with a sheet of plastic wrap and top with the dried beans. Prick the edges of the crust with a fork to allow steam to escape as the crust cooks.

Step 4.

Set your microwave oven to high power and cook the crust for five to seven minutes, until the dough changes to an opaque color and an inspection of the bottom of the pie plate reveals that the crust is dry.

Things You Will Need

• 9- or 10-inch glass pie plate

• Knife

• Plastic wrap

• 1/3 cup dried beans

Tip

If your microwave oven does not have a rotating turntable, stop your microwave and turn the pie plate after three to four minutes of cooking.

If you make your own dough, add one or two drops of yellow food coloring to improve the color of the finished crust. If you use store-bought crust, add one or two drops directly to the crust and brush the coloring over the crust with a pastry brush.

If you are cooking a two-crust fruit pie rather than a pie shell, cover the top of the crust with plastic wrap and microwave for 10 to 13 minutes. When you finish cooking the crust, set it in your oven for 10 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for better browning.