I can always rely on this pie pan for a flaky, golden crust, and the lip is just the right size to keep my crimping in place. (Britt Ross/Yahoo)(Britt Ross/Yahoo)
Thanksgiving might have acquired the nickname "Turkey Day," but as a former professional baker who still spends a lot of time whipping up desserts at home, I prefer to call it "Pie Day." (Not to be confused with March 14's "Pi Day.") While everyone else in my family eagerly awaits the slicing of the bird, I'm far more interested in enjoying a slice (or two) of my crust-based creations — and there's only one pan I use to ensure delicious results every time. Fat Daddio's Anodized Aluminum Pie Pan is the best pie-baking vessel I've tried, and it's on sale at Amazon.
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I always bake my pies on these No. 1 bestselling trays, for several reasons. First, because I can preheat the tray in the oven before I pop my pie in, which gives the crust a quick zap of heat right away. Plus, pies can be drippy, so the tray is there to catch any filling that oozes out. Much easier to clean the tray than the bottom of my oven!
Rather than mixing butter into my pie dough with my hands, I cut it into my flour using this trusty tool. This way, the heat from my hands won't make the butter too soft — butter needs to be cold if it's a flaky crust you're after. Once my crust has been rolled out, I slide my bench scraper underneath to cleanly lift it from the rolling surface and into my pie dish. So much easier than trying to pry it up with my hands!
Pro tip: You can always bake your pie in here, then transfer it to a pretty ceramic dish for serving.
At nearly 35% off, the standard 9" x 1.5" pan is down to just about its lowest price of the year, so we doubt it'll dip much more, if at all. Plus, it won't rust, meaning you'll be able to use it for years. (Seeing a higher price? Try signing out of Prime.)
I understand the appeal of a ceramic pie dish (so lovely to serve from!) or a glass pie dish (it lets you see how your crust looks). But I'll choose a metal pie pan like the Fat Daddio's every time.
Why? For starters, aluminum conducts heat more quickly than glass or ceramic, which I find contributes to a flakier crust. And on the flip side, it cools more quickly, meaning your pie is less likely to overbake once it's out of the oven.
From a safety perspective, metal pie dishes are lighter than glass or metal, so you're less likely to drop them. And because I freeze my pie crusts before baking (you want that butter to be cold!), I never worry that my metal pie pan will shatter in the oven. Glass, and sometimes ceramic, can break when experiencing sudden changes in temperature, and that's something I'd rather avoid altogether.
Now, not all metal pans are created equal — darker pans absorb more heat, which can lead to over-browning or burning. The Fat Daddio's is a light-colored pan, which is ideal for baking pies. Plus, this dish is made of anodized aluminum, which contributes to its durability and nonstickiness. My pies slide right out of this thing with ease!
Amazon customers are eatin' this pan up too.
"If you make pie crust, you know it's a labor of love," said one happy buyer. "If you're just starting out or make pies infrequently, like myself, you want a pie pan you can depend on. The ceramic pie dish I have is beautiful and presents great, but does not make a flaky crust. Disappointing. This little guy is perfect. I've made 5-6 different pies in this pan, and the crust I get is buttery and flaky every time."
"These pans are awesome," echoed another fan. "My bottom crust came out perfectly, nicely browned. I find with these pans stuff comes out easily. They don't rust."
And they're not just for pies. "I've purchased Fat Daddio's pans before and love the quality and sturdiness of the product," raved a third. "I baked some pull-apart rolls yesterday using the new pan, and it baked them beautifully; the rolls did not stick to the surface, but popped right out of the pan, clean as a whistle."
Here's a true "stickler" for detail: "The SKU stickers were hard to remove, otherwise I'd give five stars," wrote a generally satisfied shopper. "Perfect for an Airstream RV: lightweight and the right size for cereal, fruit, chili, etc."
"I like metal pie pans — [they] cool quicker," shared a final reviewer, adding, "I was surprised that the sides aren't as slanted as a typical pie pan. It's almost like a cake pan! It works OK, though — makes the filling a little deeper."
Psst: Here are some of the other kitchen tools I use on my quest for perfect pies.
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
