Food Holidays & Occasions Thanksgiving 5 Chill-and-Fill Pie Crusts for Easy Prep For Thanksgiving and beyond, customize your pie crust and filling to satisfy everyone's preferences and dietary restrictions. By Paige Grandjean Updated on October 23, 2023 Photo: Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Stylist Torie Cox /Prop Stylist Claire Spollen Thanksgiving dessert goals often focus on traditional, picture-perfect pies that involve gluten (flaky crusts), nuts (pecans), dairy (butter, milk, whipped cream), and stress (the blind bake! the lattice!) to the exclusion of many with dietary restrictions. Putting ease and inclusivity at the center of our dessert planning, the Food & Wine Test Kitchen developed five no-roll pie crusts. All are chill-and-fill pies that can be made in advance — ideal for a day when oven space is in high demand. Follow our lead if you like (with these pie recipes), or construct your dream dessert by mixing and matching fillings. Sticking with our five no-roll pie crust recipes will spare you butter-smudged kitchen counters. There are a few guiding principles to consider when customizing your pie. The versatility and crunch of the Brown Sugar Shortbread Crust, Granola and Marshmallow Crust, and Sweet-and-Salty Pretzel and Waffle Cone Crust make these three ideal shells for most fillings. The soft texture and mild sweetness of the Walnut and Date Crust lends itself especially well to nutty pies. The light and crisp White Chocolate Meringue Crust works best with low-moisture fillings; try it for Roasted Spiced Cranberry Pie and Peanut Butter Chai Pie. But most importantly, remember that these pie crusts are all about making the holidays welcoming to all. Don't be afraid to experiment! Five foolproof pie crusts 01 of 05 Granola and Marshmallow Pie Crust Photo: James Ransom / Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer Granola stays nice and crunchy even once coated in gooey melted marshmallow in this grown-up version of a Rice Krispies Treat in pie crust form. We fill it with lightly spiced, sweet pumpkin; mascarpone cheese; and a nutty black sesame paste for Black Sesame Pumpkin Pie. Get the Recipe 02 of 05 Gluten-Free Brown Sugar Shortbread Pie Crust Photo: James Ransom / Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer Sweet and buttery, this cookie-like gluten-free pie crust has a sandy texture and deep toffee flavor from brown sugar. We fill it with mixed nuts, orange liqueur, coconut milk, and cardamom in this vegan Nutty Baklava Pie. Get the Recipe 03 of 05 Walnut and Date Pie Crust Photo: James Ransom / Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer A short bake gives this soft crust more structure for clean slicing. The dates are the sweetening agent in this pie crust — there is no added sugar. We fill it with peanut butter, cream, and fall spices in this no-bake Peanut Butter Chai-Spiced Pie. Get the Recipe 04 of 05 Sweet-and-Salty Pretzel and Waffle Cone Pie Crust Photo: James Ransom / Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer If you love a classic graham cracker crumb crust, this equally versatile version of finely ground pretzels and crushed waffle cones is a must-try. We fill it with apple cider, and fresh and dried apples in this Apple Flambé Pie. Get the Recipe 05 of 05 White Chocolate Meringue Piecrust Photo: James Ransom / Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer Marshmallowy Italian meringue is baked and then brushed with melted white chocolate to create a barrier to help prevent this crust from getting soggy once filled and chilled. We fill it with tart cranberries roasted with lemongrass and gochugaru in this Roasted Spiced Cranberry Pie. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit