Nobody—nobody!—likes a soggy pie crust. That’s where blind-baking comes in. The process of prebaking your crust is crucial for pies with no-bake fillings, like lemon meringue or chocolate pudding. It’s a two-step process: First bake your crust filled with pie weights or dried beans—this helps it keep its shape instead of slumping into a gloppy mess. On the second round, take the weights out and bake until it’s deeply browned—and we mean deeply. You’re aiming for the color of a brown paper bag (yes, that dark!) for the best texture and flavor. When in doubt, it’s better to overbake than underbake. You can also bake this pie crust ahead if you’re multitasking a big meal and need that precious oven space. It will keep at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 days.
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