Your Thanksgiving Pie Can Look Bakery-Made: 16 Pie Crust Designs That Need Only a Fork, a Knife and 10 Minutes

The pie that gets the loudest “ooh” at Thanksgiving is not always the best tasting one. It is the one with a top so pretty that nobody wants to make the first cut. The good news is that most pie crust designs take only a fork, a knife, a few cookie cutters and about 10 extra minutes. Here are the easy ones grandma used, the show-off ones you see on video, and the little tricks that keep them from slumping in the oven..

The leaf wreath with a braided rim, plus the one dough for every design

Every design in this list starts with the same all-butter dough, so make a double batch and keep it cold. This showstopper uses a braided rim and a ring of pastry leaves around a glossy apple filling. It looks like a $40 bakery pie, but it is just scraps of dough and a little patience. Which pie will you dress up this year? A) apple B) pumpkin C) pecan D) cherry.

You will need: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 cup (2 sticks) very cold butter cut in cubes, 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water, 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk for egg wash, coarse sugar.

How to make it: Mix flour, salt and sugar. Cut in the butter until you see pea-size pieces. Add ice water a spoon at a time until the dough holds together. Split into two discs, wrap and chill 1 hour. Roll one disc for the bottom, fill, then use the second disc for the braid and leaves. Brush with egg wash and bake at 400F for 20 minutes, then 350F until golden.

Grandma’s fork crimp or fluted edge, the easiest of all pie crust designs

This is the edge most of us grew up with, and it still looks lovely. Trim the dough so it hangs just past the rim, fold it under, then press the tines of a fork all the way around. For a fluted edge, pinch the dough between your thumb and two fingers instead. Both work on any pie and seal a double crust too. Difficulty: easy. It suits pumpkin, sweet potato and custard pies best.

You will need: Pie dough for one crust, a 9-inch pie plate, a dinner fork, a small bowl of flour, egg wash.

How to make it: Roll the dough to 12 inches and ease it into the plate. Trim it 1/2 inch past the rim and fold the edge under. Dip the fork in flour and press it flat around the edge, or pinch a fluted edge with your fingers. Chill 15 minutes, add your filling, brush the edge with egg wash and bake as your recipe says.

Rope twist edge

If you can twist a strand of yarn, you can make this edge. Roll two thin ropes of dough and twist them together, then lay the twist around the rim of the pie. It looks fancy on a pumpkin pie and takes about five minutes. Difficulty: easy. Tip: press the twist gently onto a damp rim so it does not slide off as it bakes.

You will need: Pie dough scraps, a small cup of water, a pastry brush, egg wash.

How to make it: Roll two ropes of dough about 1/4 inch thick and as long as you can. Lay them side by side and twist them together. Brush the pie rim with a little water. Lay the twist on the rim, joining new pieces as you go. Chill 10 minutes, brush with egg wash and bake.

Three-strand braided rim, one of the prettiest pie crust designs

A braided rim is the design people ask about the most, and it is really just hair braiding with dough. Cut three long strips, braid them on the counter, then move the braid onto the edge of the pie. Use it on apple, cherry or pecan pie. Difficulty: medium. Tip: chill the braid on a sheet pan for 10 minutes first so it is easy to lift.

You will need: Second disc of pie dough, a sharp knife or pizza cutter, a ruler, a sheet pan, water, egg wash.

How to make it: Roll the dough into a long rectangle. Cut three strips about 1/2 inch wide and 15 inches long. Pinch the ends together and braid loosely. Make 2 or 3 braids and chill them. Brush the rim with water, lay the braids on top and pinch the joins. Brush with egg wash and bake.

Falling leaves wreath (kids can do this one)

Of all the pie crust designs here, this is the one to hand to the kids. Roll out the scraps, give everyone a leaf cookie cutter and let them press out maple and oak leaves. Score little veins with the back of a knife, then lay the leaves in a ring around the edge of the pie. It turns a plain pumpkin pie into a centerpiece. Difficulty: easy.

You will need: Pie dough scraps, small leaf cookie cutters, a butter knife, egg wash, a pinch of cinnamon sugar.

How to make it: Roll the scraps to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 20 to 30 leaves. Use the back of a knife to draw veins. Chill the leaves 10 minutes. Brush the rim with egg wash, overlap the leaves around it and brush them too. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cover with foil if they brown too fast.

Classic lattice top, the best known of all pie crust designs

The lattice is the pie crust design everybody pictures when they think of a homemade fruit pie. It also lets the steam out, so berry and cherry fillings thicken instead of turning soupy. Do not be scared of the weaving: you only ever lift every other strip. Difficulty: medium. Tip: cut all your strips the same width with a ruler and it will look neat.

You will need: Second disc of pie dough, a ruler, a pizza cutter, egg wash, coarse sugar.

How to make it: Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle and cut 10 strips about 1 inch wide. Lay 5 strips across the filling. Fold back every other strip, lay one strip the other way and unfold. Repeat until woven. Trim the ends, press to the rim and crimp. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle sugar and bake.

Wide-and-thin woven lattice

Want your lattice to look like it came from a fancy bakery? Mix wide strips with thin ones. The different widths give the top a basket look and make people think you spent an hour on it. It is the same weave as the classic lattice, just with two strip sizes. Difficulty: medium. Would you try it? A) yes, this year B) maybe next year C) I will stick with crumble.

You will need: Second disc of pie dough, a ruler, a pizza cutter or fluted pastry wheel, egg wash.

How to make it: Cut the dough into strips that are 1 1/2 inches, 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch wide. Lay the strips across the pie in a repeating pattern of wide, thin, thin. Weave the other direction with the same pattern, lifting every other strip. Trim, crimp the edge, chill 15 minutes, then egg wash and bake.

Cut-out star top, one of the quickest pie crust designs for berry pies

This is the fastest way to make a double crust pie look special. Lay a full top crust on the pie, then cut a big star or heart out of the center with a cookie cutter so the berry filling shows through. Put the cut-out shapes back on top around the hole. The open center also lets steam out. Difficulty: easy.

You will need: Second disc of pie dough, a large star or heart cookie cutter, a small star cutter, egg wash, sugar.

How to make it: Roll the top crust and lay it over the filled pie. Trim, fold and crimp the edge. Press the large cutter into the center and lift out the shape. Cut a few small stars from scraps. Brush the top with egg wash, add the small stars around the hole and sprinkle with sugar before baking.

Geometric lattice, the show-off of pie crust designs

This is the one you see in viral pie videos. Instead of a simple weave, you lay strips of different widths in diamond or chevron shapes. It takes about 30 minutes, so do it on a slow afternoon, not Thanksgiving morning. Difficulty: show-off. Tip: plan the pattern on a piece of paper and work on a chilled sheet pan, then slide the top onto the pie.

You will need: Second disc of pie dough, a ruler, a pizza cutter, a parchment lined sheet pan, egg wash.

How to make it: Roll the dough on parchment and cut strips of 3 widths. On the sheet pan, lay them in a diamond pattern, weaving as you go. Chill the finished top for 20 minutes until firm. Slide it onto the filled pie, trim and crimp. Brush with egg wash and bake on a hot sheet pan.

Apple roses on top

Thin apple slices softened in the microwave roll up into little roses with a strip of dough. You can bake them as mini pastries or set a few in the middle of an open apple pie. Red skin apples give the prettiest petals. Difficulty: medium. Tip: soften the slices first or they will crack when you roll them.

You will need: 2 red apples, juice of 1/2 lemon, 2 tablespoons apricot jam, pie dough strips 2 inches wide, cinnamon sugar.

How to make it: Core the apples and slice them paper thin. Microwave the slices with lemon juice and a splash of water for 2 minutes until bendy. Spread a dough strip with jam, line the slices along the top edge so they stick out, sprinkle cinnamon sugar and roll it up. Bake at 375F for 35 minutes.

Pastry rose petals (show-off)

For this one, you cut small circles of dough, overlap five or six in a line and roll them up into a rose. Cover the whole pie with these roses and it looks like a bouquet. It is the fanciest of the pie crust designs here and works best on firm fillings like pumpkin or sweet potato. Difficulty: show-off. Tip: brush the petals with egg wash and cover the pie with foil halfway through so the edges do not burn.

You will need: Second disc of pie dough, a 2-inch round cutter, a small cup of water, egg wash.

How to make it: Roll the dough thin and cut 40 to 50 circles. Overlap 5 circles in a row, touching each with a little water. Roll them up from one end to make a rose and cut it in half to make two roses. Set the roses close together on the filling. Chill, brush with egg wash and bake.

Crumble window: half lattice, half streusel

Cannot decide between two pie crust designs? Do both. Lay a few lattice strips over one half of the pie and pile buttery crumble on the other half. It looks cute and it gives the family a choice. Difficulty: easy. Tip: put the crumble on halfway through baking if your oven runs hot so it stays golden, not dark.

You will need: Pie dough strips, 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 6 tablespoons cold butter, 1/2 cup chopped pecans or oats.

How to make it: Rub the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter together with your fingers until clumpy. Stir in pecans or oats. Weave 5 or 6 dough strips over one half of the filled pie. Scatter the crumble over the other half. Bake at 375F for 50 to 60 minutes until the fruit bubbles.

Pumpkin pie with a pastry leaf border

Pumpkin pie has no top crust, so the edge is where the magic happens. Bake a ring of pastry leaves on a separate sheet pan, then set them on the pie after it cools. This trick keeps the leaves crisp and stops them from sinking into the custard. Difficulty: easy. Are you more of a A) whipped cream B) plain C) ice cream on pumpkin pie person?

You will need: Baked pumpkin pie, dough scraps, leaf cutters, egg wash, cinnamon sugar.

How to make it: Cut 25 small leaves from the scraps and score veins on each. Lay them on a parchment lined sheet pan, brush with egg wash and sprinkle cinnamon sugar. Bake at 375F for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Cool, then lay the leaves around the edge of the cooled pumpkin pie just before serving.

Pecan pie with a stamped edge

Pecan pie has the busiest top of any pie, so keep the edge simple and neat. Use the back of a small spoon or a thimble to press little scallops all the way around. It looks like lace and takes two minutes. Difficulty: easy. If you are looking for more pies to put on the table, here are Thanksgiving pies that sit next to grandma’s pumpkin.

You will need: Pie dough for one crust, a teaspoon, 3 eggs, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 cups pecans.

How to make it: Line the pie plate with dough and trim it even with the rim. Press the round back of a teaspoon around the edge to make scallops. Whisk eggs, syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla. Stir in the pecans and pour into the crust. Bake at 350F for 55 to 60 minutes until set with a slight jiggle.

Embossed crust with a patterned rolling pin

Want pie crust designs with zero cutting? A carved rolling pin presses snowflakes, flowers or leaves into the dough in one pass. Roll the top crust, then roll once more with the patterned pin and lay it on the pie. The pattern shows up best with a light egg wash. Difficulty: easy, and it is a fun one for Christmas pies too. No patterned pin? Press a clean lace doily into the dough instead.

You will need: Second disc of pie dough, a plain rolling pin, a patterned rolling pin or a lace doily, flour, egg wash.

How to make it: Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thick with the plain pin. Dust the patterned pin with flour and roll it once over the dough, pressing evenly. Lift the crust onto the filled pie, trim and crimp. Chill 15 minutes, then brush very lightly with egg wash and bake.

Tips that keep pie crust designs from slumping, plus a store-bought shortcut

Most designs melt because the butter gets warm. Chill the shapes before baking, bake on a preheated sheet pan so the bottom sets fast, and use a foil ring or pie shield if the edges brown early. Short on time? A store-bought crust works with every idea here: just add leaves or a braid from a second crust. Which of these pie crust designs will you try first? Tell us below.

You will need: Cold dough, a sheet pan, parchment, foil or a pie shield, egg wash, a pastry brush.

How to make it: Keep the dough and the shapes in the fridge until the last second. Put a sheet pan in the oven while it heats. Brush designs with a thin coat of egg wash. Set the pie on the hot sheet pan and bake. Cover the edges with foil once they look golden, then finish baking.