We love Thanksgiving in our household. We look forward to the food, the football, the family, and all of the festivities that surround the annual holiday. And as a tradition, we celebrate a sort of Thanksgiving Eve in which we prepare all of the pies we’ll serve on Turkey Day. We call this special occasion Pie Night, and it’s one of the many things we are thankful for.
Pie night might not be a thing around the country, but it is a huge ordeal in our house. After a yummy Thanksgiving Eve dinner, we’ll ensure our Thanksgiving outfit is ready to go, throw some music on, get all of our pie ingredients prepped, open a bottle of wine, and get to work. Sometimes we’ll work on a single pie. Sometimes we’ll make two or three pies. It doesn’t matter — the more pies, the merrier!
No matter how many pies you are planning to make for Thanksgiving this year, one thing is for certain — having the proper tools at your disposal will make your Pie Night experience that much more enjoyable. Check out these essential pastry tools and pie-making gadgets as you prep for Pie Night.
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Apple Peeler
Thinking of taking on Grandma’s famous apple pie recipe this year? Then you definitely want to consider investing in a quality apple peeler. This versatile kitchen tool is ideal for pie-making — capable of paring, coring, and slicing apples, or performing individual tasks like paring only or slicing and coring only. Its multipurpose design extends to other fruits and vegetables, with a removable coring/slicing blade suitable for potatoes. The peeler offers stability through a strong suction cup that securely adheres to countertops. Constructed with stainless steel blades, chrome-plated parts, and a poly handle, it ensures durability and a comfortable grip.
Pastry Blender
A pastry blender has emerged as one of a baker’s most indispensable pie-making tools, revolutionizing the blending, cutting, and mixing of ingredients with wire blades that ensure swift results with minimal effort. Crafted for a comfortable baking experience, this baby features an anti-slip, thick rubber handle, providing a soft grip ideal for small to medium-sized hands (and those with arthritis). This sturdy and durable pie tool is made with top-quality stainless steel and is resistant to rust and corrosion — ensuring its longevity even with constant use. The medium-sized cutter, measuring 4.5 inches high and 3.8 inches wide, promises easy cleaning by being dishwasher-friendly, making it an enduring Pie Night essential for creating cherished recipes that span generations.
Rolling Pin
A classic kitchen gadget dating back to bygone eras, the timeless Faberware rolling pin stands as an enduring essential in culinary traditions. This versatile tool has transcended generations, maintaining its relevance in kitchens worldwide. Crafted for the art of baking, the rolling pin is an indispensable aid for flattening and shaping pie dough with precision and ease. Whether it’s crafting the perfect pie crust, delicate pastries, or unleashing the creativity of cookie designs, this enduring kitchen companion remains an icon of simplicity and effectiveness. With its wooden or marble variations, the rolling pin symbolizes the intersection of tradition and innovation, embodying the craftsmanship that has made it a fixture in the culinary landscape for centuries.
Silicone Pastry Mat
The silicone pastry mat emerges as an indispensable ally in the art of pie-making, providing a versatile and efficient surface for crafting perfect pastry crusts. This kitchen essential offers a non-stick, non-slip surface that facilitates the rolling out of dough with ease, ensuring minimal sticking and a consistent thickness. The marked measurements on the mat provide precision, guiding bakers to achieve the desired size for their pie crusts. Its heat-resistant properties make it suitable for various baking temperatures, while the flexibility allows for easy transfer of the rolled-out dough to the pie dish. Easy to clean and store, the Silicone Pastry Mat reduces the mess associated with pie preparation, making it an essential tool for both novice and experienced bakers seeking precision and convenience in their pie-making endeavors.
Ceramic Pie Pan
The classic ceramic pie pan, generously sized at 10 inches, stands as a versatile and timeless addition to any kitchen, perfect for a variety of delectable treats from traditional desserts like apple and pumpkin pies to savory quiches and casseroles. With its deeper design preventing spills and larger capacity, this pan is not only functional but also ideal for sharing joyous moments with loved ones, making it a fitting choice for holiday baking. The wave-edge detailing, available in a variety of colors, adds a touch of elegance to your kitchen decor, providing an opportunity to create visually appealing pie presentations. Beyond its aesthetic charm, the ceramic construction ensures even heating and superior heat retention, keeping your culinary creations warm on the table. The smooth glaze makes for easy hand washing and is dishwasher-safe, while the pan’s dual functionality allows seamless transitions from freezer to oven, making it a versatile essential for both baking and serving various dishes with style.
Lattice Pie Crust Cutter
The lattice pie crust cutter proves to be a versatile and creative pastry tool, elevating Pie Night with its ability to effortlessly craft beautiful lattice tops and fishnet pattern crusts. Designed for a wide range of baked delights, this essential pie-making tool opens up a world of possibilities for both novice and experienced bakers. A user-friendly design ensures ease of use, allowing even those new to baking to create intricate lattice patterns with precision. By simply rolling the lattice dough cutter over chilled dough, bakers can achieve a uniform and firm lattice in no time, adding a professional touch to pies and pastries. This tool is a must-have for those looking to take their pie-baking skills to the next level, offering a quick and effective way to enhance the visual appeal of a variety of delectable treats.
Adjustable Pie Crust Shield
Keep those pie edges perfectly golden brown with an adjustable pie crust shield. Crafted from high-quality silicone, an adjustable pie crust shield ensures absolute food security with its BPA-free and non-toxic material. Offering a practical solution for preventing over-baking, the silicone shield is a superior alternative to traditional methods like aluminum foil or non-adjustable metal protectors. Its adjustable design simplifies the baking process — simply slide the lock into the notch to fit any pie size ranging from 8 inches to 11.4 inches. This innovative pie crust protector not only reduces spillage but also enhances convenience in the kitchen, making it an indispensable tool for achieving perfectly baked pies on Pie Night.
Pastry Brush
A pastry brush stands as an indispensable tool for any Pie Night, offering a crucial element in the meticulous process of pie-making. This versatile kitchen accessory, typically featuring bristles made of natural or synthetic materials, serves multiple purposes crucial to achieving the perfect pie. Its primary role involves evenly applying egg washes, melted butter, or other glazes on the pie crust, ensuring a golden and glossy finish that enhances both appearance and taste. The hall-of-fame level pie-making tool also proves invaluable for precisely dusting flour or sugar on work surfaces, preventing dough from sticking and facilitating seamless rolling. Its flexibility extends to effortlessly spreading fillings or sauces within the pie, contributing to a consistent and delightful culinary experience. With its multifunctionality, a pastry brush elevates Pie Night preparations, making it an essential and versatile tool for every pie-making enthusiast’s kitchen arsenal.
Pie Weights
What are pie weights and why do you need them for Pie Night even though you’ve maybe never used them before? Pie weights are small ceramic or metal beads or balls used in the process of blind baking a pie crust (blind baking refers to partially or fully baking a pie crust before adding the filling). Pie weights serve a crucial role during this process by preventing the crust from puffing up or shrinking as it bakes. To use pie weights, the pie crust is lined with parchment paper or foil, and the weights are placed on top to weigh down the crust, ensuring that it maintains its shape. The weights help create a firm and stable foundation for the pie, especially when dealing with recipes that involve wet or heavy fillings. During your next Pie Night, when various pie creations are in the spotlight, pie weights become essential tools to achieve perfectly baked, flaky crusts that provide the ideal canvas for an array of delicious fillings.
Take Pie Night to the Next Level With Essential Pie-Making Tools
Pie Night is an annual tradition in our household, and there are so many baking traditions families share, especially around the holidays. To ensure that you are well-equipped on Pie Night (or any other baking event in your household), invest in essential and reliable tools that you can use year after year. These ultimate pie-making gadgets not only streamline the pie-making process but also elevate the overall baking experience. As we gather to celebrate the joy of Pie Night and create lasting memories with loved ones, having the right tools on hand ensures that every pie emerges from the oven as a masterpiece, ready to be enjoyed and cherished. May the aroma of freshly baked pies and the warmth of shared moments continue to make Pie Night a cherished tradition in homes everywhere.
Is there an essential pie-making tool that you enjoy using that is not on this list? We’d love to hear from you! Send us a message and let us know! And be sure to check out the blog for more awesome recommendations and sign up below for the Weekly Wax!