The Blind-Bake Procedure

Chill, line, weight and bake. The temperatures, the two timing windows and the doneness checkpoints, in order.

Start by fitting the dough into the pan and chilling the lined crust. Fifteen minutes in the freezer or thirty minutes in the refrigerator reduces shrinkage; up to 24 hours in the refrigerator lets the flour fully rehydrate and gives the most relaxed dough.

Line the chilled crust with foil and fill it to the brim with sugar, dried beans or metal weights. Filling to the brim is not optional — weights that sit only in the middle let the side walls slide down as the fat melts.

For the classic weighted method, bake at 350°F. A full blind bake takes about 1 hour; a par-bake takes 35 to 40 minutes. The lower, slower window suits custard crusts that only need a head start.

The upside-down sandwich method bakes the crust between two pans at 375°F for about 40 minutes blind, or 15 to 20 minutes par-baked. The hotter, faster window works because the pans shield the crust.

Cookie and cracker crusts are pressed rather than rolled: par-bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, blind bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Check doneness by color. A blind-baked crust is golden from center to edge. A par-baked crust shows golden edges and a dry but pale center. If the rim turns deep gold before the center is ready, shield it with a foil ring.

• Chill: 15 min freezer, 30 min refrigerator, up to 24 h refrigerator.
• Line with foil and weight to the brim.
• Bake at 350°F: ~1 hour blind, 35–40 min par-baked.
• Sandwich method at 375°F: ~40 min blind, 15–20 min par-baked.
• Cookie/cracker crust: 10 min par-bake, 12–15 min blind.

Further reading

• Blind Bake vs Par-Bake
• Soggy, Shrunken, Burnt