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If you’re like me, you always seem to have leftover pie crust dough. Whether you only made a small pie or your crust turned out too thick, throwing away perfectly good food is always frustrating.
I never liked throwing away all of my excess pie crust dough, so I devised these 12 creative ideas to use my leftover pie crust dough to its fullest potential!
Can You Reuse Leftover Pie Crust Dough?
Generally speaking, you can reuse leftover pie crust dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the fridge before use. The pie dough can be reused for new pies, and tarts, or used creatively for other baked goods.
I recently came across these Adjustable Pie Crust Shield Silicone Pie Protectors which protected my pies perfectly every time I used them. They’re made out of heat-resistant silicone material that will protect the pie crust edges from getting burnt. You can check them out on Amazon!
However, you need to consider these factors before reusing dough:
- How long has the dough been stored?
- How many times has the dough been rolled out?
- Was the dough refrigerated or frozen?
If the dough has been stored for over three days, it’s best to throw it away!
The same goes for dough rolled out more than three times. Dough that’s been refrigerated or frozen can be used, but it might not be as pliable as fresh dough.
12 Creative Things To Do With Leftover Pie Crust Dough
The most creative thing to do with leftover pie crust dough is to make decorative pie crust designs. Roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to create different shapes. These can be baked separately and used to put on top of pies, tarts, or other desserts.
Doing this adds a beautiful and artistic touch to your creations!
But if you’re no longer looking to make pies, you can also use leftover pie crust dough for:
- Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Cookies
- Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make a Top Crust
- Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Empanadas
- Turn Leftover Pie Dough Into Croutons
- Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make a Quiche
- Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Mini Pies
- Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make a Galette
- Turn Leftover Pie Dough Into Pizza Crust
- Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Turnovers
- Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make a Cinnamon Rolls
- Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Cheese Straws
- Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Chicken Pot Pie
My goal was always to be as creative as I could so that I don’t let a single slice of leftover pie crust dough go to waste!
1. Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Cookies
Making cookies out of your leftover pie crust dough is the most creative thing you can do. You can use any shape cookie cutter to create fun and festive cookies.
The first time I tried this, I rolled out the leftover dough and used cookie cutters to create fun shapes. I brushed the cutouts with a little melted butter, sprinkled them with cinnamon and sugar, and baked them until golden brown.
The result was a batch of crisp, buttery cookies that were a huge hit with my family!
They had all the flakiness of pie crust with the added sweetness of a cookie, making them a perfect treat. If you want to get even more creative, you can also decorate them with icing or sprinkles.
To do this properly, I usually use a Good Grips 14-Piece Cookie Press Set. This cookie press comes with 12 custom-design disks that will create different designs for your cookies. You can check out this cookie press on Amazon!
2. Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make a Top Crust
While a top crust may not be necessary for all pies, it’s a great way to use the leftover dough. I usually make a top crust for these pies below:
| Use of Leftover Dough | Decorative Techniques | Types of Pies Used |
|---|---|---|
| Top crust for pies | Cut into shapes, weave into lattice, lay and crimp edges | Apple, cherry, peach, savory pot pies |
The first time I tried this, I had some apple pie filling ready but not enough dough for a full double-crust pie. I rolled out my leftover dough, cut it into strips, and created a nice square pattern on top of the pie.
Not only did this save me from making more dough, but it also added a beautiful, rustic look to my pie!
In the end, it turned into a golden, flaky top crust that perfectly complemented the sweet, spiced apple filling. After that, I’ve used this method for various top-crust patterns, and it worked every time! So give it a try!
3. Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Empanadas
Empanadas are a type of pastry that’s popular in Latin American cuisine. They’re made by folding the dough over a filling and baking or frying them. I usually like to make empanadas because the fillings can be sweet or savory.
To make empanadas out of your leftover pie dough, you need to:
- Roll out the dough and cut it into circles
- Add your desired filling to the center of each circle
- Fold the dough over the filling and seal the edges (You can then bake or fry the empanadas)
Below is a video I found with 5 creative ways to use leftover pie crust:
I recently came across The Perfect-Sized Plastic Round Storage Containers that can fit anything in them from a pie to even cupcakes. These containers come in a 2-pack and are Microwave and Dishwasher safe! You can check out these containers on Amazon!
4. Turn Leftover Pie Dough Into Croutons
Croutons are a great way to use up leftover pie crust dough. I love adding croutons to anything I make for the family!
The first time I tried this, I cut the leftover dough into small squares and tossed them with a little bit of olive oil, salt, and some herbs.
I spread them out on a baking sheet and popped them into the oven until they were golden and crispy!
The result was a batch of buttery, flaky croutons that were the best treat to add to anything I made around the house. They added a delightful crunch and rich taste to my salads.
5. Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make a Quiche
A quiche is a simple yet great creation that I use my leftover pie crust dough on. You can fill it with almost anything starting with eggs and cheese to veggies like broccoli and bell peppers.
I simply roll the dough and place it in a quiche pan. Then, I add any desired fillings and bake according to the recipe.
Quiche is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Since that first quiche, I’ve experimented with various fillings, from classic combinations like ham and cheese to more adventurous ones like caramelized onions and goat cheese.
Each time, the leftover pie crust dough has provided a sturdy and flavorful base that complements the rich, custardy filling.
6. Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Mini Pies
Mini pies are perfect for individual servings. If you finished all of the normal-sized pies that you were planning to make, why not use your leftover pie dough for some mini pies as well?
You can use any pie filling you like and top it with a lattice crust or a solid top. These mini pies are perfect for parties or potlucks!
I actually found a bunch of great mini-pie recipes that you can check out on pillsbury.com. I use a different recipe each time I make mini pies!
*By the way, I recently wrote an article breaking down Creative Things To Do With Leftover Pie Fillings. This article talks about all the different ways you can use your leftover pie fillings so that they don’t go to waste. You can check out this article here!
7. Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make a Galette
As a baker who loves finding new uses for every last scrap, I’ve discovered that leftover pie crust dough is perfect for making galettes.
A galette is a French pastry that’s similar to a pie. It’s made with a single crust, and the filling is spread on top of the dough!
Galettes can be made with fruit or savory fillings. Here’s a table showing different flavors and results that I’ve achieved for my galettes over the years:
| Type of Galette | Filling Ingredients | The Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet | Apricot jam, fresh peach slices, sugar | A stunning, rustic tart with golden crust and bubbling fruit |
| Sweet | Apples, berries, pears | A beautiful, flavorful fruit galettes |
| Savory | Tomatoes, goat cheese | A delicious savory galettes with a flaky crust |
| Both | Various | A simple, elegant treat from leftover pie dough |
The first time I tried this, I just finished making a batch of pies and was left with a small ball of dough. I decided to roll the dough out and make a galette.
I spread a thin layer of apricot jam on the dough and topped it with slices of fresh peaches and a sprinkle of sugar. Folding the edges up over the fruit, I baked it until the crust was golden and the fruit was bubbling.
8. Turn Leftover Pie Dough Into Pizza Crust
If you have leftover pie crust dough, you can also use it as a pizza crust!
It was getting late after making my pies, and my husband and I wanted something to eat. So I decided to use my leftover pie crust dough to make us some yummy mini pizza pies.
I rolled out the pie crust dough into a thin circle, similar to how I would prepare a traditional pizza dough. I then topped it with a light layer of olive oil, some crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and a sprinkle of basil. Pie dough doesn’t stretch like pizza dough, so I stopped fighting it and embraced the rustic look.
After baking it in a hot oven, I was amazed by the results!
What surprised me most was how good it tasted. The crust was flaky and tender, almost like a croissant met a slice of pizza and decided to be best friends. It wasn’t “authentic” pizza by any stretch, but it was cozy and satisfying in its own way.
The pie crust created a beautifully crisp and flaky exterior, making it especially good with the gooey cheese on top!
It was an instant hit with my husband, and I was thrilled to have found such a practical and tasty use for my leftover dough!
Now it’s become a little tradition—any time I bake a pie, I secretly look forward to the bonus pie-dough pizza the next day.
9. Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Turnovers
Leftover pie dough has a funny way of hanging around after the pie is long gone, quietly waiting for another purpose. That’s usually when I start thinking about turnovers, because they feel like the coziest, most obvious next step.
Turnovers are a type of pastry that’s made by folding dough over a filling. The filling can be sweet or savory. To make turnovers:
- Roll out the dough and cut it into squares
- Add your desired filling to the center of each square
- Fold the dough over the filling and seal the edges (You can then bake or fry the turnovers)
There’s something deeply satisfying about folding dough over filling and crimping the edges with a fork. It feels a bit like arts and crafts, except at the end you get something warm and flaky to eat. I’ve learned to make a few extras because they disappear fast, especially if I drizzle a little glaze on top.
10. Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Cinnamon Rolls
The idea came to me one morning when I wanted something sweet and didn’t feel like starting a dough from scratch, so I turned to my leftover pie dough for help!
Cinnamon rolls are a delicious treat that is usually not hard to make. I usually:
- Roll out the dough and spread it on a mixture of butter, sugar, and cinnamon
- Roll up the dough and slice it into rolls
- Place the rolls in a baking dish and bake according to the recipe
Rolling it up was easier than I expected, even though pie dough isn’t as stretchy as traditional cinnamon roll dough. I sliced it carefully, a little unevenly, and decided that rustic was the goal anyway.
As they baked, the smell was unreal—warm cinnamon with that buttery pie crust note mixed in. The rolls puffed up just enough, with flaky edges and gooey centers that felt like a happy accident.
11. Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Cheese Straws
Leftover pie dough has surprised me in many forms, but cheese straws might be one of my favorites. They’re the kind of snack that feels fancy and casual at the same time, which is always a win.
The first time I tried it, I rolled the dough out thin and sprinkled it generously with grated cheese and a pinch of salt. I remember thinking it looked too simple to be interesting, but I kept going anyway.
Cutting the dough into strips and twisting them felt oddly soothing, like something you do while chatting in the kitchen. I didn’t worry about perfection, because uneven twists somehow make them look more charming.
Once they hit the oven, the smell told me everything I needed to know. Buttery, cheesy, and just a little crisp around the edges, they barely made it to a plate before I started snacking.
Now, whenever I have pie dough scraps, cheese straws are automatically on the menu!
12. Use Leftover Pie Dough To Make Chicken Pot Pie
Leftover pie dough almost feels like it’s begging to become chicken pot pie, especially on a chilly evening. It’s one of those comfort foods that feels extra satisfying when it comes together from out of nowhere. To make it, I usually:
- Roll out the dough and use it to line a pie dish
- Fill the pie with a mixture of cooked chicken, vegetables, and gravy
- Place a top crust on the pie and bake according to the recipe
As it bakes, the smell reminds me of after-school evenings when dinner was already in the oven, and the house felt warm and safe!
Now, every time I have leftover pie dough, chicken pot pie feels like the obvious choice. It’s not fancy, but it feels personal, familiar, and exactly like the kind of meal I want at the end of the day.
People Also Ask Me…
How Long Does Pie Crust Stay Fresh When Properly Stored?
A pie crust will stay fresh for three days when wrapped tightly and kept in the fridge. After three days, the pie dough will begin to harden since it contains moisture that dries out over time. To extend the shelf life of your pie crust, you can freeze it. Freezing will prevent the dough from drying out and hardening.
Can You Refrigerate Pie Crust?
As a general rule, you can refrigerate pie crust. Cold storage keeps butter firm, controls gluten, and helps create a flaky texture. Wrapped tightly, the dough lasts two to three days and should rest briefly at room temperature before rolling. This step improves handling and final results.
Can You Freeze Pie Crust?
As a general rule, you can freeze pie crust. Freezing preserves butter and structure so the dough bakes up flaky. Wrapped airtight, it keeps up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling or baking for best texture. Freeze as a disk or in a lined pan and label with the date for quality.