How to scale up (or down) a pie crust recipe

Most of the pie crust recipes out there are for a 9” pan, but what if you’re not making a 9” pie (or quiche)? On Epicurious they recently posted an article explaining how to adjust any cake recipe to make a 6” cake. I’m looking for something similar for pie crust. Thanks for your help.

IdigArchaeology
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4 Comments

Charlie S.
Charlie S. April 28, 2021
Apply the percentage change in sizes to the ingredient list, always rounding UP. The calculation is a fraction: (new-old)/old. If you're going from 9" to 6" the percentage change will be negative. The alternative is to just make the regular 9" recipe, save the 'extra' and make sugar cookies or something else.
 
IdigArchaeology
IdigArchaeology April 25, 2021
I should say that if the formula involves multiplying by Pi that would be triumphant.
 
Nancy
Nancy April 25, 2021
Well, I regularly use geometry (volume, area) in scaling recipes up or down, so I think I can accommodate your wish for Pi.
Figure the area of both pans (an original 9" in a recipe and whatever you are using). That would be pi*r*r (sorry, can't add symbol).
For diameter, use the measurement of the outer rim, not the base. The outer rim measure will allow more pastry than the base diameter, enough for going up the sides and crimping.
Divide area of pan you want to use by area of 9" pan in recipe.
Multiply percent result by original recipe and make that much.
For a 10" diameter pie, that yields 1.235%, so make 1 1/4 times the original 9" crust recipe.
And if you like Pi, gear up and make a few middle of next March (3.14, you see)...a day celebrated by mathematicians, teachers and lovers of geometry.
 
Nancy
Nancy April 25, 2021
A few pies, that is.
 
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