The Weather Factor That Ruins Your Pie Crust

Every Thanksgiving, someone’s pie crust becomes the victim of circumstance. Maybe it shrinks. Perhaps it turns tough. Or maybe it melts into a sad, buttery pancake on the bottom of your oven. And while it is easy to blame technique or the recipe, there is one sneaky culprit home bakers seldom consider: the weather.

Yes, the weather can actually make or break your pie crust. Temperature, humidity, and even indoor heating all play a part in how flaky, crisp, or crumbly your dessert turns out. Here is the surprisingly simple science behind the most common pie disasters.

1. Humidity Makes Crusts Gummy and Tough

Humidity is the biggest Thanksgiving pie villain. When the air is moist, flour absorbs water from the environment. That extra moisture forms more gluten, resulting in a tougher, chewier crust.

If your dough feels sticky, soft, or impossible to roll out, you are not imagining it. That is the humidity talking.