While the filling may be the centerpiece of a pie, the crust can be the most memorable bite. The ingredients in pie crusts can vary, but typically crusts include lard, butter, shortening or a combination of these. When home cooks cannot use those fats in their crusts, they may choose margarine instead. Margarine may not provide the flakiest crust, but you still can use it to easily create a masterpiece worthy of any filling.
Replace the fat in your pie crust recipe with the same amount of margarine. For example, if the recipe calls for one-half cup of butter or shortening, use one-half cup of margarine instead. Use stick margarine instead of the softer, whipped varieties.
To prepare the margarine, cut it into half-inch slices. According to What’s Cooking America, smaller pieces of chilled margarine will yield a flakier crust. Place the margarine pieces in the freezer until firm.
Cut the frozen margarine pieces into the flour and other dry ingredients with a pastry cutter. Keep blending the flour and margarine mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water and prepare dough as directed by your recipe.