Clementine Pastry Chef Elise Russ Shares Her Family’s Four-Ingredient Pie Crust Recipe

Pastry Chef Elise Russ of Clementine is sharing her family’s signature four-ingredient pie crust recipe, offering home bakers a crisp, flaky and naturally vegan foundation for their favorite seasonal pies.

The recipe was passed down from Russ’s grandmother to her mother before becoming part of Russ’s own baking tradition. While the recipe remains rooted in family history, two unexpected ingredients give the crust its distinctive flavor and texture.

Instead of water, Russ uses cold orange juice, which adds a subtle citrus note, enhances the crust’s golden color and brings additional flavor to each bite. She also uses shortening in place of butter to create a crisp texture and a dough that is easier to handle.

With just four ingredients, the recipe can be prepared in advance and paired with a variety of sweet or savory fillings.

Once the dough is prepared, Russ recommends rolling it out and placing it into a pie pan. Wrap the pan tightly and freeze the prepared crust for up to one week.

When ready to bake, remove the crust from the freezer and allow it to thaw slightly before adding the filling. The crust can then be baked according to the instructions for the selected pie.

Russ uses the recipe for pumpkin pie during the holiday season and for her signature apple pie at Clementine. Because the restaurant rotates its dessert offerings regularly, guests are encouraged to check the current menu before visiting.

High-resolution images are available for editorial use. Interviews with Russ and additional recipe information may be coordinated through Embark Marketing.

Pastry Chef Elise Russ has been passionate about dessert since she was a child, elaborately decorating cookies with piles of icing that had no hopes of ever hardening. After taking a cake decorating class at the local JoAnn's, Elise launched her career making custom sweets for her neighbors and keeping her grandfather supplied with biscotti and pizzelles. Advancing past cakes shaped like Barbies and soccer balls, Elise pursued a degree in Baking & Pastry Arts from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. She worked in hotels, restaurants, and bakeries in London, Chicago, Georgia, and Maryland before settling down in San Antonio. Elise is the Pastry Chef and Owner of Clementine with her husband, John, and is a proud member of the San Antonio chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International. She has also completed the Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Program offered by the James Beard Foundation and Cornell  University. 

In addition to being a full-time restaurant owner and pastry chef, Elise is a mother of three; she enjoys frosting sugar cookies with her daughters and son.

Opened in 2018 in the Castle Hills community of San Antonio, Clementine is a family-owned neighborhood restaurant serving seasonal, innovative eats in a modern and lively atmosphere. Led by Chef John Russ, a 2023 James Beard Award Nominee for Best Chef: Texas, and Pastry Chef Elise Russ, the menu features bold, globally inspired flavors through a rotating selection of small plates, generous platters, produce-forward “sideboard” options, and nostalgic, imaginative desserts.

Many guests choose the signature Feed Me—a six-course, family-style dining experience where Chef Russ and team create a personalized menu for the table based on seasonal ingredients and creative pairings. In addition to dinner service Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Clementine offers lunch on the third Friday of every month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Clementine is also home to The Juice Box, a sommelier- and Chef Russ–curated monthly wine club showcasing unexpected, highly drinkable bottles to be enjoyed at home. For special occasions, the restaurant is available for private buyouts, offering a warm, intimate setting for all kinds of celebrations. Clementine @Home extends the experience even further, with a fully staffed, in-home dining service that brings Clementine’s hospitality and flavor to your table.