Why Bake in a Pottery Pie Dish
Clay retains heat better than glass or metal. This means more even baking, a crispier bottom crust, and a pie that stays warm longer at the table. The thermal mass of a thick ceramic wall absorbs heat slowly and releases it gradually — no hot spots, no scorched edges, no soggy bottoms. Professional bakers know this. The best pie shops use ceramic dishes. Now you can make your own.
Stephen Jepson has used handmade pie dishes in his kitchen for decades. He considers them one of the most practical pieces of pottery you can own — used weekly, displayed proudly, and a conversation starter at every holiday gathering.
Pie Dish Styles
Standard Pie Dish
Nine inches in diameter, about one and a half inches deep, with a wide flat rim for crimping the crust edge. This is the standard American pie size. Throw it on the wheel as a wide, shallow bowl with a thick rim pulled outward into a flat flange. The rim is important — it provides a surface for the crust to rest on and gives you something to grip when handling the hot dish. Keep the walls about three-eighths inch thick for good heat retention.
Deep Dish Pie Plate
Same diameter but two to two and a half inches deep for pot pies, chicken pies, and deep fruit pies. The deeper walls hold more filling and produce a more dramatic presentation. Throw it like the standard dish but pull the walls higher before flaring. The rim can be narrower on a deep dish since the crust often drapes over the edge rather than sitting on a flange.
Tart Pan
A shallower form — about one inch deep — with straight or slightly angled sides. No flange rim. Tart shells press directly against the walls. The shallow depth means quick, even baking. Use for quiches, fruit tarts, and savory galettes.
Making a Pottery Pie Dish
Throwing the Form
Use about three pounds of stoneware clay. Center and open wide — pie dishes are about width, not height. Pull the walls to even thickness, about three-eighths of an inch. The floor should be slightly thicker — half an inch — for maximum heat retention. Form the rim by pulling the top of the wall outward into a horizontal flange about three-quarters of an inch wide. Smooth the rim with a rib and chamois.
Trimming
When leather-hard, flip the dish and trim the bottom. A foot ring is optional — some potters prefer a flat bottom for maximum oven contact. If you trim a foot ring, make it low and wide for stability. The goal is a dish that sits flat and steady on any surface.
Glazing for Baking
Food-safe glaze on all interior surfaces and the rim. The exterior can be left unglazed or partially glazed. For baking, a smooth interior glaze prevents food from sticking and makes cleaning easy. A neutral color on the interior shows off the pie filling beautifully. The exterior is your chance for decorative expression.
Tips for Baking in Pottery
- Thermal shock: Never put a cold pottery dish directly into a hot oven. Let the dish warm to room temperature first, then place it in a cold oven and heat together.
- Even baking: Pottery retains heat so well that you may need to reduce baking temperature by 25 degrees compared to glass or metal pan recipes.
- Crispy crust: Preheat the empty dish in the oven for 10 minutes before adding the pie for an extra-crispy bottom crust.
- Serving: Pottery holds heat for 20-30 minutes after leaving the oven — perfect for second helpings that are still warm.
Learn from Stephen Jepson
Stephen's pottery video lessons cover wheel throwing, trimming, and food-safe glazing for bakeware and kitchen pottery. His decades of experience help you make pie dishes that bake beautifully and last a lifetime. One-time purchase, lifetime access to all lessons.