For novice bakers, a light, flaky pie crust can seem like an elusive grail, but following a few simple principles can make this goal easier to achieve. First rule: keep the ingredients cold —doing so not only makes the dough easier to handle; it helps ensure a toothsome crust. Cold, hardened butter disperses into the flour more evenly, promoting the creation of tiny pockets of steam during baking, which, in turn, create layers in the crust. It's not enough to start with chilled butter, though; you have to keep it cold as you work the dough. Using ice-cold water and working quickly on a cool marble work surface help accomplish this; so does chilling the dough once it's made. For full recipes, see our collection of Thanksgiving Pies and Desserts »