Welcome to the ultimate guide on how to make a Gluten Free Pie Crust!
I’ve made a dozen+ gluten free pie crusts over the past several months so you don’t have to, and logged every tip and insight I’ve learned along the way.
Use the gluten free pie crust recipe to make holiday classics like Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie, or fill with the no-bake pie filling of your choice. You’ll never miss out on a pie again!
All you need are 5 everyday ingredients, a little patience, plus the helpful tips and photos I’ve included in this post to make the process…as easy as pie.
Had to. 😉
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Table of Contents
- 5 Ingredients Needed
- Helpful Tools for Making Pie Crust
- When to Partially Bake or Blind Bake the Crust
- Top 3 Tips for Success
- Gluten Free Pie Crust Overview
- How to Make Gluten Free Pie Dough
- How to Roll Out the Pie Crust
- How to Partially Bake or Fully Blind Bake the Pie Crust
- How to Freeze Gluten Free Pie Crust
- All-Butter Gluten Free Pie Crust Recipe
5 Ingredients Needed
I can almost guarantee you have all five ingredients needed to make a gluten free pie crust on hand at this very moment (spoiler alert: two of them are salt and water)!
- Gluten Free Flour Blend: I tested this recipe using Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and don’t notice a huge difference between the two. That said, the gluten free flour blend you typically get good results from will likely work in this recipe. Be sure the blend includes a binder such as xanthan gum.
- Butter: this is an all-butter pie crust recipe which makes for a gorgeous and flaky golden brown crust with lots of flavor (not me eating plain baked pie crust like flat croissant countless times over the past several months…)
- Granulated Sugar: promotes browning and adds flavor to the crust. This isn’t a sweet-tasting pie crust, though if you’re using the crust to make a quiche, for example, I’d cut the amount in half.
- Salt: balances the flavor of the crust.
- Ice Water: brings the pie crust ingredients together.
Helpful Tools for Making Pie Crust
Pies in various forms have been around for thousands of years so don’t overthink the process. That said, here are the tools I use to make modern-day pie making a bit easier.
- Food processor: My 14 cup Cuisinart Food Processor makes quick work of mixing the gluten free pie crust ingredients together, but a large glass mixing bowl and pastry cutter work too.
- Bench scraper: A bench scraper is an invaluable and inexpensive tool to have on hand in the kitchen. In this recipe it’s used to help laminate the dough (ie create layers of butter for a flaky crust), and ensure the dough doesn’t stick to the countertop while rolling it out. If you don’t have a bench scraper, a large metal spatula can also work.
- Pie Pan: The quantity of dough in this recipe will fill a 9″ glass pie pan or ceramic pie pan.
- Rolling Pin: I prefer a steel rolling pin vs a wooden rolling pin because you can freeze it to keep it cold when rolling out the dough. If you only have a wooden rolling pin BE MINDFUL of what it’s previously been used to roll out. Wooden rolling pins, cutting boards, etc can hold onto gluten.
- Pie weights: Are needed if you plan on par-baking or fully blind-baking your pie crust to use for wetter pie fillings, or a no-bake pie. You’ll need at least 2lbs pie weights, though you can also use dried rice, beans, lentils, or even granulated sugar instead.
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When to Partially Bake or Blind Bake the Crust
This recipe for Gluten Free Pie Crust can be used for any pie recipe – pumpkin, apple, berry, peach, French silk, banana cream, pecan, etc – though if the pie filling is on the wet side, or is no-bake, you’ll need to partially bake or fully bake the pie crust before using so it doesn’t come out raw or soggy in the final pie recipe.
Here are the details:
- Partially baked or “par-baked”: is needed for pie recipes with wetter fillings such as pumpkin pie, juicier berries/fruits like blueberry or peach, pecan pie, or quiche. Fill the pie crust with pie weights then bake until it’s partially baked through. Remove the weights then bake for a couple extra minutes.
- Fully blind-baked: is needed for no-bake pie recipes like French Silk Pie or Banana Cream Pie. Follow the directions for par-baking the crust then remove the pie weights and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and fully cooked through. More details on both options below.
Because gluten free flour baking blends contain starches and flours that don’t typically act like wheat flour, I almost always par-bake my gluten free pie crust no matter what type of pie I’m making.
Top 3 Tips for Success
Making gluten free pie crust is inherently simple, but keep these top three tips for success in mind when making this recipe. Also be sure to check out the rest of the post for helpful tips and notes.
- The dough is different. As gluten free folks we know that gluten free dough is just different then dough made with wheat flour. Think of GF dough more like playdough that you need to PUSH and PRESS into shape, vs regular dough which can be pulled and stretched.
- Keep cold. In order to achieve a flaky pie crust, vs a dense and oily crust, it’s important to keep the butter as cold as possible during the process of making the pie dough and rolling it out. That said, work quickly (though not manically) when making and rolling out the dough, and be sure to follow timing guidelines in terms of how long to refrigerate the dough and pie crust.
- Don’t rush. With the above said, I like to give myself two days to make gluten free pie crust. On day one I’ll make the dough then refrigerate it overnight. On day two I’ll roll it out, refrigerate the crust for an hour, then bake. This ensures that the butter stays very cold, and the gluten free flour blend has plenty of time to hydrate.
Gluten Free Pie Crust Overview
- Make the dough.
- Combine the ingredients in a food processor.
- Press the dough together with your hands.
- Laminate the dough.
- Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours – 3 days.
- Roll out the crust.
- Roll the dough into a 12″ circle.
- Line a 9″ pie pan with the crust.
- Trim the edges then crimp or flute.
- Refrigerate the crust for 1 hour or up to 3 days then use.
- Fully or partially bake the pie crust. Optional, for a wet or no-bake pie filling.
How to Make Gluten Free Pie Dough
Step 1: Pulse the ingredients together in a food processor.
To a large food processor add gluten free flour, sugar, and salt then pulse a few times to combine.
Cut unsalted butter into 1/2″ cubes then freeze on a plate for 20-30 minutes. Add the cubes to the dry ingredients then pulse until the butter breaks down into the size of small peas.
Use a pastry cutter instead.
If you don’t have a food processor, add the ingredients to a large glass mixing bowl then use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the size of small peas. Use a fork to stir in the ice water in the next step.
Step 2: Add ice water to bring the dough together.
You’ll want actual ice water in order to keep the butter cold. Fill a glass measuring cup with ice then fill it with water and let it sit on the counter or in the refrigerator for at least 5 minutes.
Drizzle 4 Tablespoons ice water over the dough then pulse to combine. Add 4 additional Tablespoons ice water then pulse again to combine.
Grab a small amount of dough with your fingers then pinch it together – if it crumbles and falls apart, pulse in an additional 1 Tablespoon water at a time. If it sticks together with a little bit of falling flour, it’s ready.
How much water should I use?
The total amount of water you’ll need depends on the gluten free flour blend used, and how “thirsty” it is. In general, gluten free flour blends are more thirsty then all-purpose flour, so you’ll need to use more water compared to a traditional pie crust.
Step 3: Press the dough together.
Pour the dough onto a clean, dry, flat work surface then press it together into a ball with your hands. It might take a couple minutes, but it’ll get there. Just keep pressing.
That said, if the dough just won’t come together, drizzle a teaspoon of ice water at a time on top then work it in. If it’s too wet, add dashes of gluten free flour.
Step 4: Laminate the dough.
Laminating the dough, which means to create lots of layers of butter, will create an ultra-flaky pie crust. Here’s how:
- Stack half: press the dough ball into a disc then use a bench scraper or knife to slice the disc in half. Stack the two halves on top of each other then press down from the top and use your hands to shape the dough into a disc.
- Stack quarters: next, slice the disc into quarters then stack them on top of each other. Use your hands to press down on the stack of dough then shape it into a disc.
If doubling the crust recipe, slice the dough ball in half then laminate each half as you would for a single pie crust recipe (stack halves, then stack quarters).
Step 5: Refrigerate the pie crust.
Cover the dough in plastic wrap then refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. I like to let my pie crust dough sit in the refrigerator overnight.
How to Roll Out the Pie Crust
Step 1: Place the dough ball on a floured surface.
Unwrap the chilled dough, place it on a gluten free-floured work surface, then sprinkle the top with more gluten free flour.
Step 2: Roll the dough into a 12″ circle.
Here are my best tips for rolling out the gluten free pie dough:
- Cracking crust. If your crust cracks while rolling, but it’s not too dry, it’s likely just a bit too cold. Let the dough warm up for a minute then try again. That said, some cracking as you roll the dough out is normal and it will come together by pinching or rolling it together. Remember, treat the dough like playdough.
- Keep it moving. Use a bench scraper to occasionally scrape underneath the crust and rotate the dough so it doesn’t stick to the counter. Add dashes of GF flour under the dough while rotating as needed.
- Cup to shape the dough. I like to occasionally cup my hand and use it to shape the dough into a circle shape.
- Add water: if the dough keeps cracking, despite letting it warm up a bit, wet your fingers with ice water then pinch it together where needed.
Step 3: Transfer the crust to a pie pan.
Use the bench scraper to help transfer the pie crust into a 9″ pie pan. Use your fingers to help guide the crust into the bottom and sides of the pan.
Trim away excess dough from the edges (you won’t have much) leaving ~1/4″ overhang, then tuck the overhang underneath so the dough is flush with the top of the pie pan. Flute the edges with your knuckle and fingers, or crimp with the tines of a fork.
How to thicken up thin spots in the crust.
If you have spots on the edge of the crust that are a little thin, use scraps from trimming to thicken them up. Wet the scrap with a little ice water on your finger then press it into place. You can also use scraps to patch up any thin spots on the bottom or sides of the crust.
Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, or cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. After chilling, the pie crust is ready to be used in any pie recipe that calls for an unbaked pie crust.
How to Partially Bake or Fully Blind Bake the Pie Crust
Option 1: Par-bake the crust.
If you’re making a pie that has a wet filling, such as a pumpkin pie, blueberry or peach pie, pecan pie, or a quiche, it’s important to partially bake or “par-bake” the pie crust before adding the filling so it doesn’t come out raw or soggy.
Start by placing the pie pan on a foil-lined, rimmed half sheet pan then use a fork to make shallow pricks all over the bottom of the pie crust. Not too deep otherwise the filling can seep through the pricks.
Next, crumple a piece of parchment paper then spread it back out and place it into the bottom of the pie crust, pressing it gently up the sides and over the rim of the crust to protect it from over-browning.
Fill the pie crust all the way to the top with pie weights, taking care to gently press them all the way against the sides. This will ensure the pie crust keeps its shape and doesn’t sink.
What to use instead of pie weights.
If you don’t have pie weights, you can use dry rice, beans, lentils, or even granulated sugar. Use enough to fill the crust all the way to the top of the pan.
Bake the crust on a rack placed in the lower third of a 400 degree oven until the edges are light golden brown, 15 mins. Carefully remove the pie weights and pour them into a bowl to cool then continue baking until the bottom of the pie crust is pale and dry-looking, 3-4 more minutes.
Let the pie crust cool slightly before adding the filling of your choice and fully baking.
Option 2: Fully blind bake the crust.
If you’re making a pie with a no-bake filling, such as a Banana Cream Pie or Chocolate Silk Pie, you’ll want to fully blind-bake the crust. Follow the steps for par-baking the pie crust above, but tack on several extra minutes after removing the pie weights and keep baking until the entire crust is golden brown, 10-12 minutes total after removing the weights.
Let the pie crust cool completely before adding the no-bake pie filling of your choice.
How to Freeze Gluten Free Pie Crust
- To freeze the dough: place the plastic-wrapped-dough disc inside a Ziplock freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before rolling.
- To freeze the pie crust: wrap the pie pan with the crust inside (either unbaked, par-baked, or fully blind-baked) in plastic wrap followed by foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. You may fill and bake the raw pie crust from frozen, though you may need to tack on an extra few minutes of baking time.
No go forth, and bake the gluten free pie of your dreams – enjoy!
More Gluten Free Dessert Recipes To Love
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Angel Food Cake
- Gluten Free Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies
- Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
- Perfect Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Triple Berry Crumb Bars
All-Butter Gluten Free Pie Crust
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Ingredients
- 9 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1-1/2 cups gluten free baking flour blend WITH binder see notes
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- slightly heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup ice water depending on flour blend used, see notes
Instructions
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Read the post above in its entirety for tips and photos.
Make the dough:
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Dice the butter into 1/2″ cubes then freeze the cubes on a plate for 20-30 minutes.
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Add the gluten free flour blend, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a large food processor then pulse several times to combine. Add the butter cubes then pulse until the butter is the size of small peas.
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Drizzle 4 Tablespoons ice water over the dough then pulse to combine. Add 4 more Tablespoons ice water then pulse to combine. Check the dough consistency — if it stays together when you pinch a small handful of dough, it’s ready. If it crumbles apart after pinching, pulse in 1 – 2 Tablespoons of ice water at a time until the dough comes together. It shouldn’t be extremely wet and sticky, but it shouldn’t be extremely dry either. Note: the total amount of water you’ll need depends on the gluten free flour blend used and how “thirsty” it is. In general, gluten free flour blends are thirstier than all-purpose flour, and will require more ice water compared to traditional pie crusts.
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Pour the dough mixture onto a clean, dry, flat surface then press with your hands until it comes together in a ball. Press the ball into a flat disc.
Laminate the dough:
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Use a bench scraper or knife to slice the disc in half. Stack the two halves on top of each other then press down from the top and shape the dough into a flat disc again. Use the bench scraper to slice the dough into quarters then stack the quarters on top of each other, press down from the top, and shape the dough once again into a flat disc. Wrap the disc tightly in plastic wrap then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. I like to refrigerate overnight.
Roll out the crust:
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Place a 9” glass or ceramic pie pan and your rolling pin in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes. Set the dough out on the counter to remove the chill for 2-3 minutes.
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Generously dust a clean, dry, flat surface with gluten free flour then unwrap the dough disc and sprinkle the top with gluten free flour.
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Roll the disc into a 12” circle with a rolling pin, adding more gluten free flour as needed to prevent sticking and using a bench scraper to scrape underneath the dough often to ensure it isn’t sticking. I also like to pause a few ties and use my hands to cup and shape the edges into a circle. See post copy for more tips.
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Troubleshooting: if your dough is too hard to roll out, let it sit and soften for a few minutes then try again. If your dough is too dry and splits or cracks, wet your fingers with ice water then pinch it back together. If your dough is too wet and sticky, sprinkle on more flour. Work as quickly as possible to ensure the butter stays cold and doesn’t begin to melt.
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Use a pastry brush or your hands to brush off any excess flour from the top of the dough and surrounding work area then use a bench scraper or a large metal spatula to scrape underneath the crust and help transfer it into the chilled pie pan. Use your fingers to gently guide the dough against the sides and bottom of the pie pan. Use kitchen shears to trim the edges of the dough to hang 1/4″ over the sides then tuck them underneath so they are flush with the top of the pie pan. Use the scraps to thicken up any thin spots of dough on the top, sides, or bottom of the crust by wetting your finger with ice water and using it like “glue” to adhere the scraps to the crust.
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Flute the edges of the crust with your fingers and a knuckle, or crimp with the tines of a fork, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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After chilling, the gluten free pie crust is ready to be used in any recipe that doesn’t require par-baking or fully blind-baking the crust before adding the filling.
Blind-bake the crust (optional):
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To par-bake the crust: place an oven rack into the lower third of your oven then preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed half sheet pan with foil and place the pie pan on top.
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Use a fork to make shallow pricks all over the bottom of the crust (not too deep or the pie filling can seep through). Crumple a piece of parchment paper into a ball, smooth it back out, then place it inside the chilled pie crust, gently pressing it against the sides, bottom, and over the rim of the pie crust to prevent over-browning. Fill the pie plate to the top with pie weights, dried beans, rice, lentils, or granulated sugar then bake until the edges of the pie crust are light golden brown, 15 minutes.
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Remove the sheet pan from the oven then carefully pick up the edges of the parchment paper and pour the weights into a bowl to cool. Continue baking the crust until the bottom is pale and dry-looking, 3-4 more minutes. Allow the crust to cool slightly before adding your pie filling and baking according to recipe instructions.
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To fully blind-bake the crust: follow the above directions but after removing the weights, bake until the crust is golden brown and fully cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Let the crust cool completely before filling with the no-bake pie filling of your choice.
Notes
- My #1 tip for making gluten free pie crust is to keep the butter/dough, and your cooking equipment (pie pan, rolling pin) as cold as possible at all times so it’s easier to work with, and the butter doesn’t melt too quickly in the oven resulting in a less flaky crust.
- If your pie recipe requires a top and bottom crust, double this pie crust recipe then divide the dough in half just prior to the laminating step.
- If you don’t have a food processor, use a pastry cutter to cut the chilled butter cubes into the flour mixture until they are the size of small peas. Switch to a fork when adding ice water to stir the mixture together.
- Par-baked or fully blind-baked pie crust are best used the same day, otherwise the crust can become stale-tasting.
- I tested this recipe using Cup for Cup Multipurpose Flour and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour. Different gluten free flour blends have different types and ratios of starches and flours, and will have slightly different liquid needs. Be sure to review the photos in this post for what the dough should look like while mixing it up.
- Use actual ice water when creating the pie dough. I fill a 2 cup glass measuring cup halfway with ice then add water and let it sit on the counter or in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.
- To freeze the dough: place the plastic-wrapped-dough disc inside a Ziplock freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before rolling out and using.
- To freeze the pie crust: wrap the pie pan with the crust inside (either raw, partially, or fully blind-baked) in plastic wrap followed by foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. You may fill and bake the pie crust from frozen, though you may need to tack on an extra few minutes of baking time.
Nutrition
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin