This homemade gluten-free pie crust bakes up soft and tender with distinct, flaky layers and a rich, buttery finish. It’s quick to make from scratch, easy to handle, and comes together in the blender, just like my traditional all-butter pie crust.
Most classic pie crust recipes require three basic ingredients: Butter, flour, and salt. With a few additional pantry staples, you’ll have yourself an amazing homemade pie crust that you would never guess is gluten-free.
The buttery flavor and layered, flaky texture of this gluten-free pie crust are almost identical to my regular pie crust. And like that recipe, the pie dough comes together in minutes in the blender and rolls out easily.
You can even make the gluten-free pie dough ahead and store it in the fridge or freezer. Use this crust for all of your favorite gluten-free pie recipes, from classic apple pie to pecan pie, or blind-bake it for pumpkin pie or pudding pies.
beyondfrosting
“The BEST gluten-free pie crust!! I’ve been gluten-free for 6 years and have tried so many homemade pie crust recipes and have never had any luck. Either it’s so crumbly you can’t roll it out, or it tastes completely like flour. This one was amazing! And it was honestly so easy to make and work with.” – Ashley
What Makes This Gluten-Free Pie Crust Fail-Proof?
After testing many variations of this homemade gluten-free pie crust, I can attest that this is the best I’ve ever tried. Here’s why:
- This pie crust uses simple gluten-free ingredients, including a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute. You don’t need any special flour blends, add-ins, or measurements.
- This gluten-free crust tastes rich and buttery and bakes up soft and tender, with distinct flaky layers you want in a pie crust.
- The gluten-free dough comes together quickly in the blender. You’ll never prepare pie dough any other way.
- It is easy to work with and won’t fall apart when rolling and shaping. No dry, brittle crusts here! Use it for traditional pies, mini pies, and even gluten-free hand pies and apple pie bites.
Ingredient Notes
Below are the ingredients you’ll need to make this flaky gluten-free pie crust. See the recipe card after the post for the exact measurements and recipe details.
- Unsalted Butter – Just like any pastry recipe, the butter for this pie crust should be cold and straight from the fridge.
- Gluten-Free Flour – Use a measure-for-measure, 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Be sure it includes xanthan gum. See below for details. Also, just like traditional baking recipes, be sure to measure the flour correctly for this gluten-free pie crust. Weigh the flour using a kitchen scale rather than eyeballing or guesstimating, which can throw off the gluten-free ratios.
- Salt – You may wish to skip the added salt if you’re already using salted butter.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar or light brown sugar is best. (You can omit the sugar if you’re using your crust to make a savory recipe, like gluten-free quiche.)
- Egg – My secret to a perfect texture and stable crust. Traditional pie crust recipes don’t include an egg, but it’s a game-changer in this gluten-free crust recipe.
- Distilled White Vinegar – Vinegar helps protect the dough against overworking. You can use extra ice water instead, if preferred.
The Best Gluten-Free Flour to Use
This gluten-free pie crust recipe calls for a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour that includes xanthan gum. This means that the flour is a one-for-one replacement for standard all-purpose flour, without additional ingredients.
I tested this crust with several different brands. I recommend King Arthur Flour or Bob’s Red Mill. Buying gluten-free flour from a company that specializes in a variety of flours makes all the difference in the pie crust’s taste and texture.
How to Make Gluten-Free Pie Crust
The gluten-free pie dough is perfect for making ahead of time. You can store it for up to one week in the refrigerator or up to two months in the freezer. If I’m planning on a lot of gluten-free baking, I’ll prep several crusts at a time since I already have the ingredients and equipment out.
- Combine butter with dry ingredients. Cut cold butter into ½-inch thick cubes. Using a food processor, pulse the dry ingredients until mixed. Then add the butter. Pulse several times until the mixture is crumbly, but still has large chunks throughout.
- Add the wet ingredients. Next, add the egg and vinegar. Pulse until the mixture is combined. The dough will still be crumbly.
- Bring the pie dough together. Next, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the dough comes together into a ball. Don’t rush to add more water; sometimes it just needs a few more turns in the food processor to come together.
- Shape the dough. Now, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disc about 5 inches wide. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- Roll out the dough. When it’s time to prepare your pie, roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll from the center to the edges, and rotate occasionally, until it’s about 11” in diameter. This should leave at least 1 inch of crust overhanging on each side of the pie plate.
- Press the crust into the pie plate. Tuck the dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold under and crimp or flute the edges as you’d like. Afterward, refrigerate the dough while you’re preparing the pie filling.
Double It Up
If you’re adding a top crust to your pie, double the crust recipe to make a top and bottom crust. This gluten-free crust is manageable enough to make a lattice crust. Or, you can use cookie cutters to make cut-out pie crust decorations, pictured here and in my apple blueberry pie recipe.
Expert Tips
- Chill the pie dough. Resting hydrates the gluten-free flour and makes the crust more manageable. Gluten-free dough will already be stickier than regular pie dough, so chilling for at least one hour is key to a crust that’s easy to roll.
- Roll and rotate. Always roll the pie crust from the middle out to the edges, and rotate it in the same direction as you roll. This helps to ensure an even thickness. I like to use parchment paper to keep it from sticking and a silicone baking mat underneath to keep it from sliding.
- Don’t skip the egg. The egg acts as an extra binding ingredient along with the xanthan gum in the flour blend. Don’t skip it or your gluten-free crust may crumble.
- Press the edges together. As you roll out the pie crust, press the edges back towards the middle to prevent them from spreading and cracking too much.
- Re-knead the dough. If the crust is too cold when you roll it out, it may crack toward the middle. That’s okay. Simply knead the crust back together and roll it out again. Re-kneading by hand is enough to warm it up, and you won’t have to worry about it being too sticky when rolling it out.
- Transferring to the pie plate: This crust is stable enough that you can pick it up and place it in the pan without worrying about it tearing. I like to roll it up with my rolling pin and transfer it to the pie plate this way.
- Par-bake the crust. If you’re leaving your dessert unbaked or filling this gluten-free pie crust with a loose, liquid filling, it’s essential to blind bake it first (see below). This avoids a soggy or raw crust.
Blind-Baking a Gluten-Free Crust
This gluten-free pie crust is stable enough to be blind baked. Some recipes require a fully baked crust, like coconut cream pie or chocolate pie, while others may only need a partial blind-bake, like lemon meringue pie.
Below is a quick summary, and I have a full tutorial on how to blind-bake a pie crust. The steps to blind-bake a gluten-free pie crust are the same as with a conventional pie crust:
- Line the crust with parchment paper and add pie weights. You can even use uncooked rice or beans. Fill it right to the top edge, as this will hold the sides in place while the crust bakes.
- For a partially baked crust, bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes.
- For a fully baked crust, after the first bake, remove the parchment paper and pie weights. Prick the bottom all over with a fork (called “docking” the crust) and bake for another 7-8 minutes, until golden brown.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate the gluten-free pie crust. Double-wrap the crust in plastic wrap; be sure it’s tight, and all sides are covered before storing in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freeze the unbaked pie dough. Keeping a few pie crusts in the freezer is a great time-saving option when making pies, especially around the holidays. To freeze this pie crust, wrap the dough twice with plastic wrap, ensuring all the edges are covered. I like to place it in a freezer-safe plastic bag and use a Sharpie to mark the date. It should keep for 1-2 months in the freezer. Place the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours to thaw. Remember, the crust should still be cold when you roll it out.
More Homemade Pie Recipes
Gluten-Free Pie Crust
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 1 pie crust
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This homemade gluten-free pie crust recipe bakes up soft and buttery with distinct crisp, flaky layers. It’s a perfect easy base for your favorite gluten-free pies.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 1/2 cups measure for measure gluten-free flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) water
Instructions
- Cut the cold butter into 1/2-inch thick cubes. It should be straight from the fridge.
- Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture is crumbly but still has large chunks of butter.
- Add the egg and vinegar. Pulse until combined; the dough will still be crumbly. Start adding the water 1 tablespoon at a time as needed. Pulse until the dough starts to hold together. Give it a minute before adding more water; sometimes the dough will come together without needing additional water.
- Turn the dough out onto the counter. Press it into a ball, then flatten it into a disc about 5 inches wide. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of 60 minutes.
- Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface, rolling from the center to the edges and rotating occasionally. Roll it out so it’s about 11” in diameter, leaving you at least 1 inch on each side of the pie plate.
- Place the dough into a 9-inch pie plate and fold under the excess edges, then crimp the edges. Refrigerate the dough while you prepare your pie filling.
Notes
- Makes one 9-inch pie crust.
- To freeze: Wrap the crust twice with plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag and label it with the date. It should keep for 1-2 months in the freezer. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours to thaw. The crust should still be cold when you roll it out.
- Recommended gluten-free flours: Make sure the flour is a 1:1 cup replacement for all-purpose flour and that it includes xanthan gum. I recommend King Arthur Flour or Bob’s Red Mill.
- To blind bake: Line the crust with parchment paper and pie weights (or uncooked rice or beans), filling it to the top edge. For a partially baked crust, bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights. Poke the bottom with a fork and bake for another 8 minutes or so. Use a pie shield to prevent the edges from browning too much.
First time making GF pie crust. Made a cherry pie for my grandson’s girlfriend for Easter brunch. This is the perfect crust-so flavorful and easy to make. DELICIOUS! Never used the food processor for pie crust, but this will be the only way going forward. Thanks again, Julianne, for your expertise and another out of this world recipe.
Oh yeah Cathy! Thank you so much. I am so happy to know this worked out so well for you.
Love this crust! How long do you recommend baking for something like a pumpkin pie before adding the filling?
I’ve tried soo many gf pie crusts and none of come close to this one!
It should be the same par-baking time as a regular crust
The BEST gluten free pie crust!!
I’ve been gluten free for 6 years and have tried so many homemade pie crust recipes and have never had any luck. Either it’s so crumbly you can’t roll it out or it tastes completely like flour. This one was amazing! And it was honestly so easy to make and work with. This will be my go to pie crust recipe!!
Oh I LOVE that Ashley, I am glad you finally one a recipe that works!
Hi, after you make the gluten-free pastry, do you proceed as usual with your pie recipe? I have started using my convection oven function for baking pies. Would this also work better for gluten-free pie crust or should I use the regular oven setting?
Hi Ellenm yes the pie crust would be filled and baked as normal. I have never used a convection oven, so as far as the settings and bake times go, I don’t have any input to offer
Do you recommend par baking the pie crust for a pumpkin pie filling? Or is it ok to just fill the pie crust while it’s still uncooked and bake with the filling? Just making sure the crust won’t stay raw or get soggy.
Yes, definitely a partially baked crust for any custard pie
Your so amazing!! I love all your posts!!! I’m so excited to try this crust out. I’ve been looking for good quality flour and one that will be good for all recipes. I’ll be checking for more of your GF/ lactose free recipes. Thank you again. 😊 🌹🌹🌹
Thank you Claudia. I only have a few gluten-free recipes at the moment, but I am happy you found this pie crust!
Can I use this gluten free homemade crust for a pecan pie?
I don’t see why not
Hi there unfortunately I am not familiar with the flour. Sorry!
No worries. I just went out and bought it. I’m going to be using it elsewhere, so I just did it. The way it turned out – it probably wouldn’t have worked the same without the xantham gum.
Sorry I couldn’t be more help!