Easy Gluten-Free Pie Crust with a dairy-free option. A tender and flaky pie crust ready for your favorite filling! Perfect for holiday baking.
Gluten-Free Pie Crust
Recently, I have had a lot of requests for a gluten-free pie crust recipe. I have not made a traditional pie crust since going gluten-free. I guess I was a little intimidated by the thought of trying it.
So, I broke out my trusty Betty Crocker Cookbook (the red 40’s Anniversary edition) and started experimenting with making a gluten-free crust.
It took me a few tries to get the crust exactly how I wanted it, tender and flaky, just like I remember a pie crust should be. I also tested a dairy-free option to the recipe because three of us are dairy-free in my family.
Honestly, I thought making a gluten-free pie crust was a lot more work than it really is. I promise friends, making your own homemade pie crust really is easier than you think.
I am definitely not a pie crust artist, but I would like to work more with pie crusts and learn even more.
How To Make A Gluten-Free Pie Crust
I have tested making this crust two different ways.
- The first way I tried was the traditional method of cutting the butter into the flour mixture and then adding the wet ingredients, mixing it and forming it into a ball.
- The second way I tried was using a stand-up mixer. I found that by adding all of the ingredients to my stand up mixer and using the paddle attachment it makes the pie dough smoother and easier to work with.
If you don’t have a stand-up mixer or hand mixer you can still make this crust the traditional way.
You will be amazed at how easy it is to make your own gluten-free pie crust at home!
- Chop the butter into small chunks and place in a small bowl. Put the butter, shortening, and water into the freezer for about 5 minutes or until really cold.
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your mixer until fully combined. I add the dry ingredients first and then the wet ingredients. I use my stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment. (photo 1)
- Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (photo 2,)
- Remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. (photo 3)
- Unwrap the dough ball and place onto parchment paper lightly floured with gluten-free flour. Lightly flour the pastry with gluten-free flour; top with the plastic wrap or another sheet of parchment paper. (photo 4)
- Roll out pastry into a circle. (photo 5)
- Carefully place the crust into a greased 9-inch pie pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides (lift the pie crust up and do not try and stretch it). Seal any cracks, if necessary. Fill and bake as directed in your pie recipe. (photo 6)
Pro Tip For Making Crust
- Do not subsite butter for the shortening. The shortening is key to the moisture of the dough.
- For Savory pies, you can leave out the granulated sugar.
Gluten-Free Flour
This gluten-free pie crust was made with a rice flour cup for cup blend. A cup for cup all-purpose gluten-free flour blend is one that already has the starches and xanthan gum it.
Most gluten-free all-purpose flour blends have the starches and the xanthan gum already in them. The xanthan gum is important becasue it helps replace the elasticity and texture of gluten.
So make sure to check the ingredients of your gluten-free flour as to not to add any extra xanthan gum to your flour if it already includes it. If you do, you will get pie dough!
I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
My pie crust recipe will not work with almond or coconut flour.
Dairy-Free Baking
I have also included a dairy-free option for this pie crust recipe. My husband, myself and youngest son are all dairy-free as well. For the dairy-free option, I used Smart Balance butter.
So, now you too can enjoy a gluten-free and dairy-free pie crust. I promise that it is just as delicious made with dairy-free butter.
Some of my favorite dairy-free alternatives that I like to bake with are almond, cashew or coconut milk. I also like baking with coconut oil or Earth Balance or Smart Balance butter.
The first pie I made with this flaky crust was an apple pie. I wish I would have taken a picture of it before my family ate it all! I’ll be adding my recipe for apple pie to the blog really soon!
This gluten-free pie crust recipe is perfect for your favorite fillings, whether it be sweet or savory. This crust will make your holiday baking so much easier. Enjoy all of your favorite pies gluten-free (and dairy-free if you need it)!
More Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes For You To Try!
- Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
- Cinnamon Roll Cake {Gluten-Free Dairy-Free}
- Gluten-Free Kentucky Butter Pound Cake {Dairy-Free option}
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Gluten-Free Pie Crust {Dairy-Free Option}
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum , leave out if your flour already had it in it
- 1/4 cup very cold unsalted butter , dairy-free use Smart Balance butter
- 1/4 cup very cold shortening
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons ice cold water
Instructions
- Chop the butter into small chunks and place in a small bowl. Put the butter, shortening, and water into the freezer for about 5 minutes or until really cold.
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your mixer until fully combined. I add the dry ingredients first and then the wet ingredients. I use my stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment. (photo 1)If you don't have a stand-up mixer or hand mixer you can still make this crust the traditional way. The traditional way of cutting the butter into the flour mixture and then adding the wet ingredients, mixing it and forming it into a ball.
- Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (photo 2,)
- Remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. (photo 3)
- Unwrap the dough ball and place onto parchment paper lightly floured with gluten-free flour. Lightly flour the pastry with gluten-free flour; top with the plastic wrap or another sheet of parchment paper. (photo 4)
- Roll out pastry into a circle. (photo 5)
- Carefully place the crust into a greased 9-inch pie pan. Press the dough into the bottom and sides (lift the pie crust up and do not try and stretch it). Seal any cracks, if necessary. Fill and bake as directed in your pie recipe. (photo 6)
Nicole says
Hello! I absolutely love this crust and it does hold up in high altitudes! Do you think I could freeze this for future use?
Felicia Mason says
I made this dough and it was fantastic! I made it dairy free and gluten free and it tasted great (not gritty.) It was crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside! I’m always trying to find ways to make food that will fit my dietary needs but have all the flavor of the regular pie crust that the rest of my family prefers! This was a win with everyone in my family! One thing I had to do was double the recipe so that I had enough dough for the top and bottom layers of the pie that I made. It worked out great!
Tammy Forbes says
Hi, I just made this crust today for a wild black raspberry pie, and I am SO impressed. The crust is easy to make, held together well, and tastes fantastic!! I doubled the recipe and made a two crust pie. So flaky and delicious, tastes like “real” pie crust!! I am excited to make many more pies. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Alisha says
2 years of being Celiac, this was my first time making GF pie.. Super tasty with adding the sugar! I loved how the dough turned out, very easy to work with. I made mine into apple tarts, love this dough, will use again!
Chelsea says
I was so impressed by how well this dough came together. Not too flaky like with some other pie crust recipes. I also like the little bit of sugar that goes into it. Thank you so much!!
Tami Clark says
Amazing crust! Easy to make and nice to work with! Thank you!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Tami for the wonderful 5-star recipe review, it really made my night! I am so happy that the crust was easy to work with and was amazing. You are so welcome, I love sharing the recipes I make for my family. Thank you again!
Jo says
I cannot find how hot I need to make the oven. I don’t know if it’s just me?
Audrey says
Hi Jo! You will bake the pie crust according to the recipe you are using to make your pie. My recipe is just for making the pie dough. Thanks for asking!
Macarena says
Hi, i’m from Argentina and I want to do this recipe but I’m not really sure what shortening means it is fat? Margarine? What is it can you gave me an example of one product so I can look for it on the internet. Thank you so much.
Audrey says
Hi Macarena! I use the Crisco brand of shortening, which is a vegetable-based shortening. I hope you try my recipe and you enjoy the pie crust!
April says
After 5 years of GF, this is my go to pie crust! I’ve made it with and without the sugar. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!
Audrey says
Thank you so much April for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my night! I am so happy that you love the pie crust and it is your go-to pie crust after going gluten-free for 5 years. Thank you again!
Susan says
I doubled this recipe for a top and bottom crust to make a beef pot pie. It was delicious! Thanks, Audrey, for another great recipe.
Audrey says
Thank you so much Susan for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pie crust. Thank you so much for sharing that you doubled the recipe and used it to make beef pot pie and that it was delicious. You are so welcome Susan, I love sharing the recipes I make for my family and helping others. Thank you again!
Lisa says
I never come back to review a recipe. Ever. But oh my goodness. 5 stars is not enough. I haven’t had a flaky pie crust for about 4 years. Everything else I have tried to make was either dry like awful cardboard or a disaster trying to actually get in the pie plate. This worked perfectly! And my non-allergy son and husband even loved the crust!!
(I used Smart Balance and Pillsbury as suggested and measured the ingredients precisely.)
I doubled the recipe and made a top pie crust. I will be making pie over and over.
Audrey says
Thank you so much Lisa for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my day! I am so happy that you and your family loved the pie crust and you will be making the pie crust again. Thanks again!
Kelly Hayes says
Audrey, THANK YOU!!! I have been trying to find a good gluten-free pastry for ages and tried yours last night and it was perfect! It was just like my Mom’s (and she also uses a combo of butter and shortening). I used Caputo gluten-free flour (which is fast becoming my go-to favourite). I used my pastry cutter to work in the fats, making sure the butter didn’t get too small; having some bigger pieces helps with flakiness. I made a dutch apple pie and baked at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. I now feel I can make gluten-free pies with confidence.
Audrey says
Thank you so much Kelly for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my night! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pie crust, it was perfect and just like your Mom’s recipe. That makes my heart so happy, especailly that you feel confident in making gluten-free pies now! You are so welcome, I love sharing the recipes I make for my family. Thanks again!
Amanda M. says
Do you think this pie crust would work for making homemade pop tarts? Or even some empanadas? I love all of your recipes!!!!
Audrey says
Hi Amanda! I have not tried the pie crust for homemade pop tarts or empanadas, but I need too. If you try it, will you please let me know how they turn out? Thank you so much for your kind words, it really made my night.
Susan Giddings says
What a wonderful pie crust recipe! I made it for pecan pie and it was enjoyed by all of my family. Thank you!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Susan for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you and your family enjoyed the pecan pie made with my pie crust recipe. You are so welcome, I love sharing the recipes I make for my family. Thank you again!
Hillary says
Absolutely delicious! My gluten-eating family taste tested “my” pie vs. theirs, and this crust won hands-down. Thank you for helping make my Thanksgiving meal delicious!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Hillary for the amazing 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that everyone enjoyed the pie, with my crust recipe. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family and helping others. Thanks again, this really made my day!
Kai says
Hi Audrey,
Thanks so much for this recipe. I haven’t eaten pie since going gluten free, but this pie was one of the most delicious ones I’ve ever tried. Even my family who hates pie said it was incredible and it has changed their mind! I did a blackberry filling and it turned out so flaky and amazing. Thanks for all the hard work you and love you put into this!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Kai for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my night! I am so happy that you and your family enjoyed the pie and it turned out flaky and amazing. I love blackberry pie! You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family and helping others. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement!
Cassie says
This is hands down the best gf pie crust recipe ever! I made the dairy free version for my pumpkin pies tonight and it turned out absolutely perfect! I just substituted the 2 Tbs of sugar in the crust for 1/2 Tbs of truvia because I am also sugar free, but it worked great! This crust is flaky, crispy, buttery, delicious, and holds well. It’s everything you want in a pie crust. Thank you so much for this recipe! Definitely my new go to!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Cassie for the awesome 5-star recipe review, this really made my night! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pie crust and it is the best gluten-free pie crust recipe ever. Thank you for sharing that you were able to use Truvia in the recipe, as I know it will help others. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family and helping others. Thank you again for blessing me with your kind words and encouragement!
Jeffery says
Absolutely wonderful……. thank you so much. This recipe was so easy, and made such a wonderful crust. It’s been a challenge working with new dietary restrictions. I look forward to trying more of your recipes
Audrey says
Thank you os much Jeffery for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pie crust and found the recipe to be easy. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. I hope you enjoy the other you try. Thank you again!
David says
How well does this freeze. I like cooking in large batches and freezing for son and his immense allergies are a whole new ballgame to me.
Audrey says
Hi David! This crust freezes very well. Are you freezing the dough or pies? I hope this helps and you and your son enjoy the pie crusts!
Tanya says
I subbed 1/4 cup of applesauce for the egg and it turned out awesome! My 6 year old gave it 10 thumbs up!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Tanya for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my day! I am so happy that you and that your 6-year old enjoyed the crust. Thank you for sharing that you used applesauce in place of the egg, as I know it will help others. Thanks again!
Ashley says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Tried it today for Thanksgiving. Will defiantly be using this recipe for my grandma and I who are gluten and dairy free! Happy Holidays!
Audrey says
Thank you so much for the awesome 5-star recipe review Ashley, this really made my night! I am so happy that y9ou enjoyed the pie crust and that you will be using it for your Thanksgiving pie. Thanks again, and Happy Holidays to you too!
Karen Sloan Beitzel says
Wow! The workability & flavour of this dough is fabulous! The texture is definitely the best I have found as well. I was actually able to stamp out leaf shapes for the top crust. The key to the dough is to keep it cool so do return it to the freezer if it gets sticky. And as regular dough, use a wee bit of gf flour on your cutters if necessary. I’m in Canada & used Robin Hood GF flour, Crisco & Melt (D.F. buttery sticks). Ty 🙂
Audrey says
Thank you so much Karen for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pie crust. It makes me so happy to hear that the workability and flavor of the dough is fabulous. It makes me super excites that you could stamp out leaf shapes for the top of the crust. I am sure your pie was beautiful! Thank you for sharing what flour you used, as I know it will help others. It looks like the Robin Hood flour has the same ingredients as the Pillsbury gluten-free flour that I use here in the US. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thanks again!
Mary says
Tasted amazing going to make again. Used applesauce instead of egg. Thanks
Audrey says
Thank you so much Mary for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pie crust and it tasted amazing. Please let me know how the applesauce worked as an egg substitute, as I know it will help others. Thanks again!
Diane Waters says
Having just started a gluten free life style, and I love to bake, I tried this pie crust today. IT IS ABSOLUTELY DELISH!!!!!! Made apple pie and now I can’t wait to make pumpkin with the fresh pumpkin I just cooked down. I’ve made a few of your recipes, and they are all wonderful, thank you, and keep sharing!!!!!!!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Diane for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed your apple pie using my gluten-free pie crust recipe. You really made my day! You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thanks again!
Suzanne says
Yes! Finally a nice savoury pie pastry recipe thank you
Audrey says
Thank you so much Suzanne for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pie crust. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thanks again!
Eugenia says
Many thanks! My stepdaughter is gluten & dairy free, and I wanted to make a rhubarb-cherry pie (our rhubarb plants are just perfect right now). This recipe was the best I’ve tried – I used Smart Balance & Crisco. The dough was difficult to put in the pie dish – it started to fall apart as I flipped the pie plate – but I just patted it into place where necessary, sort of like a tart crust. Next time I’ll reduce the water slightly and put the dough in the freezer. I normally would make a lattice topping, but I knew that wouldn’t work, so I rolled out the top on parchment paper, flipped it over the pie and said a little prayer, and voila! It was perfect. The dough tasted just fabulous, a little like shortbread cookies. It was just as good as my regular crust, just a little different. Everyone raved.
Audrey says
Thank you so much Eugenia for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you and your family enjoyed the pie crust and it was just as good as your regular pie crust. This really made my day. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you again!
Karen Mothkovich says
This was fantastic – best gluten free pie crust I’ve ever made. Flakey, buttery (even though I used non-dairy smart balance), good texture and flavorful. Thanks!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Karen for the amazing 5-star recipe review! It makes my heart so happy to hear that you enjoyed the pie crust and it was the best you have ever made. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you again!
Tara says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve been searching for a gf crust recipe and this is by far the best.
Audrey says
You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you so much Tara or the wonderful recipe review! I am so happy that the crust recipe is the best recipe you have found. Thank you again!
Renée says
This is my go to GF crust as my husband is gluten free now due to Lymes disease! Thankful I can still make him yummy desserts with GF options! Question though.. after my crust is made and it is wrapped up I a ball, can I freeze it? Thank you
Audrey says
Hi Renée! I am so happy to hear that my gluten-free crust is your go-to recipe! I have not tried freezing the dough. I have frozen my biscuit dough and it bakes up wonderfully. If you try it will you please let me know how it turns out? Thanks!
Paula says
Super easy and turned out excellent . You wouldn’t know its GF
Audrey says
Thank you so much Paula for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the gluten-free pie crust. Thank you again!
Amy says
The absolute BEST GF pie crust I have EVER made or eaten!! Big YAY for the holidays…because my pies will be FANTASTIC and I will be able to enjoy every bite!! Hooray for this site!! BEST GF recipes I have found yet!!
Audrey says
Thank you SO much Amy for the amazing 5-star recipe review! You just totally made my night and really blessed me. I am so happy that you can enjoy your holiday pies. I can’t tell you how happy that makes my heart. It makes me really happy to share the gluten-free recipes I make for my family. Thank you again!