This Paleo recipe is the perfect option when you need a dairy-free and grain-free pie crust. It pairs well with any pie filling you love and is an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu. Use it unbaked with your favorite pumpkin pie, or bake it first, so you can use it with your favorite no-bake option, like French Silk Pie. Unlike working with wheat flour, this gluten-free pie crust recipe is relatively forgiving and easy to work with. The ingredients don’t have to be chilled, so mixing together the pie dough is a breeze! There’s no stand mixer or pastry cutter required.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Since almond flour is naturally gluten-free, it needs a binder to help hold it together. The classic choice is to use eggs as the binder, but that could create an “eggy” flavor that can sometimes compete with the flavor of your pie filling. Instead, this almond flour crust uses tapioca starch (or tapioca flour) as the binder. It adds a crisp, flaky texture similar to a classic pie crust! Arrowroot or cornstarch should work similarly if you need an alternative.
How to Make Almond Flour Pie Crust
In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, and salt. Whisk well to combine the dry ingredients. Next, add the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and water. Stir well until the dough sticks together with a uniform texture. (This works best if the maple syrup and water are not chilled, so they won’t cause the coconut oil to firm up as you work with it.) Use your hands to scoop the dough up into a ball, then transfer it to the center of a large piece of parchment paper. Flatten the ball out slightly with your hands, then place another large piece of parchment paper on top of that. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large circle, about 11 to 12 inches in diameter. You want it to fill the bottom of a pie dish, with room for it to go up the sides. Remove the top piece of parchment paper, and then use the other piece of parchment paper to lift up the crust and flip it into the pie plate. It’s okay if it breaks! In fact, expect it to break. Just push any broken parts of the crust back together with your fingers, and smooth out the edges, until it looks good enough to bake. Then use it with your favorite pie recipe, as directed.
Tips for Baking this Pie Crust
If you need to bake this almond flour pie crust for a no-bake pie recipe, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes, until it looks lightly golden. Let the crust cool completely before adding in a no-bake pie filling. Using this crust for a baked pie? If your pie needs to bake for longer than 40 minutes, you will want to cover the edges with a pie shield or aluminum foil. Covering the crust for the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking will prevent the edges from burning, just like a traditional pie crust. This crust may feel fragile while it’s hot, straight from the oven, but it will firm and crisp up as it cools. Looking for an easy pie filling? Try my Vegan Pecan Pie, Chocolate Pie, or Pumpkin Pie. If you try this almond flour pie crust recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
