This is an incredible gluten-free pie crust recipe that is flaky, buttery, and easy to roll without cracking or falling apart. It is my go-to for both sweet and savory pies, and readers consistently say it is the best pie crust they have tried. All you need are a few simple ingredients like gluten-free flour, butter, water, salt, and an egg. Whether you are baking your first pie or you’re a seasoned pro, this crust is a game-changer.
When I first started baking gluten-free 15 years ago, pie crust was one of the most challenging things to get right. I wanted a crust that was flaky, easy to work with, and did not taste like it was missing something. However, as many of you know, gluten-free baking can be…frustrating.
I tested batch after batch, finding some were too dry and others turned tough instead of tender. I tested different flour blends, varied fat ratios, and adjusted the chill time multiple times. There were definitely moments I questioned my sanity.
If you love pie, check out all of my delicious gluten-free pie recipes! This pie crust also works well for hand pies and turnovers, like these Gluten-Free Apple Turnovers. If you love using sourdough discard, I highly recommend trying this Gluten-Free Sourdough Pie Crust recipe.
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A Note From My Kitchen
This pie crust recipe is a labor of love. I spent years testing and perfecting this recipe. When we originally went gluten-free almost 15 years ago, there was no such thing as a gluten-free flour blend. Today, things are much easier.
I tested five different flour blends in this pie crust recipe. There were two clear winners in terms of flakiness. Cup4Cup and my gluten-free pastry flour (linked above). All of the flour blends yielded a beautiful flaky crust; my two favorites were just a little bit flakier.
My rule of thumb for using different flour blends is to make moisture adjustments to the dough as needed. If the crust dough seems too wet, add more flour, and if the dough seems too dry, add more water. Make these adjustments 1 tablespoon at a time to better control the level of moisture.
Ingredient Notes:
Note: This pie crust recipe makes a single-crust pie. If you plan to have a top crust, you will need to double this recipe for a double-crust pie. For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
Gluten-Free Flour Blends Tested:
- My favorite blend is Cup4Cup for its extra flakiness. (Note: Cup4Cup recently updated its formula, which may behave a bit differently. I have not retested this crust recipe with the new version.)
- I also tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure, Bob’s Red Mill 1:1, and Pillsbury Gluten-Free Flour.
- Try my homemade gluten-free flour blends. This gluten-free pie crust recipe is delicious with my Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour Blend or my Gluten-Free Pastry Flour Blend.
Pro Tip: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. Depending on the blend, your dough may need slight adjustments. I recommend adding more liquid if the dough feels dry or more flour if it is sticky. Make adjustments one tablespoon at a time. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more.
The Rest of the Pie Crust Ingredients:
- Xanthan Gum: If your blend does not contain xanthan or guar gum, add 3/4 teaspoon to help the crust hold together and roll without crumbling. Read Why Binders are so Important in Gluten-Free Baking to learn more.
- Cold, unsalted butter. For a dairy-free version, substitute a firm vegan butter, such as Earth Balance.
- Large Egg. This homemade gluten-free pie crust recipe uses one egg, which helps give it a little more binding and a soft texture. See below for the Egg-Free version.
- Ice-cold water. Helps keep the butter firm and creates flaky layers. I strain out the ice before measuring.
- Lemon Juice. Adds to the flavor and helps with flakiness.
Reader-Tested Variations:
- Dairy-free tested – Multiple readers had success using Earth Balance plant-based butter.
- Egg-free – “Use 3 tablespoons of whipped aquafaba, and the crust turned out great.” Shelly
- Lard instead of butter – “Works great!” Alicia P.
- No pastry cutter? “A fork worked perfectly.” Lucy
In a Nutshell: This gluten-free pie crust works because cold butter creates steam pockets, the egg adds structure, and proper hydration prevents cracking, preventing the three main challenges gluten-free dough often faces.
How to Make a Gluten-Free Pie Crust (Step-By-Step ):
If you are making a top and bottom pie crust, be sure to double this pie crust recipe.
Step 1: Combine the gluten-free flour, binder (if needed), and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to blend.
Step 2: Cut cold butter into small cubes and add to the flour. Use a pastry blender or fork to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter chunks. These butter pieces are key to a flaky texture!
👀 Sandi Says: If you don’t have a pastry blender, freeze the butter and use a cheese grater to shred the butter into the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Add the egg, cold water, and lemon juice to a small mixing bowl and whisk.
Step 4: The dough should be firm but not sticky. Add more flour or water as needed. Wrap the pie dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, allowing the butter to cool.
Step 5: Remove the pie dough from the fridge. Prepare your work surface by dusting a clean surface with flour or using a silicone mat. Shape the pie dough into a circle and add a second sheet of wax paper.
👀 Sandi Says: If your dough is sticky, dust the silicone mat and the top of the dough with extra flour.
Step 6: Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle slightly larger than your pie pan. I like to make my dough 1/4-1/3 inch thick.
Step 7: Spray a 9-inch pie pan with gluten-free baking spray to prevent sticking. Note: PAM Baking Spray is NOT gluten-free!
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Step 8: Remove the top layer of paper and gently flip the dough into a greased 9-inch pie pan. Peel away the silicone mat from the back.
Step 9: Crimp the edges if you are not filling the crust now. To crimp the edges, hold your fingers in a V shape and place them on the outside of the crust. Use a finger to press the dough between your fingers so it crimps into the open space. Repeat this all the way around the edge of the pie crust.
Crust Instructions For No Top Crust:
- If you are not making a top crust, press the dough into the pan and crimp the edges as described above
- Add the pie filling and bake the pie at 350º F for 20-25 minutes.
- If you use a cream filling and do not need to bake the filling, poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust for air to vent.
- This will prevent air bubbles from forming at the bottom of the crust.
- Cool the crust and add the cream filling.
How to Make a Top Crust:
If you didn’t double the pie crust recipe to have enough dough for the top crust, make the top crust now.
- Add your pie filling to the crust. Note that the edges are not yet crimped.
- Roll out the top crust in the same way you would for the bottom crust.
- Place the top crust carefully over the pie filling. Center the dough so you have overlapping dough over the bottom crust.
- Follow the instructions above to crimp the top and bottom crusts together.
- Use a fork or the tip of a knife to make 3-4 air holes to vent the steam while the pie bakes.
- Follow the same baking instructions. If the edges of your pie crust start to get too golden, you can make a foil tent over the crust to prevent the edges from burning.
How to Make a Lattice Top Crust:
- Roll the top crust dough flat, as you would for a regular pie crust top. Use a pizza wheel to cut out strips. You can make them as thick or thin as you like!
- Lay strips across the top of the pie in one direction. Take a dough strip and start at one end, weaving it in and out of the dough strips that are already across the dough. Continue with each strip until you have a woven pie crust top.
- I have a recipe with full instructions to weave the crust in my Gluten-Free Apple Pie recipe.
It is easy to give your pie crust a fancy bakery look!
- Grab your favorite cookie cutter and make a statement with the top crust! I used stars for a 4th of July pie. You can use any shape or size of cookie cutters. The complete directions are in my Gluten-Free Mixed Berry Pie post.
- You can also make mini pies in ramekin dishes, as I did with this Gluten-Free Strawberry Pies recipe.
Storage and Freezing Tips:
- Making it ahead? This pie dough will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Store the baked pie crust in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
- To freeze unbaked: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a gallon-size freezer-safe bag. Squeeze out extra air.
- Freeze the baked crust in a gallon-size freezer bag if the pie isn’t too tall.
Why did my crust turn out tough?
If you have a tough crust, it is because you overmixed the butter into the flour. You need the butter chunks in the dough to create air pockets during baking, resulting in flakiness.
Why is my pie crust soggy on the bottom?
If your gluten-free pie crust is soggy, there are several reasons this could happen.
- Did you use fresh or frozen fruit? Frozen fruit releases a lot of water, which can leave the pie crust with a soggy bottom.
- Did you roll the crust too thin? A thin crust will not hold up to a pie filling.
- If you used a liquid or custard filling, did you par-bake the crust for a few minutes first?
For more pie-making tips, see my Gluten Free Pie Troubleshooting Guide!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Heat can cause all sorts of mischief when you bake. Pinch the edges of the dough in a design. Use a fork to make steam holes in the bottom. These steam holes prevent your crust from bubbling and puffing up in a weird way.
I do not like using a food processor because it can overgrind the butter, leaving it with too-small chunks that do not create the flaky layers in the crust.
I like to roll my pie crust dough, and when I think I am close to the size of the pan, I will hold the pan up to the dough circle. You want the dough rolled out large enough to reach the sides and leave a little extra to pinch along the outer edges.
What Can You Make with This Pie Crust?
Savory Pies:
- Gluten-Free Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart recipe. You can also use this flaky pie crust for quiche recipes!
- You can use this crust to make my popular Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie recipe.
- Quiche is also a great way to use pie crust. For quiche, it is nice because you do not need a top crust! My easy Gluten-Free Quiche recipe can be customized with all of your favorite mix-ins.
Sweet Pies:
- You can use this single pie crust to make delicious galettes like this Gluten-Free Plum Galette.
- If you love pecans, you must try this homemade Gluten-Free Pecan Pie recipe. It is amazing with this crust!
- You can also use this crust to make this Gluten Free Hatch Chile Apple Pie.
- This homemade Gluten-Free Blueberry Pie is a bakery-quality pie you will love!
- We love this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie over the fall holidays.
- This Gluten-Free Pumpkin Streusel Pie is also a winner for fall.
If you are looking for pie-filling ideas, do not forget to check out this list of 50+ gluten free pies!! There is a pie for every diet: paleo, whole30, keto, and vegan!
If you do not feel like making a top crust, you can also use this pie crust recipe to make this Honey Apple Galette. You can also use this crust to make this Gluten Free Hatch Chile Apple Pie!
Love This Recipe?
💬 Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment below, and let me know how it turned out! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
The Best Gluten-Free Pie Crust Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter * see note
- 1 large egg * see notes for egg-free
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup water +1 to 3 additional tablesppons
Instructions
- If you are making a top and bottom pie crust, note that you must double this pie crust recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Make sure to set the oven rack to the middle of the oven.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk to blend.
- Add the 9 tablespoons unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into tiny pieces. If you don't have a pastry blender, freeze the butter and use a large grater to grate it into the flour.
- If you don't have a pastry blender, freeze the butter and use a cheese grater to shred the butter into the dry ingredients.
- In a small bowl, add 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. Mix gently with your hands or a large spoon until a dough forms. It should be firm but not sticky. Add more flour or water as needed. Wrap the pie dough in plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to cool the butter.
- Remove the pie dough from the fridge. Prepare your work surface by dusting a clean surface with flour or using a silicone mat. Shape the pie dough into a circle and add a second sheet of wax paper. If your dough is sticky, dust the silicone mat and the top of the dough with extra flour.
- Top with another piece of wax paper and use a rolling pin to roll flat in a circle shape. I rolled my dough to about 1/4 of an inch thick.
- Spray a 9-inch pie pan with gluten-free baking spray to prevent sticking. Note: PAM Baking Spray is NOT gluten-free! Remove the top layer of paper and gently flip the dough into a greased 9-inch pie pan. Peel away the silicone mat from the backside.
- Crimp the edges if you are not filling the crust now. To crimp the edges, hold your fingers in a V shape and place them on the outside of the crust. Use a finger to press the dough between your fingers so it crimps into the open space. Repeat this all the way around the edge of the pie crust.
Crust Instructions For No Top Crust:
- Add your pie filling and bake the pie at 350º F for 20-25 minutes.
- If you use a cream filling and do not need to bake the filling, poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust for air to vent.
- Cool the crust and add the cream filling.
How to Make the Top Crust:
- Add your pie filling to the crust. Roll out the top crust like you would for the bottom crust.
- Place the top crust carefully over the pie filling. Center the dough so it overlaps over the bottom crust.
- Follow the instructions above to crimp the top and bottom crusts together.
- Use a fork or sharp knife to cut 3-4 air holes in the top crust to vent the steam while the pie bakes.
How to Make a Lattice Top Crust:
- Roll the top crust dough flat, as you would for a regular pie crust top. Use a pizza wheel or sharp knife to cut out strips. You can make them as thick or thin as you like!
- Lay strips across the top of the pie in one direction. Take a dough strip, starting at one end, and weave it in and out of the strips already across the dough. Continue with each strip until you have a woven pie crust top.
- Cut strips out of the rolled top dough. Use the strips to weave a lattice-style crust.
Video
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with Cup4Cup, King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend. That does not mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours. Note: Cup4Cup recently changed its flour blend formulation, and it does not behave exactly like the old formulation. I haven’t had a chance to retest this recipe with the new flour blend formulation.
- My homemade Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour works perfectly in this recipe.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- One reader used 3 TBSP of whipped aquafaba in place of the eggs to make it egg-free. She said it worked great.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These pie crusts will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container or for up to 4 months in the freezer.
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SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
This is my second time making this crust, both times for quiche, and so far so good! I use Arrowhead Mills gf 1 to 1 ever since the lead study was released. The only problem this time was that some butter dripped out onto the bottom of the oven so my kitchen was quite smoky.
Hi Sandie, Were the butter bits like small crumbs? This and making sure your dough really cold when you put it into the oven can help prevent this. It is good to know that flour blend worked well, I am thankful you came back to let me know. Sorry about the butter and smokiness, I have had this happen while testing my croissant recipe.
I made a single crust for a quiche. It was perfect. I grated my butter and hand mixed. I used HEB (local grocery chain) 1:1 GF flour and baked in a cast iron plan. Honestly, it was better than a regular crust and I’ve shared with my GF friends!
Hi Brandy, Thank you so much for coming to say the HEB flour blend works. We don’t have HEB here, so it is good to know it works. Happy New Year!
I haven’t tried this yet, but I’m wanting to use as much almond meal in the pie crust recipe as is possible. Standing here ready to start, but realizing most likely not possible.
I have a pound of unopened trader Joe’s almond meal (don’t know if they even sell that anymore. I didn’t find it in the store recently). my preference is to use as much of this as possible and still get your results.
I also have almost a pound of bobs, red mill almond meal/flour, finely ground from blanched whole almonds.
I have slightly less then one pint, about 15 ounces worth of Bobs, red mill all purpose baking flour.
I have half a pound of Bob’s Xanthan gum.
I have almost 1 pound 8 oz. of teff flour also Bobs, red mill.
I have one unopened, 8 ounce package of Bobs, red mill guar gum
I have 1 lb. 8 oz. of bobs, red mill brown rice, flour
I have 1 lb. 8 oz. of bobs, red mill tapioca flour.
I have 1 lbs. 8 oz. unopened bag of Bob’s oat flour.
From this, I’d like to make at least two bottom pie crust of the quality you described, and maybe three. though maybe I should make one at first, so I don’t multiply failures if my first pie crust doesn’t work.
Can you instruct me on how to divide and combine which of the above flowers into a crust that will be like yours. Please🙏🏻🤗
Also, I baked my sweet potatoes the other day and they are all deliciously sweet I have two types actually and I really would like to not add any sugar at all. I much prefer savory. Could I just leave out the sugar all together from the recipe and just use organic canned coconut milk to fulfill the couple of tablespoons of milk added to the filling(which I think is naturally sweet) do you think? Or am I shooting myself in the foot?
It’s actually Christmas day evening already. I am Magine you wouldn’t be just waiting to respond to my request but I hope you will as soon as possible. Thank you ahead of time.
I’m actually a very good cook, but not a baker.
Hi, thank you for your note. Almond flour will not work in my pie crust recipe. It doesn’t absorb moisture the same, and I am hesitant to offer any advice on all of the changes you want to incorporate because I haven’t tested any of them. As for the sweet potatoes, I am assuming this is for a pie filling. You may want a little egg mixed in to the sweet potatoes and coconut milk for binding…but again, I can’t recommend quantities because I haven’t made this combination. It sounds like you have a lot of almond flour you want to use up. I would encourage you to look at some of the paleo bloggers as they bake with a lot of almond flour. I am guessing they would also have some good pie crust recipes that use almond flour. I hope this helps. I just don’t want to steer you in the wrong way with recipe modifications.
I made this recipe using 3 TBSP of whipped aquafaba as an egg substitute and it turned out FANTASTIC!!!!
I love this recipe but am allergic to eggs. Can I make it without the egg?
Hi Laureen, I haven’t tested this recipe with an egg replacer. If you do try it, please come back and let us know how it turned out.
I just made this recipe with 3 TBSP Aquafaba, whipped, as an egg replacer and it worked out great!
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know. This will help so many readers.
Hi Lauren, I wanted to circle back to your question about making my pie crust egg-free. A reader, Shelly wrote in she used 3 TBSP of aquafaba and that it worked great in my recipe. I hope you get a chance to try this.