You are going to really love this homemade gluten-free pie crust. This is a “tried and true” pie crust recipe that gets rave reviews! Use this gluten-free crust recipe for both sweet and savory pies. This is the FLAKIEST pie crust; this recipe will become a staple for you. (There is a dairy-free option too!)
Whether this is your first or your hundredth time making a pie, this flaky gluten-free pie crust recipe will be the one you make for all occasions. This recipe uses simple ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store.
My recipe yields perfect results with a lot of different gluten free flour blends. If you are looking for the best gluten free pie crust, this is the one to make!
Turned out beautiful! Finally a pie crust I can move from counter to pan without it falling apart! Didn’t need more than ¼ c water either. Highly recommend this recipe!!!”
A. Wilson, blog comment
Allergen Information:
This homemade pie crust is gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and oat-free. You can easily make it dairy-free using a plant-based butter.
If you are looking for pie-filling ideas, don’t forget to check out this list of 50+ gluten free pies!! There is a pie for every diet: paleo, whole30, keto, and vegan!
What can I use a gluten-free pie crust for?
This pie crust recipe can be used to make savory, sweet, pop tart, hand pies, and more.
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 don’t 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!
Making gluten-free pastries with rice flour and other gluten free flour can be tricky! I have tons of helpful baking tips for gluten free baking, too!
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- My FAVORITE blend in this recipe is Cup4Cup because it makes the pie crust so flaky. (Note: this blend has dairy!) I also tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend, Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour, and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. I haven’t tested other flour blends, and I can not guarantee the recipe will work if you use other mixes.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon. Xanthan gum is what holds your pie crust together so it doesn’t fall apart.
- Butter – You want to use very cold, unsalted butter. If you are dairy-free, use dairy-free or vegan butter. (Note: Cup4Cup has dried milk powder, so if you are dairy-free, use another blend.)
- Water – I usually don’t include a note about water, but when making a really flaky pie crust, using really cold water is best. This way, the butter bits stay cold and bake flakiness into the crust. Make ice water, then strain the ice out before using.
This is my go-to gluten free pie crust. My whole family loves it. I’ve used it for pot pies, blueberry pie, pumpkin pie, hand pies and even for gluten free pop tarts.”
Pinterest user Twisted Enchantment
If it has been a long time since you enjoyed gluten free pastry, give this gluten free flaky pastry recipe a try.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
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.
Step 1: Put your dry ingredients into a large bowl. Whisk to blend.
Step 2: Add cold butter chunks and cut the pieces of butter into the flour with a pastry cutter. You will want your flour to resemble crumbs or small chunks of butter throughout. These tiny pieces of cut butter are what make your pie crust so flaky and delicious.
Step 3: Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. Time to get your hands dirty! Use your hands to blend in until you have a firm gluten free pastry dough ball.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your dough is too wet and sticky, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 4: Prepare your work surface with wax paper or a silicone mat. Place the pie dough on the wax paper and add a second sheet of wax paper on top. Use a rolling pin to roll the pie dough into a circle, making the circle slightly larger than your pie pan.
Step 5: Remove the top piece of wax paper. Keep the wax paper on one side of the crust dough so you can transfer it to your pie pan more easily. Spray your 9-inch pie pan with gluten-free baking spray to prevent sticking. (Note: Pam Baking Spray is NOT gluten-free!)
Step 6: Position the dough over your pie pan. Pinch the edges (you can see how to do this in the video.)
Step 7: If you are making a single-layer pie crust with a filling, you will bake the pie crust now. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the crust to vent the air so the bottom crust does not get air bubbles.
Bake at 350º F for 15 minutes if you add a filling and baking more, or 30 minutes if you are putting in a cream non-baked filling. If you are going to have a top crust, you will add your pie filling and top crust.
Step 8: Brush the top crust with an egg wash, then bake the pie.
How to make a fancy lattice weave:
It is easy to give your pie crust a fancy bakery look!
- Here, I am weaving a lattice-style crust top so the juicy baked apples will show through! I have a recipe with full instructions to weave the crust in my Gluten Free Apple Pie recipe.
- Grab your favorite cookie cutter and make a statement with the top crust! I used stars for the 4th of July. You can use any shape or size of cookie cutters. The full 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.
More Gluten Free Pie Crust Types:
If you don’t like to roll out the dough and make a pie crust this way, there are lots of other easy gluten free pie crust styles to try. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Gluten free graham cracker crust like this one in my No-Bake Nutella Cheesecake recipe.
- Raw coconut and almond crust like in my No-Bake Yogurt Tarts
- This Gluten Free Galette Dough is perfect for making galettes.
Storage/Freezing Instructions:
This dough will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Baked, this pie crust will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze this pie crust unbaked.
Freeze it as a dough ball (easiest), or freeze the crust in your pie pan. Place the dough or crust pan in a zipper bag and put it into the freezer. To thaw, remove the pie crust from the freezer and let it thaw on the counter. Roll the dough when it is soft enough to roll.
Pie Troubleshooting:
Why did the crust turn out tough?
If you have a tough crust, it is because you overmixed the butter into the flour. You need those butter chunks to make pockets for flakiness.
Why is my pie crust soggy on the bottom?
If your gluten-free pie crust is soggy, there are several reasons this could happened.
- 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 won’t hold up to a pie filling.
- If you used a liquidy or custard filling, did you par-bake the crust for a few minutes first?
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 to use a food processor because you can over-grind the butter, not leaving chunks that create those 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 to be rolled out and big enough to go up the sides and to have a little extra to pinch along the outer edges.
If you don’t 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!
Reader Adaptations:
Lard works very well instead of butter in this pie crust recipe.
Reader Alicia P
This recipe rocked!!! I don’t have a pastry knife, so I just used a fork. Comes together fast and tastes delicious. This will be my new go-to!!”
Lucy
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. 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
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter * see note
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup water +1 to 3 additional tablesppons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Make sure to set the oven rack to the middle of the oven.
- In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Whisk to blend.
- Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until it is in tiny pieces. If you don't have a pastry blender, freeze your butter and use a large grater to grate the butter into the flour.
- In a small bowl, add wet ingredients and mix.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. Use your hands to make a dough ball. Be careful not to overmix the dough or the butter will melt. You can wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it for 45 minutes if needed.
- Place the dough ball onto a piece of wax paper or silicone mat
- 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 ¼ of an inch thick.
- Remove the top piece of wax paper. Place the dough side to the greased pan and drop in. Gently peel the wax paper off the crust.
- If you are using a very wet pie filling, pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and fill the crust with sweet or savory filling. If you are making a fruit pie with fresh fruit or pie filling, you do not have to pre-bake the crust.
- Bake the crust for an additional 20-25 minutes. The final baking time will vary depending on the material your pie pan is made of, the thickness of your crust, and how accurate your oven temperature is. Your pie will be done when the top is golden brown and the filling is cooked. If your pie is browning too fast, place a piece of tin foil over the top and continue to bake it.
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 doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours. Note that Cup4Cup turns out the flakiest, but this blend contains dairy.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These pie crust will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
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, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
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.
Do you need to pre bake and if so when? Some comments say yes for about 5 minutes and others say no. I’m taking about apple, blackberry or pumpkin.
Hi Dawn, it really depends on how wet the filling is…a basic blueberry pie, you should be fine not pre-baking it. I would pre-bake for 5 minutes for quiche.
My husband and I are both gluten-free. This is by far the best pie crust that we have ever had. It is so light and flaky. It’s also a nice buttery Rich flavor. This will definitely be my go to from now on.
Thank you so much. I am so glad you love this crust!
Do you need to par bake the crust with dried beans first before you add filling? I would be using this for a savory quiche.
Hi Jenna,
Par baking for about 5 minutes for quiche is optional. If ind this crust bakes very well without par baking. The edges tend to overbake with par baking. If you do, you would want to cover the edges with foil midway through baking.
This is by far the best gluten free crust I’ve ever made. Actually, it’s the best I’ve ever made period-gluten and gluten free! There are 5 of us with Celiacs in my immediate family, and all of us agree-the best pie crust on the planet!! The non gf members of my family also agree-the best ever. I made a carmel apple pie and it was fantastic!!
Thank you Sally!
Wow, that is an incredible compliment. I love the non gf family members loved the recipe too! Thank you!
Hi Sandi!
I am a novice baker and do not have a pastry blender. Is there something else I can use for the butter? I have a high powered blender and a small food processor?? Is dicing the butter by hand out of the question?
Hi Tiffany, freeze the butter and use a cheese grater to shred the cold butter into the dry ingredients. I would mix the shreds in intervals instead of all at once.
I will try this recipe. Why the lemon juice?
I think the acid helps with the flaky layers. I have always included a tiny bit because it works for my recipe nicely.
Making strawberry pie. How long do I bake if filling doesnt go in oven?
Hi Janet, I have never used a no-bake filling, but I would say bake it 18-25 minutes. The time will really vary by the thickness of the dough and the size of your pan, as well as the material your pie pan is made with. Glass cooks slower than metal, etc.
I was going to make a pumpkin pie but when I saw you have to bake the crust first., I wasn’t sure because pumpkin pie bakes for longer time..I’ve never seen that in any other recipe before..made your pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies….but I couldn’t put it in my hand cause was too soft., so I just used a spoon and dropped it on the baking pan and they turned out great..think easier way I did it..we’re soft and very good..please let me know bout pie crust..what if you don’t bake first., will it still turn out..thank you.
Hi Ada, What gluten free flour blend are you using? If your batter is too soft, and it was chilled, you need to add more flour. Every blend has a different grain-to-starch ratio and this affects the moisture levels. As for the pie, you are flash baking it to set the bottom. You don’t fully bake the crust first. I believe 8-10 minutes should suffice, depending on how thick the crust is and the size of your pan.
Can I use crisco in place of butter?
Hi Kathy, I have personally not tried Crisco, but I do have readers who have used it successfully.
Can the gluten free apple pie be made then frozen or refrigerated prior to baking?
Hi Ann, I haven’t frozen my pie before, but I have refrigerated it the day before baking it.
i am making a pumpkin pie and did not prebake the crust. using one 4 one flour. is it going to come out ok?
I typically don’t pre-bake my crust for pumpkin, you will be fine. I pre-bake the crust if I am using a cream filling that doesn’t get baked.
I’m making this tonight! Can you please tell me if I should prebake the crust before adding the filling for the quiche which usually bakes for 35-40min?
Hi Julie, I usually pre-bake it for 5 or so minutes. It doesn’t need much. Do keep an eye on it as it cooks with the filling and add foil around the crust if needed to prevent it from overcooking.
Bob’s Red Mill One-to-One GF Baking Flour worked well in this recipe, and also made it quick and easy to make. The result was a flaky crust that my husband and I gave 2 thumbs up! I cut the recipe in half in order to give it a test run, using a small mixer/food processor to blend the butter into the flour making sure I did not over process the dough. Then, I moved the mixture to a larger bowl to add the wet ingredients and shape the ball. The dough came together nicely. After baking, I sprinkled cinnamon sugar on the crust and enjoyed. Next time I make your wonderful crust recipe, I’ll be making a pie or a quiche. Thanks for the super easy and tasty recipe.
I am so glad you loved this crust recipe. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know, Jeanette.