Best Gluten-Free Pie Crust (Step-By-Step Tutorial)

I remember how intimidating it felt the first time I tried making homemade gluten-free pie crust. I needed a GF version for an apple pie I was asked to bring to a family gathering, but every recipe I tried ended up with me disappointed with how my pie crust turned out – gritty texture, strange aftertaste, or dough that wouldn’t cooperate. I knew there had to be an easier way to make a GF pie crust and make it taste great, too. After a lot of trial and error, I finally developed a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, flaky gluten-free pie crust that works with any pie filling. I’ve spent hours perfecting it and troubleshooting along the way, and now I trust this recipe to turn out beautifully every time I make it

Main Ingredients

• Gluten-free flour: I use Bob’s Red Mill One-to-One Gluten-Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour. These are the best I’ve found in terms of GF flour for my pie crusts. For one, I’ve found that these 2 flours are by far the easiest GF flour blends to work with. Additionally, there’s no – or very little – grittiness when it comes to the textural outcome of the gluten-free baked crust, and there is no super strange aftertaste anyone has to be on guard for. This may be because both brands incorporate types of rice flour instead of cornstarch or tapioca starch as the main base ingredient. 
• Butter: Use cold, unsalted butter (I’ll make my own if I have the time!), and cut it into slices. 
• Sugar: A small amount of cane or raw sugar adds just a hint of sweetness to the crust. 
• Apple cider vinegar: A dash of ACV helps gluten-free baked goods bake up to perfection.
• Egg: An egg helps create enough elasticity in the pie crust dough to give it the right texture and make it easy to transfer into the pie plate.  

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Essential Baking Equipment

• Mixing bowl: I always opt for using a large-sized mixing bowl.
• Kitchen scale: I typically use a kitchen scale to weigh my flour instead of using the “scoop method,” which is where flour can become packed in the measuring cup. The “scoop method” can easily result in accidentally using too much flour, making my pie crust too dry and crumbly. I’ve found that with any gluten-free baking recipe, if I measure ingredients by weight, I know I have exactly the right amount – and it comes out great every single time. 
• Rolling pin: This is key for rolling out the dough. That said, I’ve learned that if my rolling pin is MIA or isn’t clean, I can use a wine bottle to roll out my dough instead.  
• Pastry cutter: Also known as a pastry or dough blender, this tool is crucial for helping “cut in” the butter to the flour. It is possible to make the recipe without this tool by using 2 butter knives to cut the butter into the flour, but I’ve found it usually takes more time and can be a bit of a hassle.
• Pie plate: A 9-inch glass pie plate works best, as it always gives me enough crust at the edges to flute (either crimped or wavy-style) or be able to cut out dough shapes for some extra decoration for the top of my pie. A 10-inch glass pie plate or a deep dish pie plate will work, too, but this will result in less ‘extra’ crust to work with for fancy edges and pie designs.
• Parchment paper: I always roll the pie crust out between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Not only does the parchment help flatten the dough to the right even thickness, but it also makes transferring the pie dough into the pie plate so much easier.

My Step-By-Step Instructions

These are the basic recipe instructions I use to make the best gluten-free pie crust:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and butter. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the dough resembles a crumbly texture (the size of small peas).
2. Add the salt, sugar, vinegar, egg, and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir to mix, and then – with clean hands – continue to work the dough until it comes together to form a loose, large ball. It should stick together pretty easily. If not, add 1-2 teaspoons more water.
3. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and form each into a ball. Place 1 dough ball in the center of half of a large sheet of parchment paper. 
4. Fold the paper over and press down on the dough to form a disc. Wrap it up and place it in the refrigerator. Repeat with the second dough ball.
5. Allow the dough to chill for 1-2 hours. If it is chilling for longer, allow it to set at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before rolling it out.

To roll out the dough:

1. Remove the dough from the parchment paper and dust the paper lightly with flour. Place the dough back onto the center of the parchment paper, and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour now. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper. 
2. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a ⅛-¼” thick round crust. If the dough starts to stick to the parchment paper, repeat the light dusting process with flour.
3. Carefully remove the top parchment paper. Slide hand under the bottom layer of the parchment paper and carefully flip the dough over into the pie plate.
4. Carefully remove the remaining parchment paper from the dough. Gently press the dough into the pie plate, trim the excess dough from the edges, and leave enough to create a thick edge. Fill in the thinner spots as needed with the excess dough.
5. Add a decorative pattern to the edge, if desired, such as a fluted edge. 
6. Press a fork 5-6 times into the bottom of the pie crust. This will help the pie crust stay flat and not bubble up when baking or pre-baking. 

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

Troubleshooting The Dough

When perfecting my gluten-free pie dough, I had to address dryness, excess moisture, and dough sticking to the parchment paper during the rolling process. Here’s what I’ve found fixes these issues when I run into them. 

If It’s Too Dry

I know if my pie dough is too dry if it cracks, crumbles, or doesn’t come together easily when I roll it into 2 ball shapes. The culprit here is likely too much flour. However, I’ve learned that this can be easily corrected. If this happens, I simply add one tablespoon of cold water at a time until the dough forms a nice, smooth ball, as pictured above.

If It’s Too Wet

On the flip side, I know I need to add more flour if my dough is too wet and won’t hold a dough ball. To fix the dough being too watery, I add 2 tablespoons of gluten-free flour at a time until the dough easily forms into a smooth ball.

Make It Dairy-Free

To make the pie crust dairy-free, I simply replace the regular butter with one of my favorite plant-based butter alternatives, such as Earth Balance or Plant-Based Country Crock. I always make sure to use stick butter and not spreadable butter, though, since the water content in the 2 forms varies and can affect the final outcome of the crust. (I’ve learned the hard way that this small detail makes a big difference.)

Make It Vegan

To make the pie crust vegan, I replace the regular butter with a plant-based or vegan butter alternative, such as Earth Balance or Plant-Based Country Crock, and omit the egg. Since I’m taking out the egg, I need to make a “sans egg” to allow the dough to still have some of the elasticity it needs. (Otherwise, the pie crust may end up having small cracks or breaking into pieces.) To do this, I use an additional ¼-⅓ cup of cold water in place of the egg, and then slowly add the water in until the dough reaches the right texture.

Storage Options And Tips

I love that I can make this gluten-free pie crust up to 4 days in advance and keep it in the fridge until I’m ready to use it. I wrap the dough in parchment paper, press it into a disc shape, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When I’m ready to use it, I let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling it out. Unbaked dough will also freeze well for up to 3 months. I’ve tested 2 methods that both work extremely well. 

Freezing The Dough Discs

I make the pie dough balls, flatten them into 2 discs, wrap each one in plastic wrap (to ensure they don’t dry out), and store them in a freezer-safe container. The dough discs will stay fresh for up to 3 months. When I’m ready to use one of the pie discs, I thaw it in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 15-30 minutes until it’s thawed just enough to roll out. I’ve found that pie crust is much easier to roll out and transfer to a pie pan when it’s still cold rather than when it’s room temperature or warm.

Freezing The Dough In A Pie Plate

After pressing the dough into my pie plate, I wrap it (plate and all) in plastic wrap so the crust doesn’t dry out. Then, I freeze the pie crust – raw, not par-baked – for up to 3 months. When I’m ready to use it, I let the pie dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes and then par-bake the crust before I fill it.

How I Use This Pie Crust

I love how versatile this gluten-free pie crust recipe is. I can use it for so many of my favorite crust-based recipes, including pumpkin pie, Black and Blueberry Pie, tarts, and even savory dishes like quiche or turkey pot pie. It’s important that I always make a note to myself – whether it’s mental or physically written down – that if I make double-crusted pie recipes, like chicken pot pie, I need to make enough gluten-free pie dough for both the bottom crust and the top crust. However, if I’m just sticking to making single-crust pies, there’s no need to worry about this extra step (or making any extra GF dough).

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