Gluten-Free Pie Crust (Easy Photo Tutorial)

Here is your step-by-step tutorial showing how to make gluten-free pie crust that’s buttery, flaky, and results in simply delicious pie. Making homemade pie crust can be intimidating. Then add in gluten-free, and it’s overwhelming to know where to begin! We’re showing you exactly how to make a fail-proof, easy, gluten-free pie crust that has that melt-in-your-mouth texture and works with any filling you desire. This recipe makes enough dough for two single-crust pies or one double-crust pie.

Gluten-Free Pie Crust made easy

Have you ever wanted to make your own pie crust, only to feel intimidated by the steps and fear it may not turn out? We’ve been there, too! Before you nix pie from the menu and switch over to something simpler, like bars or cupcakes, let us calm your fears. Here, we’ll walk you through how to make a gluten-free pie crust you’ll love. We’ve taken the guesswork out of pie crust making and turned it into an easy and approachable method. Now you can have gluten-free pie crust that turns out perfect every time you make it!

A simple, No-Fail gluten-free pie crust recipe

With a few simple kitchen tools and a handful of baking ingredients, you’re going to wow your tasters with a delicious homemade pie that is also gluten-free! Here’s what you’ll need:

Kitchen tools:

• Mixing bowl – use a medium-size mixing bowl
• Kitchen scale – we highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the flour instead of using the “scoop method” where flour can become packed in the measuring cup. The scoop method can easily result in accidentally using too much flour, which could make your pie crust too dry and crumbly. In a baking recipe, when you measure ingredients by weight, you’ll know you have exactly the right amount
• Rolling pin – if your kitchen doesn’t have a rolling pin, you can also use a wine bottle
• Pastry cutter – also known as a pastry blender or dough blender. This tool is essential to help “cut in” the butter into the flour. Without this tool, it is possible to use two butter knives to cut the butter into the flour, it will just take a little longer
• Pie plate – a 9-inch glass pie plate works best, and there will be enough pie crust at the edges to flute (crimped or wavy style edge) or to cut out a few leaves or other dough shapes for added decoration to the top of your pie. A 10-inch glass pie plate and a deep dish pie plate will also work, just know that you’ll have less of that ‘extra’ pie crust to work with for any fancy edging
• Parchment paper – this is an essential tool to make our gluten-free pie crust recipe, since you’ll need to roll the pie crust out between two 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

Ingredients for Gluten-free pie crust

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make our no-fail gluten-free pie crust:

• Gluten-free flour – we recommend using Bob’s Red Mill One-to-One Gluten-Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour
• Butter – use cold, unsalted butter, cut into slices. For vegan or dairy-free, we’ve also tested this crust using plant-based butter with good results
• Sugar – a small amount of cane sugar or raw sugar adds just a hint of sweetness to this pie 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 this gluten-free pie crust to make it the right texture and easy to move into the pie plate. (See our suggestions below if you want to make an egg-free pie crust)
• Cold water
• Salt

how to make gluten-free pie crust

Follow these basic steps to make your 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, forming a loose, large ball. It should stick together pretty easily, if not add 1-2 teaspoons more water.
3. Divide the dough into two equal parts and form into a ball. Then place each ball in the center of one half of a large sheet of parchment paper. Fold the paper over and press down to form a disc. Wrap it up and place in the refrigerator. Repeat with a second dough ball.
4. Allow the dough to chill for 1-2 hours. If chilling longer, you will need to allow the dough to set at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before rolling out.

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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 dough lightly with flour. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll into a ⅛-¼” thick round crust. If dough starts to stick to parchment paper, repeat the dusting lightly with flour.
2. Carefully remove the top parchment paper. Slide your hand under the bottom layer of the parchment paper and carefully flip the dough over into the pie plate.
3. Carefully remove the remaining parchment paper from the dough. Gently press the dough into the pie plate, trim excess dough from the edges of the pie plate leaving enough to create a thick edge. Fill in the thinner spots as needed with the excess dough.
4. Add a decorative pattern to the edge if you would like such as a fluted edge. 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.

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Troubleshooting gluten-free pie dough

What if the dough is too dry?

You’ll know if your pie dough is too dry if it crack, crumbles, and doesn’t come together easily when rolled into two ball shapes. The culprit here is likely too much flour (see our note above about weighing the flour), but it can be easily corrected. If this happens, simply add one tablespoon of cold water at a time until the dough forms a nice smooth ball as pictured above.

What if the dough is too wet?

On the flip side, if your dough is too wet and won’t hold a dough ball, you’ll need to add more flour. But again, this can be easily corrected! Add two tablespoons of gluten-free flour at a time until the dough easily forms into smooth dough ball.

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What if the dough sticks to the parchment paper when rolling out?

This happens, sometimes, with any rolled-out dough. If the pie dough begins to stick to the parchment paper when you roll it out, don’t panic. We’ve found two tricks that help prevent the pie dough from sticking to the parchment paper.

1. As you begin rolling the pie crust dough out, carefully peel back the top layer of parchment to check for sticking. If the dough appears to be sticking, peel the entire sheet off, sprinkle the dough with additional gluten-free flour, and place the parchment back over the dough. Flip the rolled out dough over, and repeat the process with the parchment on the other side, adding a sprinkle more flour.
2. Chill the dough again! Pie crust dough needs to be chilled well and cold while you’re rolling it out. If you find after doing option 1 above, the dough is still sticking to the parchment paper, place the dough (still between the sheets of parchment) back into the fridge until it is cold.

How to flute the edges of a pie crust

“Fluting” the edges of a pie crust can feel intimidating when doing it for the first time. We found this tutorial on fluting the edge to be very helpful. It shares an easy and quick way to crimp the edges of a pie dough before baking.

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Should I par-bake the pie crust?

Par-baking or “blind baking” the pie crust is recommended for most pie recipes, because it helps keep the crusty flaky and prevents the crust from getting soggy when the pie filling is added. To par-bake this gluten-free pie crust recipe, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake the un-filled crust about 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Before baking, poke the bottom dough a few times with a fork. This will help the bottom of the pie crust to stay flat while baking without bubbling up. Note: The dough may still bubble up a small amount, but will deflate back to normal while cooling. If you have ceramic pie weights, they also work great to keep the bottom of the pie crust weighted down during par-baking, but not necessary to buy.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes! This is such an easy gluten-free pie crust recipe that you can make the dough up to 4 days ahead stored in the fridge, or freezer the unbaked dough up to 3 months. Make the pie dough as directed, then wrap each dough disc in plastic wrap or place in a zip-top baggie and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to finish making your pie. Alternatively, roll the pie crust out, place in your pie plate, cover with plastic wrap (this will keep the pie crust from drying out), and keep the dough-filled pie plate in your fridge (up to 3 days) until you’re ready to fill and bake a pie.

Can I freeze the pie crust?

This gluten-free pie crust is freezer-friendly! We’ve tested two ways to freeze the pie dough.

1. Freeze the dough discs: Make the pie dough balls as directed. After flattening the dough balls into two discs, wrap each one in plastic wrap (to ensure they do not dry out), then place in a freezer-friendly container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, place the pie dough in the fridge overnight or on the counter for about 15 to 30 minutes until it just warm enough to roll out. Remember, pie crust is easier to roll and transfer to a pie plate when it is still cold, not room temperature or warm.
2. Freeze the dough in a pie plate: After pressing the dough into the pie plate, wrap it, plate and all, in plastic wrap (essential so it will not dry out), then freeze the pie crust in the pie plate raw, not par-baked for up to 3 months. When ready to use, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then par-bake the crust before filling it.

Dairy-free Pie crust and vegan pie crust

If you’re looking for a gluten-free pie crust that is also dairy-free or vegan, you’ve come to the right place! Here are some options to make this from-scratch pie crust dairy-free, gluten-free, and even vegan, if needed:

• Dairy-free pie crust – swap in plant-based butter such as Earth Balance sticks or Plant-Based Country Crock sticks for the regular butter. Be sure to use stick butter and not spreadable plant-based butter since the water content in these two forms of butters are different, which will alter the end result of the pie crust.
• Vegan pie crust – use a plant-based butter as suggested above and omit the egg. In place of the egg use an addition 1/4 – 1/3 cup cold water. Slowly adding until dough is the right texture. Roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper and turn into a pie plate. Because the dough will not have the egg to give the elasticity, it may have small cracks or even break into pieces. Carefully press and form the pie dough into the pie plate.

A Perfect holiday pie recipe

When it comes to gluten-free desserts, we know how to make them oh-so-yummy and allergy-friendly. This flaky pie crust may be gluten-free, but all of our tasters will tell you that it’s indistinguishable from a “regular” pie crust, sure to please everyone around your table!

At the holidays, a beautiful homemade pie is an eye-catching beauty, not to mention one of the yummiest parts of a special menu. Use this pie crust recipe to make our Gluten-Free Apple Pie with Crumb Topping, an easy, mouthwatering, and crowd-pleasing pie you’ll be proud to serve to anyone.

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