Should I par-bake my pie crust?

Par-baking or “blind baking” the pie crust is recommended for most pie recipes because it helps keep the crust flakey and prevents it from getting soggy when the pie filling is added. Here’s how to par-bake my easy gluten-free pie crust recipe: 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 2. 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.* Ceramic pie weights also work great for keeping the bottom of the pie crust weighted down during par-baking. 3. Bake the un-filled crust for about 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. *Note: The dough may still bubble up a small amount but will deflate back to normal while cooling.

Should I just buy a gluten-free pie crust?

Sometimes, making a gluten-free pie crust from scratch is hard, especially if you’re in a pinch and need to make one quickly. Thanks to rising awareness of gluten sensitivities, such as celiac disease , you can now buy gluten-free pie crusts in most grocery stores. Wholly Gluten Free Pie Shells is one of my top choices of GF pastry dough when I need a GF pie crust fast. There’s also a King Arthur Gluten-Free Pie Crust Mix (dry ingredients only) available on Amazon. The ingredients include rice flour, potato starch, cane sugar, salt, xanthan gum, and a vitamin and mineral blend. Of course, depending on when the mix is ordered, you may not be able to get this GF crust option as quickly as you need it.

Why is it better to use cold butter when making pie crust?

Using cold butter in a pie crust is crucial because it creates a flakier texture. When little chunks of butter are baked cold, they generate steam pockets that elevate and separate the layers of the dough, resulting in a pie crust with a light, buttery, and flaky texture.

Will gluten-free flour thicken pie filling?

Pie filling should naturally thicken, no matter the type of starch or flour mixture you are using. However, if I notice a fruit-based pie I make seems to have a lot of juice, I try to let my pie cool extra or even overnight. If it’s super runny, I may consider adding in a little bit of gluten-free corn starch.

Will egg-washing my gluten-free pie crust make it golden brown?

Yes, an egg wash on a gluten-free pie crust can help it achieve a beautiful golden-brown color when baked. However, this is an optional step, not a necessary one.

The Best Gluten-Free Pie Crust Recipe

Servings: 2 crusts (8-10 servings per crust) 1x

Ingredients

2½ cups gluten-free flour blend (which equates to 325 g of King Arthur All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour or 360 g of Bob’s Red Mill One-to-One Gluten-Free Baking Flour if you’re using a kitchen scale instead of the “scoop method”)
1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch thick slices
½ teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (may substitute white vinegar)
1 large egg*

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Instructions

To make the dough balls:

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 and is about pea-sized.
Add the salt, sugar, vinegar, egg, and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir to mix.
With clean hands, continue to work the dough until it comes together, forming a loose, large ball. The dough should stick together pretty easily. If it does not, though, just add 1-2 teaspoons more of cold water.
Divide the dough in half and form each portion into a ball (you’ll have two dough balls).
Place each ball in the center of a large sheet of parchment paper.
Fold the paper over and press down to form a thick, round disc and wrap it up.
Repeat steps 6-7 with the other dough ball.
Place the wrapped dough balls in the refrigerator to chill. If you only want to make a single-crust pie, wrap one of the dough discs tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer to save for a future pie.
Chill the dough discs at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. If chilling longer, you will need to allow the dough to set at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before rolling it out.

To roll the dough out:

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.
Cover with another sheet of parchment paper.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into an ⅛ to ¼-inch-thick round disc. If the dough starts to stick to the parchment paper, add more gluten-free flour as needed.

To transfer the first pie crust into the pie plate:

Remove the top parchment paper.
Mist a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray and place it upside down over the pie crust.
Gently slide your hand under the bottom layer of parchment paper and quickly – but gently – flip the pie plate and crust over so it is right side up.
Carefully remove the remaining parchment paper from the dough.
Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pie dish.
Use a knife to remove any excess dough hanging over the pie plate’s edges, leaving enough to create a thick edge.
Add a decorative pattern to the edge of the dough, if desired, such as a fluted edge.
The crust is ready for filling or par-baking.

Notes

To make this recipe dairy-free, replace the regular butter with a plant-based butter alternative, such as Earth Balance or Plant-Based Country Crock.

To make this recipe vegan, omit the egg and replace the regular butter with a plant-based butter alternative, such as Earth Balance or Plant-Based Country Crock. Since you’re taking out the egg, you’ll need to make a “sans egg” to allow the dough to still have some of the elasticity it needs. To do this, use an additional ¼-⅓ cup of cold water in place of the egg. Slowly add the water in until the dough has the right texture.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1/8 of 1 pie crust
Calories: 175
Fat: 12 g
(Sat Fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 241 mg
Carbohydrate: 16 g
(Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 1 g
Cholesterol: 39 mg

Dietary

Dairy-Free Gluten-free Nut-free Vegetarian

Recipe By: Ana Ankeny