By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On July 31, 2023

A golden, flaky gluten-free pie crust that is simple to make and perfect for making gluten-free pies. You are going to love working with this gluten-free pie crust recipe. Dairy-free and vegan options are included.

What we're coving in this gluten-free pie recipe post: How to make gluten-free pie crust, tips for making the best gluten-free pie crust, a dairy-free option, and baking and freezing instructions.

You can use one of my recommended gluten-free flour blends, my personal gluten-free flour blend, or your favorite blend with similar ingredients. For more ideas, check out my Easy Gluten-Free Recipes. 

If you are looking for the perfect gluten-free pie to make with this gluten-free pie crust, you might like my Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie or my Gluten-Free Pecan Pie. You can also make a gluten-free graham cracker crust too!

Udemy's course on gluten-free sponge cake desserts will help you expand your culinary skills and learn to make delectable desserts that are safe for gluten sensitivities.

Gluten-Free Pie Crust Recipe

Over the years, I have shared some of my favorite gluten-free pie recipes. While many of them use the same gluten-free pie crust, I've never shared a post that highlights the recipe by itself. Some of my readers have been asking for a post that gives only a gluten-free pie crust recipe with tips and tricks.

Many people are intimidated by GF pie crust recipes. It does take a bit of extra time versus purchasing a gluten-free pie crust at the store, but the fresh, flaky crust at the end of it is worth it. It's not hard, it doesn't take a lot of ingredients, and it only takes about 20 extra minutes.

Why You’re Going to Love This Gluten-Free Pie Crust

Simple to make - It's super simple to make (it takes only 20 minutes).

Make all GF pies - You can make all kinds of gluten-free pies with them.

Diet-friendly - There are dairy-free and vegan options included!

Best pie crust - It's heavenly flaky and golden.

Ingredients in Gluten-Free Pie Crust

Gluten-Free Flour - You can use my gluten-free flour blend recipe (both blends work well) or a store-bought blend like Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten-free flour doesn't work well in this pie crust recipe. Ensure your gluten-free flour is at room temperature when you start; otherwise, it will absorb the milk too quickly.

Salt - If you are using salted butter or dairy-free butter, you'll want to omit the additional salt.

Xanthan Gum - Because pie crusts are high fat, this helps hold the pie crust together. Omit the xanthan gum if you're using a blend that includes it.

Butter - We recommend starting with unsalted cold butter, but you can use salted butter and omit the salt. You can also use a dairy-free butter like Earth Balance buttery spread.

Milk - Any type of milk works, even dairy-free milk. Add more or less to get the consistency you need. Some have used ice water instead of milk, but I have not tried it yet.

Equipment Needed for This Gluten-Free Pie Crust

Medium mixing bowls - I like to use these medium mixing bowls to mix the dough for this GF pie crust recipe.

Wax paper - Roll the dough between the wax paper or parchment paper. It helps to transfer the pie dough to the pie pan.

Rolling pin - Use a rolling pin to roll the pastry dough out to the size of your pie pan.

Pie pan - I like to use a 10-inch pie pan for this recipe. 

Food processor - A food processor is optional to make this GF pie crust. A food processor will work faster but is not required. 

If you have any questions about making Gluten-Free Pie Crust, please leave a comment, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

How to Make Gluten-Free Pie Crust

Making the gluten-free pie crust is simple; again, it just takes some time. Here are the steps.

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour (not all-purpose flour), salt, and xanthan gum.
2. Cut the cold butter (or shortening) into flour.
3. The butter should resemble the size of small peas.
4. Add milk.
5. Use your hands to work the milk into the dough until the ingredients are combined, and the dough forms a ball. Add more milk if needed.
6. Divide the dough disc in half and roll one dough disc ball between two pieces of wax paper. TIP: You can also use parchment paper. Repeat with the second dough ball.
7. Remove the top piece of wax paper and place the pie pan upside down on the dough.
8. Flip the pan and pie crust dough over, so the pie pan is right side up. Peel the wax paper off. Repair and pinch the gluten-free pie crust dough into shape.

If you are baking the crust and then filling it with filling, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Bake for 15 - 18 minutes or until cooked through.< For other recipes where you bake the pie with the filling in it, follow the recipe baking instructions.

This gluten-free pie crust recipe makes two 10-inch gluten-free pie crusts. There is a dairy-free and vegan option if you need a gluten-free, vegan pie crust. If you don't need two pie crusts, either cut the recipe in half to make one crust or freeze the second pie crust.

Tips for making an easy gluten-free pie crust

• Read the recipe steps and make sure you have all ingredients on hand before you begin.
• Make sure all ingredients are cold before you begin.
• If you use a flour blend with xanthan gum, omit it from the recipe.
• Don’t overwork the crust dough, it will toughen and cause cracks when you transfer it to the pie pan.
• If the pie crust dough is too soft, chill for 30 minutes before rolling it out.
• For a decorative top – cut out lattice strips and weave them over the top of the pie, or use cookie cutters for fun shapes.
• Top your gluten-free pie with foil for the first half of baking to prevent the crust from burning.
• Let the pie cool completely before slicing.

Just another tip about gluten-free pies in general. I always bake my gluten-free pies on a baking sheet in case the filling bubbles out. It helps prevent a mess in the oven.

Gluten-Free Pie Decorative Tops

I cut this gluten-free pie crust recipe in half to make this stunning gluten-free pumpkin pie (pictured above). I had some extra gluten-free pie crust dough left over, so I used leaf cutouts to decorate the top. This gluten-free pie crust is versatile and works with savory and sweet gluten-free pies.

If you are interested in more of a lattice look, I also used this gluten-free pie crust in my gluten-free cherry pie. I placed one pie crust on the bottom, added filling to the center, then cut the second gluten-free, vegan pie crust into strips. Weaving them together was easy. Practice different pie designs during pie season, it is so much fun!

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best gluten-free flour for pie crust?

One of the best gluten-free flour options is Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. This gluten-free flour is great because it gives the best flavor and texture to the pie crust, and it is incredibly easy to roll and work with. 

Can You Use Almond Flour In This Recipe?

No, you can't use almond flour to make this pie crust recipe. Almond flour would need more liquid and adjustments to the butter. It is best to use a recipe created with almond flour.

How Do You Keep A Gluten-Free Pie Crust From Falling Apart?

There are two ways for you to keep your GF pie crust from falling apart:

Use the suggested flours - The combination of flour above is best to use for this pie dough.

Chill the pie dough - It is important to chill the pie dough before rolling it out.

Gluten-Free Pie Crust Substitutions

Besides the traditional gluten-free, flaky pie crust recipe, there are also dairy-free and vegan substitutions you can also use. 

Dairy-free pie crust

For the dairy-free pie crust version, the best idea is to replace the butter with butter-flavored Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening. To keep the recipe dairy-free, make sure your gluten flour blend is dairy-free. Also, you should replace the milk with plant-based milk, such as coconut milk. 

Vegan pie crust

There are no animal products in this recipe besides those that come from dairy. So if you make your recipe dairy-free, it will also be vegan!

Can You Make Gluten-Free Pie Crust Dough Ahead?

Yes. You can make GF pie crust dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 2 days or keep it frozen for up to 3 months. 

How do you crimp a GF crust?

You can use the index finger to push the inner edge of the crust out while pinching the outer edge in with the thumb and index finger of the other hand. 

If this is too complicated or simply beyond your interest, don't worry! You can always use a fork instead. Just press down on the edge of the crust, using the fork to seal the dough together. 

Do you have to egg-wash gluten-free pie crust?

Some people use an egg wash on their gluten-free pie crust to give it a glossy coating or to help it brown. I don’t. When I bake gluten-free pies, I start with foil over the crust for about half the baking time, then I remove the foil and let the gluten-free pie crust brown while it finishes baking. The crust will cook and start to brown under the foil, but it’s this process of keeping it covered upfront that helps keep it from darkening too much while the filling bakes up.

How to Use Gluten-Free Pie Crust (Sweet & Savory Options)?

The best thing about this recipe is that you can use it in any pie or tart recipe. So whether you prefer sweet or savory options, you can use this gluten-free pie crust for making recipes such as:

• Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie
• Gluten-Free Pecan Pie
• Keto Key Lime Pie
• Gluten-Free Apple Pie 
• All kinds of sweet and savory galettes, including Cinnamon Apple Gluten-Free Galette

Can Gluten-Free Pie Dough Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze the dough for 3 months. 

How Do You Freeze The Dough So You Can Use It Later?

To freeze gluten-free pie crust dough for later use, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. The plastic wrap will protect it from freezer burn.

Does gluten-free pie crust taste good?

Yes! It has a rich buttery flavor. This flaky, gluten-free pie crust doesn't taste much different than regular pie crust.

Is Pie Crust Gluten-Free?

No. Regular pie crusts aren't gluten-free. Only if you follow a recipe like this one will your pie crust be gluten-free. 

What’s the secret to extra flaky gluten-free pie crust?

It's really simple! Start with using relatively large chunks of butter, then coat them in dry ingredients and then flatten them between your fingers.

Why is it important to keep the gluten-free pie crust ingredients cold?

The main reason is to make the pie as flaky as possible.

By keeping the ingredients cold at every step of the process, you are making sure that the butter pieces don't melt while you are handling the dough. When the butter melts and mixes instantly with other ingredients, it results in a greasy and hard-baked pie crust with no flakiness. 

How do you know when your homemade gluten-free pie crust is ready?

Generally, it is recommended to bake the pie crust until the bottom crust is golden brown. But if you are looking for a partially baked pie crust (if you are baking it once it is filled like a quiche), then you should bake it until the bottom crust is just beginning to brown. 

Can You Use Shortening in Gluten-Free Pie Crust?

Yes. I use palm shortening to keep my gluten-free pie crusts dairy-free and vegan. You can use butter or regular shortening in this gluten-free pie crust recipe. I haven't personally tried dairy-free butter in this recipe.

This gluten-free pie crust recipe is the go-to recipe for all things pie in our house. I like to use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend when making pies, but you can also use a similar blend or my gluten-free flour blend.

What Frozen Gluten-Free Pie Crust (Pre-Made) Can I purchase?

If you looking for a gluten-free pie crust frozen and ready to purchase, here are some you may want to check out:

• Wholly Gluten Free Shells
• The Main Pie Company
• New Season Gluten-Free Pie Shell
• Kinnikinnick Gluten Free Pie Crust

Or, if you want a no-bake option, you can try the following:

• Haddar Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Pie Crust
• Mi-Del Ginger Snap Pie Crust
• Mi-Del Graham Style Pie Crust

If you are looking for more dessert pies, you should check out this Dairy-Free Banana Cream Pie from Meaningful Eats. What the Fork Food Blog has a scrumptious recipe for Gluten-Free Fudge Pecan Pie. For a keto pie, you'll want to make this Dairy Free & Keto Key Lime Pie.

Did you make this Gluten-Free Pie Crust recipe? Please leave a recipe review below, letting me know what you think.