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Easy gluten free pie crust

This easy gluten-free pie crust tastes just as delicious as the white-flour crusts of my childhood! If you do eat gluten (lucky you!) you can use this same recipe and technique using regular all-purpose flour. I’ve included a step-by-step video on how to do it below (never fear pie crust again).

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a pie girl. Growing up, we celebrated birthdays and special occasions with slices of blueberry, apple and pumpkin pie, not cake. It’s in my blood. My mom is a killer pie baker, and woe was the day I first went home for the holidays after cutting gluten out of my diet several years ago. My heart wrenched as everybody dug into their slices of pie, even though I had a lovely little gluten-free crisp all to myself.

Easy gluten free pastry crust

After that I started experimenting with different gluten-free pie dough recipes, determined to find a version that could stand up to my mom’s. However, most of the GF crusts I tried called for a million ingredients and tasted way too “strong”—while I adore grain, nut and seed flours, when it comes to pie, I want the buttery, subtly sweet, let-the-fruit-shine crust that I had as a kid.

Close up of gluten free pie crust over strawberry rhubarb pie.

Best gluten free flour for pie crust

I finally hit the nail on the head with Cup 4 Cup flour (this is not a paid endorsement or sponsored post!). I tested a TON of different gluten free flour blends, and Cup 4 Cup had the best flavor and texture by far. Even better, it was also far easier to work with than other gluten free flours, which tended to be crumbly and hard to roll.

Extra flaky gluten free pie crust

This gluten free pie crust is ultra flaky with a classically rich, buttery flavor. The recipe has become a staple in my kitchen, and nobody can tell that the crust is gluten free! Best of all, with just a few simple techniques, making perfect pie crust is way easier than you might think.

Close up of the crust of a gluten free berry tart.

Gluten free pie crust ingredients (simple and easy)

  • Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour (if you’re not GF you can use regular all-purpose flour)
  • Fine sea salt
  • Sugar (a touch of sugar gives the crust a delicious flavor and helps it brown, but it can be omitted)
  • Butter (preferably a European style butter, see below)
  • Apple cider vinegar (a splash of apple cider vinegar helps ensure a flaky texture)

How do you make gluten free pie crust from scratch?

  • First, use good-quality, European style butter (such as Kerrygold or Plugra), which has a higher fat content and will make rolling and working the dough much easier (not to mention that it will taste better). Cut the butter into about ½-inch sized pieces and put it in the fridge. Cold butter is key.
Process shot showing cubed butter for the gluten free pie crust recipe.
  • In a food processor, add the flour (Cup 4 Cup or all-purpose), salt and sugar. Pulse to combine. You can also make pie dough using your hands or a pastry cutter (although a food processor is faster) – whisk the dry ingredients to combine.
Gluten free flour, sugar and salt in the food processor.
Gluten free flour, sugar and salt blended in the food processor.
  • Sprinkle the cold butter cubes over the flour and pulse just until the mixture is somewhat crumbly and there are still pea-sized (or slightly larger) chunks of butter (or use a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour). Don’t over-mix the flour and butter, because those chunks equal a flaky crust.
Process shot showing flour mixture and cubed butter in the food processor for the gluten free pie crust recipe.
Flour, salt, sugar and butter pulsed together in the food processor.
  • Next, drizzle a bit of apple cider vinegar over top (this helps with flakiness). Put the lid back on, start the machine, and immediately start to drizzle in cold water. You want to add just enough water so that the dough sticks together when pinched—it should still look shaggy and a bit floury.
Gluten free pie dough in a food processor.
Hand pinching together a bit of the the gluten free pie dough.
  • Finally, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and use your hands to form it into a ball. Divide the ball in half, then press the dough into two disks. Cover the disks with plastic wrap, and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes.
Pie dough on a lightly floured piece of marble.
Process shot showing the gluten free pie dough cut into two halves.

Can you make the dough ahead?

Yes! The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Meaning you can go ahead and whip up the pie crusts for your holiday pies months in advance! (And if you’re like me, nothing will bring you more joy than discovering a ready-made disk of pie dough in the freezer. ?)

Pie dough disks wrapped in plastic wrap.

How can you use gluten free pie dough?

You can use this dough in any pie, tart or galette recipe (sweet or savory!). The dough makes enough for one 9-inch double crust pie, or 2 single crust pies (or 2 galettes). Whether it’s your favorite berry pie or a savory egg quiche, this crust won’t let you down. Don’t miss my easy strawberry galette recipe and my cinnamon and vanilla spiced apple galette!

Strawberry galette on a piece of parchment paper with a slice pulled out.
Strawberry Galette
Close up of apple galette with a slice cut out.
Easy Apple Galette

Tips for making gluten free pie crusts:

  • Roll the dough out on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  • For a beautifully browned crust, brush the dough with egg wash before baking (I also love sprinkling it with turbinado or demerara sugar for added sweetness and crunch).
  • Using a glass pie plate allows you to see the bottom of the crust, ensuring that it is nicely browned before removing the pie from the oven.
  • If the top of the pie gets too dark before the filling is fulling cooked, tent it with aluminum foil.
Hands rolling out a disk of pie dough on a piece of parchment paper.

I’ve included more tips in the recipe below for rolling out the dough and for making both single- and double-crust pies. Here’s to a season (no, let’s make that a YEAR) of fearless, delicious pie baking!

FAQ

Can you make gluten free pie dough ahead?

Yes! You can make the dough several months in advance! Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, then freeze it in a zip-top freezer bag (defrost the dough overnight in the refrigerator before using). Alternatively, refrigerate the dough (tightly wrapped) for up to 2 days.

How does gluten free pie crust taste?

This gluten free pie crust is virtually indistinguishable from regular pie crust! It is ultra flaky, with a rich, buttery flavor.

What flour should I use for gluten free pie crust?

This recipe calls for Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour. After testing several different store-bought all-purpose flour blends, Cup 4 Cup had the best flavor and texture and was far easier to work with than other flours.

Close up of a berry galette made with gluten free pie crust.

Use this foolproof pie crust in my easy strawberry galette recipe!

Other easy gluten free desserts to try:

Watch the Video

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Easy Gluten Free Pie Crust (the best crust ever!)

You're going to love this easy gluten free pie crust, which can be made with either Cup 4 Cup gluten-free flour OR with regular all-purpose flour (for a non-gluten free version)! With the right technique, making pie dough (either regular or gluten-free) is easier than any cake or brownie batter. Be sure to start with good-quality, European-style butter, and make sure it’s cold before adding it to the flour. The food processor makes quick work of combining the ingredients, and the result is a buttery, flaky dough that works wonderfully in pies, galettes and tarts!
Prep Time10 mins
Total Time10 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy pie crust recipe, gluten free pie crust, how to make gluten free pie crust
Servings: 2 9-inch pie crusts (or 1 double crust pie)
Author: Nicki Sizemore

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups (326g / 11.5oz) Cup 4 Cup gluten-free flour OR 2 ½ cups (319g / 11.25oz) all-purpose flour, plus more for workspace
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar (optional; this can be omitted for savory crusts)
  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted, good quality butter (preferably a cultured or European style butter), cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 – ½ cup cold water

Instructions

  • Put the flour, sea salt and sugar, if using, in a food processor and pulse to combine.
  • Sprinkle the cold butter over the flour in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks crumbly with larger, pea-sized chunks of butter (those chunks of butter equal a flaky crust!). Drizzle the apple cider vinegar over top.
  • Turn the machine on and immediately start drizzling cold water through the feed tube. Stop the machine once the mixture starts to come together and looks shaggy. Give the dough a pinch—if it sticks together, it’s ready to go. If not, turn the machine on again and drizzle in a bit more water. You might not need all of the water—you’re looking for a shaggy dough, not a cohesive ball.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and form each into a flat disk. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes or for up to 2 days. Do Ahead: The wrapped disks can be placed in zip-top freezer bags and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
  • If the dough has been in the fridge for several hours, let it sit at room temperature until slightly softened, about 10-20 minutes. Roll it out on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. If the dough immediately starts to crack once you start rolling, it’s too cold—give it a few more minutes to warm up. If the edges crack as you roll (which they probably will, so no fear!) simply patch them as needed.

Single Crust Pie

  • To blind bake a single pie crust: Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, making sure to get in the corners. Using kitchen scissors, trim the dough to a ½-inch overhang. Fold the overhang under to form a ring around the pie plate. Crimp the ring, if you’d like. At this point, if the dough feels like it’s getting soft, pop the pie plate in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to firm up. Prick the bottom all over with a fork. Line the crust with a large piece of parchment paper then pour in dried beans or pie weights to completely cover the bottom. Bake 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans. Bake 5 minutes longer, or until light golden on the bottom. Do Ahead: The crust can be blind baked up to 1 day in advance.

Double Crust Pie

  • To make a double-crust pie: Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Roll out one disk of dough, and transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate, making sure to get in the corners. Add your fruit filling, and dot with butter. Roll out the second piece of dough and lay it over top. Using kitchen scissors, trim the dough to a ½-inch overhang. Roll the overhang under (pinching the top and bottom dough together) to form a ring around the pie plate. Crimp the ring, if you’d like. At this point, if the dough feels like it’s getting soft, pop the pie in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to firm up. Brush the top dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Using a small knife, cut a few vents on top. Bake 35 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F and bake 15-30 minutes longer, or until the fruit is tender and bubbling. If needed, lightly tent the top crust or edges if they start to look too brown near the end of cooking.

Notes

Tips:
  • I use Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free Flour for this pie crust, which rolls out easily and tastes like a traditional pie crust. You can also use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, but the dough will be much crumblier and can be hard to transfer (it works best as a galette). If you’re not gluten-free, you can use any regular all-purpose flour.
  • Use a good quality European-style butter, such as Kerrygold, Plugra or Organic Valley.
  • Don’t over-process the butter and flour mixture. The small chunks of butter will give you a flakier crust!
  • The finished dough will still look shaggy and a bit floury in the food processor. Don’t over-process, otherwise you’ll end up with a tough crust. The dough will come together on the countertop once you form it into a ball. 

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