Out of all the desserts I make, I must admit, pie is my favorite.

There is something extremely comforting about perfectly ripened, slightly sweetened fruit, encased between layers or flaky, buttery crust. Or a smooth, velvety pudding pie topped with whipped cream or meringue. Let’s face it, pie is perhaps the perfect dessert.

And yet, few home bakers will tackle making pie crust from scratch. Instead they avoid making pies altogether or attempt to make “homemade” only after heading to the grocery store for a mix or refrigerated crust.

I must admit, I have never purchased one of those mixes or refrigerator pie crusts, so maybe they are better than they sound (but I seriously doubt it).

I’ve always made pie crust from scratch. It does take a little practice and patience, but it’s definitely doable. And I encourage you to give it a try.

I have made several different gluten-free pie crusts, however, one of my kids has multiple food allergies and accommodating all of her allergies is a bit difficult. And let’s face it, after too many substitutions, what you are left with is hardly the traditional, original-tasting dessert.

After numerous failures, I have found a really great tasting, flaky, and yes, buttery pie crust that is gluten-free, egg-free, and nut-free! It is based on a recipe from food blogger and pastry chef Tara Barker.

Like all pastry recipes, this does require the usual patience and time. You have to chill the ingredients and refrigerate the dough before rolling. And yes, making pies from scratch will most likely mess up clean kitchen counter-tops (and if your like me, your floor, sink, and oven as well). But the end result is worth the hassle.

I used a food processor to make this dough, however, if you don’t own one you can use a pastry blender or fork to combine the ingredients.

This dough is nice to handle and rolls with ease (at least as long as it’s chilled). And if it cracks or gets tears you can easily patch it your fingers. And that’s all before it even goes into the hot oven. It comes out nicely browned, and when you bite into it, it tastes just like pie crust should.

A perfect piece of pie, or in my case a pocket pie, is so worth the effort.

I used this dough and Freezer Apple Pie Filling I had stowed away from last fall to make some amazing (and I think adorable) pocket pies. The pocket pie press was at Target for around $5 but similar tools can be found at Williams-Sonoma and Sur la Table. I can’t say it worked perfectly, but it did produce cuter pocket pies than I could have otherwise.

Butter Pie Crust

Makes one double crust (or enough for about 8 pocket pies)

• 12 tablespoons cold butter ( 1 1/2 sticks)
• 2 cups pastry flour blend
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup cold cream cheese
• 5 tablespoons very cold water

1. Cut the butter into half-tablespoon size pieces. Wrap in plastic wrap or place in a covered container and freeze until frozen solid. Place dry ingredients (flour blend, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder) in resealable freezer bag or covered container and freeze until chilled thoroughly, about 30 minutes.
2. Place the flour mixture into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times or until combined. Add the cream cheese and pulse several times. Add butter pieces and continue to pulse until butter is incorporated and no pieces are larger than pea-sized. Add the ice water through the chute and pulse until a dough is formed. Remove dough from food processor and knead until a dough that holds together is formed; you can do this on the counter or place the dough inside the freezer bag and squash it together (saving your hands from getting really messy).
3. Divide dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap, pressing down to form discs. Place in refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, at least two hours.
4. Roll dough into an approximate 10-inch circle, turning and dusting with cornstarch as necessary to prevent from sticking.
5. Depending on the pie recipe you are using, you might have to adjust cooking temperature and times, but I typically bake pies in a preheated 400 oven until the crust is browned (for my pocket pies that was 25 minutes).

 

Desserts gluten free pie crust

I know a lot of people dread making pie crust. It has a reputation for being rather difficult to master. But a homemade pie is so delicious you really should give pastry making a try.

Really, I think the hardest part is knowing how much liquid or flour is enough. The weather can effect your baking and pie crust recipes may need adapted slightly in order to make them easier to handle. If you have never made one, this can be frustrating. But after a little practice, you’ll know what the dough should feel like and add more flour or liquid as required.

I have heard there are some gluten free pre-made pie crusts available now, but I haven’t tried any of them so I can’t tell you if they are worth eating.

What I can tell you is homemade gluten free pie crust is doable. I posted a recipe for my first successful attempt at one. And guess what? I have yet another gluten free pie crust recipe worth making.

Why do we need another one you might ask? Well, although the previous recipe tasted great I felt like the dough was a bit hard to handle. It didn’t roll out the way I would have liked and it required refrigeration, making the process lengthy.

Sometimes I don’t have a lot of time to prepare a pie, I just want to whip up a crust and filling and get it in the oven. And of course have it taste fabulous. No weird gluten free taste or texture.

This recipe is adapted from the pie crust recipe found in Gluten-Free Baking Classics by Annalise Roberts. It’s a great cookbook by the way. I did change a few things, but overall her recipes are a great starting place for gluten free baking successes.

If you need an easy gluten free pie crust, give this one a try. And if you are completely new to making pie crusts, don’t despair. They don’t have to look perfect and they do patch easily (just use your hands to mend any torn areas). And pie crusts don’t require fancy fluted edges. If you don’t want to hassle with the fluting, don’t. I gave up fluting pies perfectly years ago. And you know what? No one has ever turned down a piece of pie. Seriously, pies are supposed to by homey, comfort food, not too pretty to eat.

*update: although I have made this crust several times, the last time I made it, it wouldn’t roll out nicely. I don’t know if it was the humidity, I measured something wrong, or what, but it wasn’t rolling. I just pressed it into the pan and baked it as usual. It tasted fine. So, if you are having one of those days, don’t throw it out, just press it in the pie plate and take a deep breath. It’s just food!

Unbaked pie crust, you can see where I patched it in several spots.

An apple pie with a crumb topping.

Easy Gluten Free Pie Crust

Personally, I don’t like my pie crusts sweet. But if you do, add 1 TB white sugar to the dry ingredients.

This recipe is a bit unconventional in that you partially pre-bake the shell before adding the fruit filling.

• 3/4 cup brown rice flour (I use Authentic Foods Superfine)
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 2 TB tapioca flour
• 2 TB sweet rice flour
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 TB Butter, chilled and cut into pieces
• 1 large egg
• 2-4 tsp orange or lemon juice

1. Spray 9-inch pie pan or tart pan with cooking spray and dust with cornstarch or white rice flour.
2. Mix flours, xanthan gum, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add butter and mix until crumbly.
3. Add egg and 2 tsp of juice. Mix on low speed until dough holds together easily, but isn’t sticky; if it does not hold hold together add the remaining 2 tsp of juice and mix again. Using your hands, form dough into a ball. Place ball on a sheet of parchment or waxed paper and  flatten dough to about 1 inch thickness.
4. Dust rolling pin with rice flour or cornstarch and roll out dough. Holding the sheet of parchment/wax paper, invert the dough into the pie pan. If the dough tears you can mend it (press another piece of dough with your fingertips until it is blended together well). Trim the crust around edge of pie and flute if desired (I just press a fork around the edges).
5. If you need to prebake the crust entirely (for a pudding pie), prick the crust several times with a fork and bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden in a preheated 375 oven. Let cool on a wire rack before filling.
6. To use in all other recipes, it is suggested to partially bake the bottom crust for 10 minutes in a preheated 375 oven. Allow to cool and then fill with desired filling (I used apples) and return to the oven to finish baking (for apple pie I baked it an additional 50 minutes at 375). The crust turned out delcious and flaky this way so I highly suggest the pre-bake step!

Desserts gluten free pie crust

I still remember my first attempt at making pie crust. I was about 12 years old, and although I cooked on a regular basis I was unaware that the saying easy as pie was a lie.

For some reason I couldn’t get the dough to form a ball, it wouldn’t roll out properly, and it certainly was not going to be lifted and draped over that pie plate. The beautifully crimped and golden brown pie that I had envisioned was not to be and it left me in tears.

I read some magazine articles and watched some pastry chefs on food network and in no time was able to produce a perfect pastry.

Here are a few of my hints:

• You’ll hear people swear by butter or shortening. I prefer butter flavored shortening or a combination of butter & shortening. You get the best of both worlds; butter lends wonderful flavor, but the shortening will produce a flaky pie crust.
• Use ice cold water, and only add it in small increments.
• Although I prefer a pastry cutter to mix the ingredients, a food processor is very quick and great for the beginner.
• Refrigerate, refrigerate, refrigerate. Don’t overlook this step. Pie crust has to be chilled to roll out correctly and once the bottom crust is put in the pan I refrigerate again while I prepare the filling.
• Try not to overwork the dough, but don’t be alarmed if you have to scrunch it back into a ball of dough and re-roll it several times; it happens.
• Be patient and try to have a sense of humor after all it’s just food.

Although I have been making pie crust for years, I have been very hesitant to make a gluten free version. For starters, gluten free baked goods can be a bit challenging. Not only do you have taste, but texture to deal with. And let’s face it pie crust eludes many home chefs, that is why the freezer case is full of pre-made versions.

I have a confession, I have never purchased a pie crust mix or pre-made crust. It goes against my “from scratch” nature, so we haven’t had a real pie in over six months. Sure we have had graham-like crusts, but not a nice flaky apple pie.

It isn’t that I haven’t poured over cookbooks and the internet looking for recipes, because I have. I just couldn’t bring myself to try it. The task seemed too daunting.

But folks, it happened, I just had to have an apple pie this week. And so I pulled out my latest and very promising cookbook, Easy Gluten-Free Baking by Elizabeth Barbone and I made pie crust.

The good news: it worked and tasted fine. The bad news: like most gluten free baked goods, it requires a whole list of ingredients and produced a delicate dough that was difficult to handle. I thought it wise to start with just a simple bottom pie crust, no fancy crimping or fluting required.

What the dough should look like after cutting in the shortening/butter

The dough after adding the egg and proper amount of water.

Wrapped in plastic wrap and ready to chill.

Rolled out and ready for pan.

You can see my finger marks from pressing it where it tore.

The final product: a flaky, browned crust. HOORAY!

Gluten Free Pie Crust (single crust)

I am not used to putting sugar in my pastry, so it tasted a bit sweet to our family; but otherwise this is a very “normal” pie crust. I found the dough hard to handle and ended up pressing the dough back together when it tore, it’s a very soft dough so this method worked fine.

Use the finest rice flour available, I use Authentic Food’s Superfine Rice Flour, but the rice flour at the Asian market will also work.

dry ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white rice flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 potato starch
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt

wet ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (I prefer butter flavored) or 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1 egg
• 1-2 Tb cold water

1. In a large bowl mix dry ingredients.
2. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the shortening or butter into the dry ingredients until small clumps form.
3. Add egg and water, stirring with a fork to combine; dough should start to pull away from sides of bowl and form a ball. If this doesn’t happen add water, 1 tsp at a time.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and press down to form a disk. Refrigerate for at least one hour. (the author states that you’ll have to let the chilled dough rest 15 minutes before rolling out)
5. Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and dust with rice flour. Place dough on top and dust with more rice flour. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and roll pie crust to about 1/4 inch thickness. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and flip your pie pan upside down on the middle of your rolled out crust. Place your hand under the crust and quickly turn over, so that the crust is in the pan and the pan is right side up on the counter. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and trim edges around pie pan. If the dough tore in any spots, simple press with your fingers to mend.
6. Return to refrigerator while you prepare a filling.

*This recipe can be doubled, but the egg amount doesn’t double with the rest of the ingredients; just use one egg.

Desserts elizabeth barone pie crust recipe, gluten free pie crust

This is a very good alternative to a traditional graham cracker crust. You have to make the Almost Graham Crackers and create crumbs. The easiest way to do this is to throw the crackers in a food processor, but you could also place them in a resealable plastic bag and crush them with a rolling-pin; kids particularly enjoy the rolling-pin choice. The crumbs freeze really well, so I recommend making a large batch at once and throwing them in a freezer bag until needed. Traditional graham cracker crusts call for 5 Tb melted butter, but I have found that less butter is really required. It’s a personal taste issue, so don’t stress if your butter isn’t measured perfectly, as long as there are a few tablespoons, the crust should hold together fine. I also prefer to just mix the crust directly into the pan I am using, why dirty another dish?

Pie crust, before being baked.

Almost Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 1/4 cups almost graham cracker crumbs
• 3-5 Tb butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Using a fork combine crumbs and butter directly in the pie plate of spring form pan.
3. Using a small measuring cup or you hands, press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate; if using a spring form pan I prefer to just press the crust into the bottom, but you could go up the sides if you prefer.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, the crust will be fragrant and slightly browned.

Desserts Gluten Free, gluten free graham cracker crust, gluten free pie crust