Pie crust is an ever-elusive art, and finding a gluten free pie crust that even comes close to flaky can be a daunting task!
For the past seven years, I’ve been attempting to crack the code, and I’m happy to announce that this recipe is finally ready!
I have to admit I’m a bit of a pie snob. I spent a lot of Thanksgivings at my aunt’s house where she made more pies than there were people.
Every year it seemed she was tweaking her pie crust recipe, trying to find the perfect one, and it seemed like every year the crusts just keep getting flakier and tastier.
Of course, her pies were made with regular wheat flour, so I watched and listened to her techniques so I could apply them to a gluten free crust to make one that is flaky, tender, and, well, perfect.

How to Make a FLAKY Gluten Free Pie Crust
- Flour matters. Gluten free flour blends are all different, so I suggest using a high-quality blend that you have had success with in other finicky recipes like cookies or rolls. I used Better Batter all-purpose gluten free flour when testing this recipe, as it is my favorite 1:1 blend so plan on using it if you want guaranteed results. update: Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 (not the bean-based flour) works great with this recipe as well. I still prefer Better Batter, but either will turn out great!
- Don’t over-mix. You should have bits of butter in varying sizes throughout the dough. This is what creates pockets of air and makes the pie crust flaky.
- Use cold butter and refrigerate the dough. Starting with cold butter means the butter will melt while baking, creating that tender and flaky crust you’re going for!
- Get a pie crust bag. This is one of my favorite kitchen tools! It makes it so easy to roll out pie crust without all the mess and hassle. I also use my pie crust bag for making gluten free crescent rolls.

Make a Single or Double-Crust Pie
This recipe makes a 2 pie crusts, enough for 2 single-crust pies or 1 double-crust pie.
One tip I love to share: if you’re going to be making a chocolate cream pie, sprinkle a handful of milk chocolate chips on the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Allow the chocolate chips to melt, then use a pastry brush to spread them into a layer of chocolate on the bottom and up the sides.
Cool completely and allow the chocolate to harden before filling with chocolate pudding – this will create a barrier that will keep the crust from getting soggy, and add another element of flavor and texture to your pie!
I recommend milk chocolate chips, if you use a darker variety the chocolate layer will be harder to cut through.
If you’re making a double-crusted filled pie, why not top it with a scoop of ice cream? This homemade strawberry ice cream would be divine alongside a slice strawberry rhubarb.

Can I Make this Pie Crust Dairy Free?
Using 3 different types of fat in the recipe is what gives this crust lift and flakiness. I do plan to test a dairy free version using only shortening, I’ll be sure to update this post when I do!
How to Make Gluten Free Pie Crust
Start with a few basic ingredients. This recipe might call for a few things you don’t normally see in a pie crust recipe (like baking powder), and that’s what makes it work!

I love this recipe because you don’t have to mix the ingredients with a pastry blender or by hand – you can use your stand mixer!
Feel free to use a hand mixer if you don’t have one.

Briefly cream the fats together – you’ll want to have pieces of cold butter throughout so don’t over mix.
Next, add salt, instant dry milk, sugar, baking powder, and part of the flour. Use the lowest setting of your stand mixer to stir it together.
Add remaining flour and ice cold water (this is key!), and stir together just until combined. You can see from the picture that the dough will be a little chunky and not a smooth, uniform dough like cookie dough.
The dough should be wet though, not dry as you’re handling it.

Divide dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
Preheat your oven, and roll out the pie crust – I love using a pie crust bag for this step and link to my favorite in the recipe below. They are inexpensive and make pie making so much easier!

You can now bake just one crust, or make a double-crust pie.
Brushing the pie crust with an egg wash before baking is optional, but it will give your pie a beautiful, golden-brown finish and perfectly crisp texture so I strongly recommend it!
If you can’t have eggs, you can use cream instead.

Finally, sprinkling any double crusted pie with a little sparkling sugar before baking gives it a beautiful finishing touch!
Of course, there are SO MANY things you can do with pie crust! I love using this recipe to make chicken pot pie, and, of course, allll the sweet pies for Thanksgiving and the holidays.

MAKING THIS RECIPE??? We would love to see what you create with pie crust!
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Gluten Free Pie Crust
FINALLY, a gluten free pie crust that is Tender, Flaky, & doesn't fall apart! I'll walk you through this easy, fail-proof recipe for the perfect pie crust!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter - cold & cut into 8 pieces
- 1/3 cup shortening (I used spectrum)
- 1/3 cup butter-flavored Crisco shortening
- 1 T sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon dry milk
- 2 3/4 cup high quality gluten free flour - divided (see notes)
- 2/3 cup ice-cold water
- 1 Egg for egg wash (optional)
Instructions
- In bowl of stand mixer (see notes for other options), combine cold butter and shortenings. Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. It should be fairly creamy with pieces of butter throughout.
- Add sugar, baking powder, salt, dry milk, and 1 1/2 cups flour (see notes for measuring tips!) and stir (I use stir speed on Kitchen Aid stand mixer) for 10 seconds.
- Add remaining 1 1/4 cups gluten free flour and 2/3 cup ice cold water (see notes) and mix just until combined. Don't expect the dough to be smooth and solid like cookie dough, it should be a little choppy because you don't want to over-mix it. See the step-by-step pictures in the post for reference. If the dough seems too dry, add a tablespoon of water.
- Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and pat half the dough together into a ball, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Repeat with the other half and refrigerate the dough for 30-60 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Remove one disc of dough and roll it out into a circle larger than your pie plate (I use a 14" pie crust bag for this) You'll want to dust your surface with gluten free flour, but just a little - 1 tablespoon ought to do.
- Invert pie crust onto pie plate and poke with a fork 2-3 times.
- Whisk egg and brush onto pie crust. You won't need much of the egg, but brushing a little on will give your crust a beautiful, golden color and crispy edges.
- Bake single pie crust for 14-17 minutes.
- For double-crust pie, fill with desired filling, roll out second disc and invert onto top of pie. Seal and flute the edges, cut a few slits to release steam, then brush the top with egg wash. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar or regular white sugar, and bake according to recipe directions, usually 50-60 minutes.
Notes
- Flour matters. Gluten free flour blends are all different, so I suggest using a high-quality blend that you have had success with in other finicky recipes like cookies or rolls. I prefer Better Batter all-purpose gluten free flour when making this recipe, but Bob's Red Mill 1:1 (not the bean-based) works great as well!
- To measure flour: Stir the flour, scoop into measuring cup, and level off with the flat side of a knife. This will ensure you aren't adding too much flour to the recipe.
- Don't over-mix. You should have bits of butter in varying sizes throughout the dough. This is what creates pockets of air and makes the pie crust flaky.
- Use cold butter and refrigerate the dough. Starting with cold butter means the butter will melt while baking, creating that tender and flaky crust you're going for! You only need to refrigerate the dough for 30-60 minutes.
- Get a pie crust bag. This is one of my favorite kitchen tools! It makes it so easy to roll out pie crust without all the mess and hassle. I also use my pie crust bag for making gluten free crescent rolls.
- You can make pie crust ahead of time. To make pie crust ahead of time, prepare the dough as directed and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge up to 2 days, and let sit at room temp for 10-20 minutes before rolling out so it will be easier to handle.
- If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a large bowl and hand mixer. You can also use a wooden spoon (or other sturdy spoon) to cream the butter and the do the rest by hand.
- Use ice water. Add a handful of ice cubes to about a cup of water, let it sit for a few minutes so the water gets nice and cold, then measure your 2/3 cup from there.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Pie Crust Maker Set of 2 11 Inch and 14 Inch
- KitchenAid KP26M1XNP 6 Qt. Professional 600 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer - Nickel Pearl
- Crisco Baking Sticks Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening, 20-Ounce (Pack of 6)
- Spectrum Shortening, 100% Vegetable, Organic, 24 oz
- Redmond Real Sea Salt - Natural Unrefined Organic Gluten Free Fine, 4.75 Ounce Shaker (1 Pack)
- Better Batter Gluten-Free Flour
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 795Total Fat: 82gSaturated Fat: 51gTrans Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 260mgSodium: 691mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g
50 Comments
Jen
November 8, 2019 at 5:02 pmThis is a must-make for Thanksgiving!
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
November 13, 2019 at 12:50 pmYes!
Cecilia hudes
December 17, 2020 at 8:17 amCan I freeze the pie crusts
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December 18, 2020 at 8:44 pmYes, they freeze well!
Denise
November 25, 2019 at 7:12 pmWould you have a recommendation if a person needed to leave out the Crisco?
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
November 25, 2019 at 10:19 pmYou can substitute spectrum shortening or even additional butter if needed.
Jacquie
November 26, 2019 at 8:09 amI am curious as to why the 2 different shortenings…would it work to just use spectrum? I try to always avoid using Crisco.
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
November 26, 2019 at 12:55 pmThey behave a little differently, but you can use spectrum instead of the Crisco.
Callie Walker
November 27, 2019 at 12:28 pmI’m going to try this today! I’m so excited. Question: is the 14-17 minutes bake time for blind baking? Is that necessary for this recipe? I’ve never blind baked my crusts for pumpkin or pecan pies, but do you recommend doing so with this crust?
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
November 27, 2019 at 1:17 pmThe cook time is for blind baking, which you only need to do if you are using a chilled filling like for a cream pie. No need to blind bake for pumpkin or pecan 🙂
Ana
May 11, 2020 at 7:58 pmIf I only use butter for the crust, how much butter should I use?
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
May 14, 2020 at 10:00 pmYou can sub it for the same amount of shortening.
Mary Stubrich
July 13, 2020 at 12:32 pmCan I sub coconut oil for the butter or crisco?
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
July 15, 2020 at 11:18 amHi mary, I haven’t tried that yet so I’m not sure. If you give it a go, please let me know how it works!
Ashley
September 15, 2020 at 3:43 pmSo I have to say that out of the whole 6 years that I’ve been gluten free, that is is by far the best crust that I’ve ever made and or tasted! My whole family loved it including my two toddlers! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! I posted your link in some groups of mine and everyone else seems just as exciting as I am!
Amazing job. ❤️❤️
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
September 16, 2020 at 11:00 amAshley thank you so much, you just made my day! I so appreciate you sharing. XO Celeste
Kathy jean
September 16, 2020 at 5:34 amHave you made this with gum free better batter flour?
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
September 16, 2020 at 10:58 amI haven’t tested their gum free flour yet, if you do then please let me know how it goes!
Danielle Groom
October 27, 2020 at 10:22 amTHANK YOU!!! I have tried for years to make a good gf pie crust, last year I swore I was done. But I was craving an apple pie, so I came in search of yet another recipe to try…..this was the one!!! The pie crust bag is genius, it made this so much easier (and kept me from cussing at the sticky dough). The crust came out DELICOUS….light and flakey 🙂
Next time I make it, the only thing I will change is putting the rolled out dough, in the bag, back in the fridge before I put it in the dish….mine was a little too warm and fell apart a little.
Thank you!!!!
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
October 28, 2020 at 2:02 pmYay for tasty pie crusts! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thanks for sharing your experience!
Katie
October 27, 2020 at 10:55 amThe pictures even look better than other gf pie crusts I’ve seen, this is exciting! I’m planning on making some Thanksgiving dishes ahead of time and freezing them (save some of the hassle on the big day), do you think these crusts would freeze and thaw out well? Thanks!
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
October 28, 2020 at 2:01 pmI haven’t tried it, but I think it would freeze well!
Monique
October 29, 2020 at 3:54 pmIs it possible to omit the dry milk? Thanks!
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
October 31, 2020 at 4:07 pmIt would probably be fine, but might not brown quite as much.
Dawnna Spinney
November 7, 2021 at 1:16 pmDo you pre bake for an apple pie?
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
November 8, 2021 at 8:01 pmNo, fill and bake for apple pie. You only need to pre-bake for refrigerated pies like cream pies.
Amadia
November 19, 2020 at 11:57 amI’d love to try this recipe. I can’t have dairy though, what would you suggest as a substitute for dry milk powder? I am also going to use all dairy free butter and see how it goes as I prefer that to shortening.
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
November 20, 2020 at 9:23 amYou can use coconut milk powder or just omit 🙂
Morgan
November 20, 2020 at 7:29 pmI’m so excited to try this! My GF flour is high quality but does not have xanthum gum. Do you think I need it? If so how much would you suggest adding? Thanks!!
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
November 20, 2020 at 9:29 pmDepends on the flour blend you are using, I would try it with 1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour first…if it is too crumbly and doesn’t hold together well then you can adjust to 1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour the next time.
Joan
November 25, 2020 at 9:51 amI can’t find the actual recipe, with the ingredients list. for the pie crust! What am i doing wrong?
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
November 25, 2020 at 10:23 amIt is at the very bottom 🙂
Jeannie
March 6, 2022 at 11:12 amHi, love your recipe. I am celiac with a dairy problem. Can I do this without the powder mill.
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
March 13, 2022 at 9:41 pmYes, you can leave it out, or sub with powdered coconut milk 🙂 I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes!
Karissa
November 26, 2020 at 12:13 pmCan you freeze this pie crust?
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
November 28, 2020 at 2:13 pmYep!
Cherie
November 28, 2020 at 10:19 amI made my first ever lemon meringue pie with a GF pre-made crust for Thanksgiving. It was very tasty but if I could make a flakey crust, it would be even better! I can’t wait to try this recipe! And the tip on the pie crust bag is wonderful! I can’t wait to get mine! Thank you for your tips and help.
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
November 28, 2020 at 2:13 pmSo excited for you to try it! You’ll love the pie crust bag. XO Celeste
Amanda
March 28, 2021 at 11:31 amMine was very crumbly while rolling out. I hade to patch pretty much half of the crust once it was in the pie dish. I am thinking it was too dry. I will add more water next time. It’s in the oven right now. Hoping it tastes good.
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
March 29, 2021 at 9:51 pmThe amount of water needed can vary depending on humidity levels and flour used, definitely add a little splash of water next time if it’s too crumbly.
Shirley
September 24, 2021 at 1:41 pmWell I made my first gluten free pastry apple pie and I have to say it was the best I’ve made. I cut my butter into small piece with a pastry cutter then added all the small ingredients and half the flour , then added the I cold water and proceeded as per the recipe. The pie turned out excellent and the crust was crispy , it was the best pie I’ve ever made. Thank you for the recipe
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September 27, 2021 at 2:21 pmYay! So glad you enjoyed it!
Joan Gonzales
October 27, 2021 at 7:20 amLove your recipes! Is there a way to only print out the recipe without the adds? thank you!
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October 28, 2021 at 12:47 pmThe ads appear on the print preview, but will not be printed. So happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes!
Alene
October 27, 2021 at 10:14 amIf I already told you this, I apologize. I did try a gluten free blend recommended by The Loopy Whisk without rice flour, and it came out great! It actually worked. The blend has more tapioca flour than the other two whole grain flours. I made an apple pie, and it even tasted good! I was ecstatic because I thought a decent pie crust was gone to me with no rice flour. I do love your recipes and probably will try to convert them to rice free flour. Had a few failures with paleo recipes. Hope you have a lovely afternoon!
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
October 28, 2021 at 12:50 pmYay! I’m so happy the rice free blend worked, I know many others also can’t tolerate rice so I appreciate you coming back to share.
Mary J
October 27, 2021 at 5:10 pmI can’t use Crisco nor Spectrum. It has to be Palm oil free and preservative free. That leaves Butter or locally sourced lard.
Can you make a suggestion what to do with this recipe?
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
October 28, 2021 at 12:49 pmI have made this crust with all butter and it’s delicious that way, too! It does tend to shrink a little more so be sure the crust is nice and cold before popping in the oven.
Lonna
June 11, 2022 at 3:26 pmI am new to gluten free and loved this recipe because it can be made using my stand mixer. I love making new things and never give up when it doesn’t turn out quite right. Mistakes that I still need to work on: don’t overmix and make sure I use enough ice water. I thought the dough seemed to hold together pretty well without using all the water but found how wrong I was when trying to roll it out! Had a lot of patching to do but our tummies won’t know the difference! It was absolutely delicious (made a pecan pie) and will be even more better the next time I make it. Live and learn.
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com
June 17, 2022 at 4:26 pmI’m so glad you enjoyed the pie crust Lonna! Thanks for sharing 🙂