Almond Flour Pie Crust
This almond flour pie crust recipe skips the rolling entirely. You just press the dough straight into the pan with your fingers. It's naturally gluten free, comes together in one bowl, and bakes up golden and tender in under 15 minutes. If you've been nervous about pie crust because of soggy bottoms or cracked edges, this one is nearly foolproof.
Equipment
- 9-inch pie dish glass recommended to see browning
- Food processor or large mixing bowl and pastry cutter
- Parchment paper
- Pie weights or dried beans for blind baking
- Fork for docking and crimping
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almond flour superfine, about 200g
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter 4 tablespoons or 57g, cold, cubed
- 1 large egg about 50g
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar omit for savory crust
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Add almond flour, sugar, and salt to food processor bowl. Pulse 3-4 times to combine and break up clumps.
- Scatter cold cubed butter over flour mixture. Pulse 8-10 times until mixture resembles coarse sandy crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces visible.
- Add egg and almond extract if using. Pulse 6-8 times just until dough starts to clump together with no dry flour remaining.
- Transfer dough to prepared pie dish. Press evenly across bottom first, then up the sides to about ¼-inch thickness. Crimp edge with fork.
- Prick bottom and sides all over with fork. Freeze for 10 minutes to firm butter and help crust hold shape.
- Line chilled crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake 10 minutes, then carefully remove parchment and weights. Return to oven uncovered for 5-8 minutes until edges are golden brown.
- Transfer pie dish to wire rack and cool completely, at least 30 minutes, before adding filling. Crust will firm up as it cools.
Notes
- Almond flour matters: Use superfine, blanched almond flour, not coarse almond meal. The fine texture creates a smooth, tender crumb without grittiness.
- Keep butter cold: Cold butter is essential for a tender, short texture. Work quickly and don't let the dough warm up. Freezing the crust before baking helps too.
- Don't skip greasing: Almond flour crusts stick more than traditional wheat crusts. Grease the pan thoroughly with butter or cooking spray.
- Let it cool: The crust will feel soft right out of the oven but firms up significantly as it cools. Wait at least 30 minutes before adding filling or slicing.
- Dairy-free variation: Replace the butter with an equal amount of cold coconut oil. Measure and cube the coconut oil, then keep it chilled before using.
- Savory variation: Omit the sugar and almond extract. Add a pinch of dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, or black pepper to complement savory fillings.
- Chocolate variation: Replace 2 tablespoons of almond flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate crust that pairs beautifully with cream or berry pies.
- Make ahead: Press the dough into the pan and refrigerate unbaked for up to 1 day, or freeze baked or unbaked for up to 2 months. Bake frozen crust straight from freezer, adding a few extra minutes.
- Egg-free option: Replace the egg with 2 tablespoons of ice water. The dough will be more delicate to handle, so press it gently into the pan.
- Watch the edges: Almond flour darkens faster than wheat flour. If edges start browning too quickly during blind baking, cover them loosely with foil.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 6gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 90mgPotassium: 120mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 4IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!