Tender Almond Pie Crust (oil & gluten-free)

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This pie crust is made from simple ingredients that include no refined fats.  Great for a prebaked crust and also just as good as a filled crust, it is not picky to work with like butter or oil crusts. it is very forgiving and can be easily patched.

Cashew flour also makes a nice crust, or you can use almond and cashew.  Have fun with it and enjoy how easy it is to work with.   

 

THIS RECIPE HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR AN IMPROVED CRUST AND THE PROCESS HAS BEEN SIMPLIFIED FOR EASE AND CONVENIENCE.

 

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Be sure and squirt a shot of non-stick spray into your pie plate and smooth it all around with your fingers so the crust will release easily.  The best fat-free option is a silicone pie plate.

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This crust can be mixed in a bowl by hand which is quick and simple, but it does require nice fine nut flour and lecithin ganules.  I like Costco’s almond flour really well.  

If you just have almond meal or large lecithin granules you will definitely need to use the food processor and run it until the nut flour is nice and fine before adding the liquids. A smoother crust will result from processing all the dry ingredients.

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For rolling out the crust, lightly wipe your counter with a moistened sponge or cloth and lay down a piece of plastic wrap.

Spoon the dough onto this and press together into a smooth flat round lump. Cover with an additional piece of saran or parchment. 

 I prefer saran for the piece on the counter because it molds into the pie plate better than the parchment). 

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Roll until the dough is about an inch larger than your pie plate. 

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Dispose of the top saran and turn the remaining one over with the dough side down and carefully mold it into the plate so there are no air pockets.

This dough is very forgiving so do not worry if it cracks, just push or patch it back together. 

 

Remove the saran and trim the edges with a knife.

 

Fold under the edge and flute, pricking with a fork for a prebaked crust.

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Tender Almond Pie Crust (oil & gluten-free)

Servings: One 9" single crust
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14-15 minutes
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond or cashew flour — press lightly to measure the almond and more firmly for the cashew as it doesn’t stick together the same. 

3/4 cup  whole-wheat pastry flour or low gluten flour of your choice* —stir and spoon the flour into measure and level with a knife.

1-2 tsp unrefined cane sugar

1-2 tbsp sunflower or organic soy lecithin granules**

1/2 tsp salt

4-5 tbsp unsweetened plant milk of choice

1-2 tsp lemon juice,  opt.

Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Take your pie plate and with your fingers spread two or three drops of oil or a squirt of food release spray.  Spread it all around and up the sides.
  3. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  4. Combine the milk and lemon juice.  Begin with the 4 tbsp and add as necessary.  Pour into the dry and mix enough to form a workable dough; if needed, you may add a teaspoon or two of milk or flour.  The dough should be pliable for forming into the pie plate and fluting the edges without it cracking, but should not be sticking to your fingers.  This dough is stickier than an oil crust, so  I like the method described above using the saran which also molds it easily into the pie plate.
  5. For a prebaked crust, prick bottom and sides with a fork and bake for 15-20 minutes or until turning golden, not brown.  Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool. Fill with your favorite filling.
  6. For pumpkin or fruit pies, fill raw crust with desired filling and bake according to pie directions. Check after 25 minutes to see if the edges of the crust are browning too fast.  If so, cover the fluted edges of the crust with foil. When cooking a filled pie, be sure and place it on a lower oven rack.  This improves the bake on the bottom crust.
Notes:

* If using gluten-free flours, I do not recommend any with starches as it will make the crust crispy like a cracker and not tender like a pie crust.  Preferably, you could use gluten-free oat flour or millet flour.  The millet is nice, but always check for freshness as it goes rancid quicker than most and that gives it a bitter flavor.  Always store in a fridge or freezer.

** Lecithin is what makes the crust tender. If your granules are really fine, the crust can be mixed in a bowl with the rest of the dry ingredients, otherwise, it will need to be processed with the dry ingredients in a food processor.

 

TIPS FOR AVOIDING A SOGGY BOTTOM CRUST:

  • Put it directly into the oven as soon as you fill it.
  • Bake the pie on a lower rack.
  • Preheat a cookie sheet on the rack to be used & place your pies on that for baking.
  • Sprinkle a layer of bread or cereal crumbs over the bottom crust before filling with a fruit filling.
  • Brush the bottom crust with a barrier that will seal it. — a thin gel of cooked cornstarch and water.