Gluten Free Pie Crust
When I was a young bride, I learned to make pie crusts from Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cookbook, published by McGraw Hill Book Company, circa 1961. I was extremely proud of myself, as I thought pie crust was difficult to make when, in fact, it was fairly foolproof. This recipe gives me the same results and it is just as foolproof—just a tad more fragile to work with without the gluten. Getting perfect results is made much easier by rolling the crust out between plastic wrap and, if you follow the directions, you’ll be thrilled with the results.
To get a flaky crust, it’s important to use cold shortening and ice water. We recommend putting the measured quantity of shortening in the freezer first, and then gather all your ingredients for the rest of the recipe. There’s a whole long scientific explanation for why it’s important to use cold ingredients, but the short account is that it’s essential to mix the flours into the fat before the fat is absorbed into the flour. If the dough heats up and the fat melts before it’s in the oven, your pie crust will be crumbly.
The next thing to know is that it’s alright to use a food processor lightly. Experiment and see what works for you. This recipe was adapted from Sharon Lachendro’s Food Blog and is dairy free and vegan. June
To get a flaky crust, it’s important to use cold shortening and ice water. We recommend putting the measured quantity of shortening in the freezer first, and then gather all your ingredients for the rest of the recipe. There’s a whole long scientific explanation for why it’s important to use cold ingredients, but the short account is that it’s essential to mix the flours into the fat before the fat is absorbed into the flour. If the dough heats up and the fat melts before it’s in the oven, your pie crust will be crumbly.
The next thing to know is that it’s alright to use a food processor lightly. Experiment and see what works for you. This recipe was adapted from Sharon Lachendro’s Food Blog and is dairy free and vegan. June
Gluten Free Pie Crust
2019-09-22 16:21:47
Ingredients
- One-Crust Pie Two-Crust Pie
- 1/2 cup chilled Spectrum shortening 1 cup
- ~ ~
- 1/2 cup white rice flour 1 cup
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour 1 cup
- 1/3 cup tapioca flour aka starch 2/3 cup
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum 1 1/2 teaspoon
- ~ ~
- 4 - 5 tablespoons ice water 1/2 cup or a bit more
Instructions
- 1. Measure shortening and place in the freezer for a short time or the refrigerator for a longer time to chill well before using. Do not let the shortening freeze.
- 2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (191 degrees C) if prebaking crust. Grease pie pan and set aside.
- 3. Measure white rice flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum and salt into the food processor. Mix well.
- 4. Cut up cold shortening and add to the flour mix. Pulse briefly, just until flour and shortening forms beads or, better yet, use a pastry blender.
- 5. Add ice water and pulse until mixture forms into a ball. Mixture must hold together without crumbling but not be sticky. If necessary, add 1 tablespoon water.
- 6. Spritz a bit of water on the counter. Cut 1 piece of plastic wrap approximately 18” long. Smooth the plastic wrap over the moistened area. Divide dough in half if making a two-crust pie, and form one half into a ball. Place on the plastic wrap and cover with another piece of plastic wrap the same size.
- 7. Gently roll out the dough to a uniform consistency the size of your pie pan. Crust should a little thicker than 1/8” and less than 1/4”. Remove top piece of plastic wrap and gently flip rolled out dough including the bottom piece of plastic wrap over your hand and wrist. Supporting it carefully with your hand, gently flip it into the pie pan and ease the crust into the pan contours before carefully peeling plastic wrap away from the dough. If this is to be a one-crust pie and there is a dough overhang, fold the excess upward onto the lip of the pie pan. Press to incorporate and make a thicker rim for your crust.
- 7. If prebaking the crust, prick the crust every couple of inches with a fork to encourage the crust not to puff away from the pie pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes and fill with a precooked filling.
- 8. For a two-crust pie, roll out the second ball of dough following the same procedure. Fill pie with filling and place second crust on top of the filling. Crimp the edges to seal.
- 9. Cut small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape as it bakes. Bake as directed for your particular filled pie recipe.
- Note: Use the two-crust recipe for a deep dish pie pan. If it requires a crust on top, you may have to make an extra single batch.
- Note: This recipe is vegan but for a more tender crust, add 1 egg and less ice water.
Kitchen Tools
- Food processor
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Plastic wrap
- Pie pan
- Rolling pin
Celiac Creations https://www.celiaccreations.com/
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