Suuuper flaky, buttery and tasty, this keto pie crust is ideal for anything from pies (think pumpkin and ‘apple’!) to empanadas and quiches.
Gluten Free & Keto Pie Crust
Suuuper Flaky!
Whip it up easily, roll it out, and go make some pie. Or empanadas, sweet hand pies, pop tarts (!!!), roll-ups… pfff! Endless possibilities await.
And did I mention just 2g net carb per serving?!
The Flours
I like a mixture of super fine almond flour and coconut flour best. Add a touch of xanthan gum, and we’re golden.
In terms of brands, for the almond either Anthony’s or WellBees work great. Both are super fine grinds. And for the coconut, I always favor Anthony’s (best taste and texture by a mile!).
And don’t be afraid of the seemingly long list of ingredients, as you’re likely to have most in your cupboard/fridge already.
Just One Rule
You must chill your pastry for 1 hour (at least) before using it. Similar to your good-old wheat flour, the almond and coconut (in particular) need the time to soak up the moisture evenly.
So chill for one hour, and up to 3 days.
On the subject of temperature, make sure that your filling of choice is completely chilled before filling up empanadas (or whatever it is you’re cooking up!). Otherwise you will (quite literally) see the pastry melt before your very eyes.
And remember that, like with any pastry dough, you need to work quickly and over a cool surface. Though do note that if the dough becomes too hard to manage, you can always pop it back in the fridge/freezer for 15 minutes before carrying on!
The Deets
When rolling out you may want to use parchment or wax paper. Given the lack of gluten, the crust is more fragile and it will break easily if not handled with care. So I suggest rolling it out between two sheets of parchment paper (see video).
And talking about lack of gluten, this is the reason why the dough will crack slightly when baked. I’ve noticed that the cracking can be lessened by allowing the dough to rest overnight (probably because moisture is distributed more evenly), though note that taste and texture will be the same.
I also noted that by increasing the xanthan gum you can get a silky smooth crust, but at the cost of losing a bit of flakiness. So I did sacrifice some aesthetics for the sake of taste and texture.
One last thing (promise!). Like with any pastry dough, make sure not to over-process the dough. The mixture ought to resemble coarse breadcrumbs rather than cookie dough. It will make the pastry much more flaky and (perhaps surprisingly) easier to handle.
And… The Video Story!
(The Flakiest!) Keto Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 96 g almond flour
- 40 g coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon or orange zest optional
- 100 g unsalted grass-fed butter cold
- 55 g cream cheese cold
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- egg wash optional (for glossy finish)
Instructions
- Please see recipe video for guidance!
- Add almond flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum, salt and zest (optional) to food processor and pulse until evenly combined.
- Add butter and cream cheese and pulse for just a few seconds until crumbly. Add in egg and vinegar and pulse until the dough just begins to come together (but stop before it forms into a ball). Like with any pastry dough, make sure not to over-process the dough. The mixture ought to resemble coarse breadcrumbs rather than cookie dough.
- Turn out the dough onto cling film (i.e. saran wrap) and pat into a round.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to 3 days. You can, alternatively, freeze the pie crust at this point and thaw out as needed (just as regular pie crust!).
- Roll out the crust between parchment paper. It's more fragile than regular pie crust, so you need to work quickly and in cold conditions. You can patch up any cracks that occur by pinching the dough together. And if at any point the crust becomes unmanageable, simply pop it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes before carrying on.
- Once shaped (pie, empanadas, etc), pop it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes prior to baking (as it will help to keep its shape better and come out flakier). Brush with egg wash for a glossy finish (optional, but highly suggested).
- Bake at 390°F/200°C for 10-12 minutes if making something small such as crackers. And up to 30 minutes for empanadas and such. Just keep an eye out for it, as grain free flours have a tendency to brown suddenly rather than gradually.
Hi, when making the leaves do you make them separate and then place them on top of the pie? If so how long do you bake the leaves for? Thank you.
I bake them separate (also helps to cover any cracks that may occur lol). Depends on thickness, but 8-12 mins. Give them a food egg wash!
I’ve made this pie crust several times and it’s amazing. Everything on this site is.
Can we substitute anything for protein powder? I want to start baking with protein powder but your recipes are so scientifically specific that I feel if I add protein powder it’s going to throw everything off.
Thank you!
Awww shucks Michelle, thats so awesome to hear and I’mm sorry I’m months late to get back to you– let me know which protein powder you have in mind (but yeah, sometimes its tricky though I do have a pie crust recipe with all butter and whey protein over in my subkstack newsletter). xo!
Hi. can I use something else instead of cream cheese due to lactose tolerance?
I don’t have a food processor. I cut the butter and cream cheese into one inch cubes and then used the good, old-fashioned pastry blender thing by hand. It worked. I made a double batch and used the crust to make a keto tourtiere. I found it relatively easy to handle and the crust was delicious. My only complaint is that it kinda fell apart when you went to lift your piece of tourtiere out of the pie plate. Maybe because I didn’t use a food processor? Whatever… it was flaky in texture and delicious and I will make it again. Thanks for the recipe!
Have you ever come accross a recipe where the amounts are completely wrong? This is one of them. Try cutting the butter and cream cheese in half. Sigh.
Excited to try this! Can I make this the day before? If so, is it best to store in the fridge or freezer?
For sure Patti, just let it hang out in the fridge (up to 3 days!)
Hi Patty, I’m excited too. I made the crust on Monday and put it in the frig. I just made my chocolate KETO pudding to go in it. I’m about to roll out the dough and bake it. Fingers crossed. HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
Can I make this dough ahead and freeze?
Hi Paola, Thanks for your awesome recipes! I have a QUESTION 😉 I am thinking of using this crust to make a Sweet Potato Pie for thanksgiving. Is this recipe enough for a 9 inch “DEEP” dish pie? or a “regular dish” pie? Or better yet, what mold do you use for pies using this crust recipe? I have to buy the pie dish/mold as I don’t have one. So whatever you use would be great! 🙂
I love baked Brie. Yours looks amazing. Would you please direct me to your recipe?
Hello Paola. I am dying to make this recipe but the block style cream cheese (eg Philadelphia Original) is not available here. The Cream cheese that is available is in a tub and is soft, having added water. Does that work in this recipe or would it make the dough too soft? Can mascarpone be use as a substitute, and if so, how much, as it has more than twice the fat content as cream cheese? Same question about soft goat cheese, can it be used instead, and if so how much? Also, cream cheese has added locust bean gum. Would I need a little locust bean gum if I use a substitute? Thank you so much in advance.
I just made the crust for pie, easy to whip up and baked nice,
Great recipe it’s my go to! I leave out the lemon and add Italian seasoning if I want a savory pie or tart. Makes a great deep dish pizza Ratatouille tart and mushroom tart! Really delicious!