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.
Hello! Im making a Quiche! Which pan is better to use? a removable one? or just a regular quiche pan?,,,Your Quiche apparently was make in a removable bottom one!
Also when you make th dough the butter and cream cheese have to dissapear? I still can see little bits of both of them!!
Thank you so much:]
Hi! I have a question- can i refrigerate the crust and then take out when the filling is cooled and ready? How long can I refrigerate the crust- if at all. Thanks!
oh i just saw that part written down! sorry!
I really like the consistency of this crust. The only thing I didn’t like is the coconut taste. It didn’t go well with quiche. Have you tried it with just almond flour?
Try Anthony’s brand of coconut flour, it has a veeeery difference taste (like its barely there and actually pleasant)xo!
I am telling you – this crust is absolutely the BEST. I can not tell the difference from a regular crust. AMAZING!!!
I have never been able to make pie crust before I was Keto (my Mom tried to teach me but it never worked) an this every at thanksgiving I was jonesing for pumpkin pie and I came across your recipe which brought me to this page for the crust. This is seriously the best pie crust I have ever had, I have used it for pumpkin, strawberry cream and even my tourtiere at xmas. Everyone raves about it and they all want to know how it is made.
Thanks you for brining pie back to my life
Cheers
Terry
Using it for pumpkin pie did you prebake the crust at all? Was the bottom crust crispt?
Can I do this recipe without the xantham gum? Or is it essential?
I’ve made this crust for an apple pie and it was really good., however the bottom crust turned out soggy. Was I suppose to pre-bake the bottom before adding the filling? And if so, then how do I make the top crust stick to the bottom one since the bottom will no longer be soft but cooked ? Appreciate your help . Thank you
Is it possible to omit the xathum gum? or is there a replacement I can use? xathum gum is a no go d/t food sensitivities. Thanks
I substituted xanthan gum with guar gum powder, and it seemed to work, using the same porportion.:-). This is a great pie crust recipe, simple, easy and tasty.
Arrowroot is a good sub.
Not for xanthan gum xo!
Are there any possible substitutes for the almond flour for those of us with nut allergies?
I’ve always read that Sunflower Seed flour can be subbed one-for-one in recipes that call for Almond flour.
Yes!!!
Can these be deep fried?
Hi! Was wondering of I can use other butter vs grass fed? I am missing my empanadas and would like to make the dough. Thank you
Finally! I nice tender, flaky crust! I started on the low-carb lifestyle about 7 years ago and have wasted a lot of expensive ingredients and thrown out many failures from recipes found online. I was skeptical about the flaky crust claims but this recipe makes a lovely pastry. I used it for empanadas. Unfortunately, I tried to flip them over because the bottoms were browning much faster than the tops but they fell apart because the crust is so delicate. Tasted great, though. Thank you for a terrific recipe. Can’t wait to make more items using this dough.
I too have tried many recipes that ended up in a total fail. This one is phenomenal! I followed the recipe as written. I chilled the dough for 1 hour and then rolled it out between parchment paper to the size needed for my pie plate. Then I “rolled” the dough (still in between parchment) onto my rolling pin and put it into the frig until the next day when I baked it – think Pillsbury ready-made pie crusts. I did cover exposed areas with a plastic bag so it would not dry out. Then I formed it into the pie pan and put it into the freezer for 15 minutes while the oven preheated. Since I was putting the filling in after it was baked, I cooked it for about 23 minutes in my convection oven. I did do the egg wash which gave it a pretty finish. One recipe was enough for a deep dish pie pan, single crust. I really wish I could post a picture because it turned out so pretty. Had a little dough left over and cooked it separately – oh my the flavor is awesome – and yes it is truly flaky! This will be my go to going forward!
Is this recipe big enough for a deep dish double crust pie? I want to make an after Christmas turkey pot pie for the family. Will use some chicken bullion powder to flavor the crust
Quick question, your baked Brie looks simply Divine! Have you posted the recipe anywhere?
Second quick question🤗 that was asked above but I didn’t see an answer to; when making a pumpkin pie do you precook the crust at all, half way, or all the way before adding the filling?
I CANNOT WAIT to try this recipe! Thank you for such a clear and precise video!
Hello Paula Thanks for the recipe. Is the vinegar really needed and why? Thanks 🙂
Adding apple cider vinegar or shortening to the pastry keeps the gluten strands from getting too long, resulting in a tender, flaky crust. This is crucial for nut flour pastry since nut flours are heavier and denser than wheat flour.
… but this is a gluten free recipe, right? As far as I’m aware, almond flour and coconut flour do not contain gluten, so where is the gluten coming from?
Made the crust and the quiche and it was amazing!! Took it to my book club brunch and get so many compliments!!! Thank you!!
This is absolutely the best keto pie crust. I had leftover turkey so I wanted to make a turkey pot pie. It came out really yummy. I loved the tips. They were right on. I made the filling then put it in the refrigerator to cool down while I made the pie crust. By the time that was ready the filling was cold so it was easy to get the pie crust on top of the filling.
Just had the best pumpkin pie using your crust recipe and pumpkin pie filling recipe . Absolutely awesome! ! I haven’t had pumpkin pie in 4 years l
THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your work . Now I just have to stay away from the rest of the pie.
Hope you are feeling better Paola.
This is the best almond flour pie crust I have made! I love it, a perfect recipe!!!
I accidentally over worked my dough. It’s now smooth, but I do have it resting in the fridge. Any way to fix this? Do you know how the dough will turn out now that it’s like this?
Ketogenic lifestyle: First time using this recipe, and loved it!
Maybe I’ve been doing this keto/low carb thing too long, but I must say this crust was phenomenal. I really couldn’t tell a difference between this and a traditional pie crust. I used this recipe to make a pumpkin pie for thanksgiving. Seriously delicious! And I NEVER comment on these pages, I just had to because it was THAT good. Thanks!
If I am making pumpkin pie, do I still cook the crust first or will the crust cook while the pie is cooking.
I don’t have a food processor. Would a pastry blender and mixer work instead, do you think?
You can follow standard pie crust methodology too Becky, such as a pastry cutter (or even two knives!). xo!
Awesome! Thank you!
Why don’t you try lining the crimper with parchment or plastic wrap? I bet that would work! I use it with my tortilla press 🙂
THat’s so smart Jennifer! Funny that you mention the tortilla press! One of you guys emailed me this summer that during a heat wave in Texas, she put her tortilla press in the freezer and used it to flatten the dough and keep it cold lol! I swear that I write better recipes because of y’all- your tips, comments and questions are invaluable. xo!
How can I make this a sweet pastry? I’m thinking I want to do with custard and Apple or berries. Do you have another recipe so I can make a Danish style dessert? Any ideas would be wonderful.
This looks amazing! Can I substitute almond “cheese” (skinned almonds pureed with a little water and salt and lightly fermented for a day) instead of the cream cheese? I need to make this dairy-free.
Thanks in advance for your reply! I LOVE your recipes! I always go to gnom-gnom first, the recipes are great and very reliable:) xoxo
I want to know this too! The fact that this isn’t dairy free is the only reason I haven’t made it and I’ve been wanting to make it for months now!
Paola- I’ve been wanting to make this crust for a long time but can’t due to the dairy. I just bought something at the grocery store that might work to make this dairy free for my family. I just wanted to see if you had any input before I make a huge expensive mistake 😬 we have to buy all of our ingredients organic so just the almond flour alone is reallllly expensive when it’s organic. The product is a vegan cream cheese made from cashews by a company called Miyoko. Any thoughts on whether that would be a complete waste of time and money…? Thanks in advance!
Is the cream cheese really noticeable??? I plan on making a pumpkin and a pecan pie, and the cream cheese bit kinda makes me nervous…
It isn’t 😉
I make this wonderful all the time with Trader Joe’s non-dairy cream cheese and it comes out great.
Ohhh good to know thanks Zoe!
Was searching for the best pie crust for my traditional Thanksgiving pumpkin pie (ketofied version). After testing several different sample recipes this is hands down the best and closest to the family traditional. It was sturdy and browned beautifully without burning. Normies couldn’t detect it was keto. Thank you!
(I now plan on making 4 batches to have on hand in the freezer)!
Did you pre bake the crust at all? If so at what temp and how long? Was the bottom of crust done?
I just made a Quiche with this keto crust and it’s already gone! Even my husband likes it and he’s not a fan of coconut flour. I think it’s delicious. I will add some dried rosemary to the crust next time 😋
I’m planning to use this for quiche this week. Did you blind bake it partially before filling? I don’t want to burn the crust.
To make a Quiche crust is it pre-baked ? How long should I bake a quiche ? Trying to make a Lobster quiche, now
Well, I was so excited to try this recipe. Trying to find something positive to say, it looks nice. As for taste, it’s not good. Texture is not good. Sorry to be so negative, but I really didn’t like it.
Oh no! What didn’t’ you like about the taste Alice? xo!
I suppose the taste wasn’t the real reason I don’t care for this recipe, it’s more to do with the texture. I expected “the flakiest” or even somewhat flakey. I learned from my mother to make REALLY flakey pie crust. This was just disappointing as a substitute. As for taste, well, flour does have a different taste. Ground almonds and coconut have a different flavour, obviously, but they just don’t work for me in a pie crust. Granted, I could try experimenting with some different flavouring to see if i find something I like better but if I’m going to do that I’ll experiment with different ingredients in hope of finding a recipe I like better.
Alice, I think that when working without gluten you have to adjust expectations a bit you know? Particularly with the keto ‘flours’, as they are not grains.
I suggest you give a go to the other keto pie crust recipes on the internet and you’ll know what I mean by ‘the flakiest’ keto crust (as in you actually do get some flakiness with this one) 😉 xo!
It sounds like you over mixed your dough. This will make it less flakey. This recipe is great and very flakey for a gluten free recipe.
I want to use this for a baked pumpkin pie. Do I pre-bake the crust? If so, do I bake it the full time or only partially before adding the filling and baking? Can’t wait to try this.
Love this recipe. My son is coming to visit and he is a vegan. What can I use to substitute for the egg? Thanks
If he’s vegan, then you’re going to have to substitute the cream cheese, too. There are non-dairy cream cheeses at some specialty grocery stores (I.e. Trader Joe’s). Substituting the egg is as simple as opening a can of no salt added white beans and removing the liquid, which is called aquafaba, approximately 3-4 tablespoons per egg in a recipe.