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.
This is LEGIT just like the store light flakey pie crusts. I was so skeptical to try it out because it was tedious and I don’t normally like making things that require steps that involve waiting a certain amount of time (I like instant gratification) but it really wasn’t as bad as I had imagined when all is said and done. And in the end, it was BEYOND worth it!!! I made a double batch the second time and have it waiting for me in the fridge for making pumpkin pie and Brie cheese this Thanksgiving. Paola is always a genius!
I’m so happy to hear it worked out so great Amber, and I agree its definitely not hard to make at all (and with practice it becomes even easier)!!
p.s. I’m also making a brie wheel this week, def a personal favorite 🙂 happy holidays!
I really enjoy your recipes. That said, I don’t have a food processor and have to figure out how to create these recipes with a hand beater which is all I have. I would REALLY APPRECIATE you giving the “beater/mixer” version alongside your food processor versions. We’re not all lucky enough to be able to afford a food processor or have space in tiny kitchens for one. We still try! Keeping keto isn’t easy so I rely on these recipes to take the boredom out of my diet. I’ve been keto since March 1st, 2020 and have lost 47# so far. Can’t stop now! 🙂 Thanks for the fantastic recipes!
PS: When you say “butter cold” do you mean right from the refrigerator? It’s quite hard right from the frig but at least I don’t have to wait for it to soften! 😉
Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving and Blessings to All.
I’m sorry I’m super duper late to answer Maggie (and you make a great point!). To make this recipe without a food processor I would just grate frozen butter (this is the most important thing the food processor does, it ‘cuts’ your butter so grating it solves the issue!). And just use your hands to bring the dough together gently (don’t knead, you don’t want to melt the butter!). xo!
are there any substitutions to make it dairy free and not use cream cheese? like ghee or coconut cream?
Good question, and I’m working on a dairy free recipe! I can’t give you exact measurements yet, but I can tell you that lard is an excellent substitute for butter xo!
I am so excited for a dairy free version!! I can’t wait! Thank you for doing that! And thank you for creating keto gluten free recipes! You are the best!
Its my pleasure Tari!
Oooooh! I can’t wait either! 🤗
Just wondering if there’s been any luck with a dairy-free pie crust recipe? I saw the comment on lard and can try it. I recently tried subbing Miyoko’s unsalted vegan butter for real butter in a cookie recipe. The cookies baked with Miyoko’s were much closer in texture to cookies made with butter compared to cookies made with coconut oil. Love your recipes!
I just made this dairy free using earth balance for the butter and violife cream cheese. It’s in the oven right now, but it looked pretty good before I added the filling. I’ll let you know how it goes over after Thanksgiving!
THIS CRUST. Literally the best low carb “swap” I have ever made. It is buttery, flakey and delicious!!!!! Made it tonight for chicken pot pie and can’t waaaaaaait to make it for a sweet pie! So. Freaking.Good.
Is it nesscesary to use apple cider vinegar ?
I live with someone that has a coconut allergy. Would it be fine to sub almond flour for the portion of coconut flour? Or is there another type of flour that would sub in better?
I’ve found that I can substitute oat FIBER (not flour) in any baking recipe calling for coconut flour. I’ve done this in almost all of Paola’s baking recipes now – including this one – with good results.
Anthony’s makes a good, gluten free, oat fiber available through Amazon. I substitute 1:1 by weight.
The pizza dough is a similar dough. She says you can substitute oat fiber for the coconut flour in that one. I wouldn’t see why you couldn’t with this one as well.
Hi Paola, I love this dough! I made it quite a few times with great success. The best was the brie cheese combo. I want to make an apple pie with it next. However, I’m torn on whether to use this recipe or your all butter recipe from your book. Which one would you recommend?
I’m sure you don’t need another review of this recipe, but oh my goodness, I can’t help myself! Yes, this dough is fiddly, yes, you really need to follow the instructions carefully (including the 10-15 minute freezing before baking… soo important!), yes for the egg wash at the end, and yes, you might cry and swear a little while making it, but the results are SO worth it! In a strange way, despite being a bit difficult to get the hang of, this recipe is incredibly satisfying to make, and the results are delicious! I used this to make a dough for empanadas and it was fantastic – a bit flaky, a bit crumbly (and okay, it will never be “exactly” like a gluten-ey crust, but it’s so close!), yet somehow just right. I can’t wait to try variants of this for other types of dishes – pies, pasties, perhaps.. maybe… possibly croissants?! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it’s genius 🙂
Can you freeze this?
Am I the only one that can’t see any video?
Thaklntlif or such a great post. I always love reading your recipes and your tips. Do you know if I can sub the cream cheese With a none dairy version?
I won’t lie, I was suprised how good it was! My husband needs to eat low carb, but the rest of us don’t, however, it seemed easier to make this for all of us tonight instead of two separate meals. We were definitely fans! Even my 8yr old liked it.
I will note, I’m a firm believer that no pie crust should go without lard, so I did do 50/50 for butter/lard. I made a double batch and used the crusts to make a chicken pot pie. Turned out wonderful! I cooled the filling beforehand, like you mentioned with hot fillings, but I also pre-baked the bottom crust about 5 minutes before adding the filling (something I do with most pies) to help it withstand the filling step. The other tip I would mention is to grease the parchment paper a bit. I figured that out after the bottom crust stuck a bit. I baked for 25 min with a crust shield on and it was just right.
Look how cute!
http://imgur.com/a/mlcc1ft
Instead of rolling out the dough, can’t you just pat it directly onto the pie dish as you would a graham cracker crust?
The pie was delicious but dry. I followed the recipe 100 percent! In my opinion it needs less coconut flour.
This is the real deal! Best keto crust ever, and has turned out perfect every time! I brought a keto pumpkin chiffon pie to Thanksgiving 2019 (using this crust recipe) and it was THE favorite pie of several non-keto people. Lemon meringue, chocolate cream, chicken pot pie… I haven’t found anything this crust can’t handle! Thanks for the life-changing recipe!
Made the pastry for a quiche today and it is WONDERFUL! I am not a cook. I usually say if it turns out, it’s the recipe. Again, I am right…it IS the recipe. When I put the pie weights on top of the parchment paper for the first 15 min, I then took off parchment/pie weights and turned down heat as it says for the last 7 minutes… hope that was the right thing to do, but as I said, it turned out great. Thank you for a lovely recipe.
Wow this is great. A little tricky until you get the hang of the delicacy of the dough but as you said, when it gets difficult, pop it in the freezer for 5 minutes. I made meat empanadas, like my grandparents used to make for me but with this dough. It was like pull out a nice 2″ ball and flatten it oval wise between the parchment paper and keep lifting the paper on each side after each roll, then fill it in the middle and use the paper to turn over the dough to cover the filling so I can use a fork lightly to seal the edges. Came out so good, I have to hide them from the family so I have some left for me. lol. Thank you!!! *Only change was I used an egg yolk with ½ tspn monkfruit sweetener mixed together for the coating and it also helped seal any breaks in the dough. If you had a picture upload I would show you. 😀
What are you putting on the parchment paper and dough before rolling out? It looks like flour, but I’m sure it’s something else.
David, where are you finding a video? I’ve tried clicking the “Recipe Video” text in the recipe but there is no video – it takes me nowhere. This has happened every time I’ve tried to watch a referenced video on this site. Looked up Gnom-Gnom on YouTube and only 1 video there – a promo for the comfort food cookbook. However, I’ve used this recipe many times and it is wonderful. I don’t use anything to roll it in.
I second this question. I can’t get the dough off the parchment paper. Mine is closer to a paste than a dough two seconds after I take it out of the freezer. Not sure what I have done wrong- maybe my egg was too big? I know this is totally down to something I did and that this recipe works due to the reviews and the great luck I’ve had with all your other recipes. This is just a tricky one – we all must take heart! I am not giving up! I really want to save this, so I have pushed some into a muffin tin and am going to blind bake a little mini pie to see what happens. Then I will try with a filling. I’ll start all over again once I get my courage back up. 🙂
Hi I cannot eat cream cheese. Can I sub more butter?
Is it a cow’s milk issue? I’m about to try this with goat cheese now! (fingers crossed) looks delicious….
I am thinking of this as well. How did it go, Kirsten?
Thanks!
Did you try the goat cheese? I have a mild cow’s milk allergy, but I can do sheep and goat cheese. Would love to know if you subbed anything for the butter, too. Thanks!
I always use goat’s cheese as a substitute.. It turns out great 😊!
Have to tried Kite Hill Dairy Free cream cheese?
Hi! I looked through the comments and didn’t see an answer, so thought I would ask what you could sub for xanthium gum? My husband is potato intolerant and it is a potato based additive. Thanks so much!
Vital Wheat Gluten is a substitute for Xanthum Gum, has very little carbs.
Xanthum gum is typically corn based. but arrowroot or guar gum might sub though I don’t know those origins.
Xanthan gum is a sugar derived typically from corn (can also be from soy or wheat) that has been pooped out by a bacteria that produces rot on various vegetables.
I believe some forms are from corn. Perhaps, verifying this. And if so, look for a corn version.
I use corn based fiber powder, like the up and up one gets at target with the green lid in place on xanthuim gum =]
Just to say I don’t know anyone else who is potato intolerant, we found I am because many times I passed out after eating potato (especially skins like on jacket spuds) I was diagnosed at addenbrooks hospital. It turns out there is a lot of salacylic acid ( Aspirin) in potatoes, more in the skins. I am highly allergic to Aspirin. There is even more if veg is grown near willow trees, even organic can be grown near willow so best if veg is home grown, thought this maybe of interest to you.
I made this today! Didn’t even use a food processor. I just used a fork to do the mixing, to avoid over working the dough. Turned out absolutely fabulous ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you for sharing the recipe
I made it too it was great!
I see the nutrition facts per serving. How many servings per batch?
The recipe says 8 servings per batch.
Have you tested this with blind baking?
Did you ever get an answer to this question, or try it yourself? I want to know the same thing!
I’m from Argentina and I started doing Keto a month ago, so I was so glad I found a recipe to make Keto empanadas…it wasn’t as easy as it looked in the video but maybe I just overworked the dough. I had a very difficult time filling up the empanadas, I couldn’t use the empanadas press I would normally use. At this point I was disappointed and hopeless till they came out of the oven…amazing dough! I loved it!!! Couldn’t believe they were Keto!!
Yum!! Thank you sooo much for posting this recipe. So much nicer than the Fathead dough in my opinion.
Absolutely delicious! Thanks again all the way from the bottom of the world. New Zealand 🙂
SO…. this crust tasted great on the edges and did looked golden BUT is useless for making a pie, I made a STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE and to make sure this wasn’t too watery I pre-cooked the filling on the stove and I shoved it in the freezer to get cold, time wasn’t an issue since I was bingewatching Yellowstone in the downtimes BUT make sure you have LOTS OF TIME IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THIS. Now how exactly I’m I supposed to bake the top layer of the pie to make it look all pretty if this crust can’t take any heat (the shell is a different recipe so don’t even think about trying to shape this recipe into a top layer).
so top layer looks great, filling looks great, I just can’t take a slice out that pie dish, I might make it strawberry pie ice cream.
Wasn’t hard without a food processor.
Soooo are you saying, if you use this pastry you can’t fill it (for instance), with home made blueberry filling? Does pastry stay in tack and brown on bottom?
I, too made a strawberry rhubarb pie with this crust. It was difficult to make the lattice crust on top, but I got it there eventually. It just didn’t look perfect (had to pinch the dough together in several places). Making the lattice slats a little thicker helped. The only problem I had was that the centre of the bottom crust was quite soggy, even though I didn’t add any of the filling liquid (I used a slotted spoon to fill the bottom crust). But I think this was because I baked the pie according to the filling recipe (which was made with a traditional crust). I baked at 400F for 20 minutes, then turned down to 350F for another 30 minutes (and wrapped the edged in foil so the edges didn’t get too browned). I think the next time I make a fruit pie, I will follow these directions instead. I just loved the crust (even with the soggy bit)! It really was nice and flaky on the top and I loved the hint of lemon!
Hello there;Im wondering why I can not view the videos from this site.
Are you running an ad blocker joey? 😉
Hi me again😗.are you suposed to blind back this if you are making a quiche?
Hi,
I could not find the link for the video. Is it still available?
Also, can I substitute psyllium for xanthan gum? what dosage? And ricotta cheese for cream cheese?
Thanks for the recipes, can’t wait to try it out.
I posted a question earlier but it went somewhere.
Can I substitute whey protein isolate for coconut flour? Please respond.
Thank you
I’d love to get some subs for the coconut flour as well. Hi @GnomGnom can you help us out? 🙂
Went back to the first page of comments and found loads of answers (poor Paoloma!)
Here is our answer to swapping coconut flour…
November 14, 2018 at 4:39 pm
Paola says:
Unfortunately no… but have you tried Anthony’s? I find it’s taste is pretty much indistinguishable most of the time (unlike Bob’s?) xo!
Hi Paola,
I would like to try the recipe but I can’t stand coconut flour at all, in any way. What do you think if I substitute whey protein isolate for the coconut flour? Please let me know.
Thank you in advance
Hi there!
I was wondering if there was a reason you didn’t use the dough blade to to process this dough? I’m not sure if it makes a difference!
Thank you for the great recipes!