This Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust recipe is made with four ingredients total! All you need to make this easy gluten-free pie crust is almond flour, coconut oil, an egg, and salt.
This incredible crust can cradle fruit or creamy pie fillings. Below I’ll give you my favorite fillings for this crust, so read on!
Low-Carb Keto Recipes
If you’re into this Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust recipe you’ll want to check out my Keto Diet Recipes page. It’s absolutely indispensable!
Easy Almond Flour Pie Crust Recipe
Whether you’re following a keto diet or the gluten-free diet, almond flour is a wonderful flour for re-creating your favorite baked goods.
Why? Almond flour is gluten-free, grain-free, and the best low-carb flour. While I don’t eat almond flour on a daily basis, it’s perfect for special occasion treats.
How to Make a Low-Carb Pie Crust with Stevia
This homemade low-carb pie crust is a breeze to make. I’ve recently begun adding 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla stevia to this recipe which gives the crust a lovely sweet flavor.
Pie Crust with Butter or Dairy-Free Pie Crust?
If you’re looking for a pie crust with butter I’ve got you covered. But if a dairy-free pie crust is your thing use coconut oil here rather than butter. I’ve tested this Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust recipe with each ingredient and it’s fantastic either way.
Low Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, or salted butter, cold
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Place flour and salt in food processor and pulse briefly
- Add coconut oil and egg and pulse until mixture forms a ball
- Press dough into a 9 inch glass pie dish
- For no bake pies: bake at 350°F for 13-18 minutes, until goldenFor baked pies: par bake at 350°F for 8 minutes
- Cool
Easy Almond Flour Tart Crust Recipe
This recipe is based on my Gluten-Free Tart Crust recipe. So many of you asked me to recreate it in a version that would work in a 9-inch pie dish that I just had to do it!
Nut-Free Egg-Free Pie Crust
I have so many readers and friends with such a multitude of food allergies that I had to create an alternative to this Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust recipe. That’s where my Nut-Free Egg-Free Pie Crust comes in.
It’s a nut-free pie crust and an egg-free pie crust, and a dairy-free pie crust all combined into one! My husband and boys say it tastes like cookies!
So now you have two fabulous gluten-free pie crust recipes to choose from.
Should I Pre-Bake My Pie Crust?
So, let’s get down to pie crust baking basics! First off, be sure to read the recipe’s instructions, because every recipe is different when it comes to pie crusts. Still, I have some general guidelines for you when it comes to the question of, “should I pre-bake my pie crust or not?”
If you’re using this Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust for a pie with a filling that needs to be cooked, like my Paleo Pumpkin Pie recipe below, you would not pre-bake the crust, but pour the filling into the raw crust and bake pie and crust together.
Alternatively, if using this crust for my Low-Carb Banana Cream Pie which is a raw pudding that thickens in the fridge, you will need to pre-bake the crust then pour in the filling after it cools.
Why Prebake Crust?
I’m often asked, why prebake your crust? The answer is easy. Sometimes a recipe calls for blind baking. This term is synonymous with pre-baking which is when you bake your crust for a short period of time (typically around 10 minutes) before you put the filling in it. Again, follow the recipe.
Can Pie Crust Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, that is the beauty of this recipe, not only is it a super quick pie crust, it can be made ahead of time. I have made the dough a few days ahead and put it in a sealed bag in the fridge or freezer and then thaw it and press it into the pie pan just like fresh dough.
Can Pie Crust Be Frozen?
If you’re wondering can pie crust be frozen, the answer is yes. Just thaw out the crust before you fill it and bake your pie.
Alternatively, my friend Deb has a recipe for a special blueberry pie in which she makes the pie crust, then puts the filling in, then instead of placing in the oven, she freezes it so it’s ready to bake when her daughter comes home for a visit. If you are interested, leave a comment and I’ll get the recipe for you!
Is Pie Crust Gluten-Free?
Not all pie crusts are gluten-free, however, like all of the recipes on my site, my Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust recipe is gluten-free.
The Best Low-Carb Pie Recipes
We love pie in our household, so below I’ve compiled a list of my favorite pies using my two favorite pie crusts, this recipe, and my Nut-Free Egg-Free Pie Crust.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
My low-carb Chocolate Pecan Pie is a family favorite that I make every Thanksgiving. It’s so special though, that we have it all year round. This low-carb dessert is wonderful at Christmas and Easter, and I often make it for Passover since it’s kosher for Pesach dessert.
The crazy thing about this pie is that the filling has only five ingredients total, making it a breeze to throw together.
I’ve made Chocolate Pecan Pie in this Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust recipe and in my Nut-Free Egg-Free Pie Crust and the family likes it both ways.
If you’re looking for a keto pie recipe, you’ll want to take a look at my Keto Pumpkin Pie below.
Vegan Keto Pumpkin Pie
Keto Pumpkin Pie is another family favorite. This recipe contains freshly roasted pumpkin, a ton of healthy fat in the form of coconut, and a mere tablespoon of maple syrup, but I’ve made it with and without that sweetener and it’s still just as heavenly.
Other features? This is an egg-free pumpkin pie, which you’d never know tasting it, and it’s also a no-bake pumpkin pie to boot, in case you’re looking to save oven space on Thanksgiving or other holidays.
Classic Paleo Pumpkin Pie
My Classic Paleo Pumpkin Pie is a low-carb pie made in the traditional fashion.
For this recipe, I use a custard base made of freshly roasted pumpkin (or canned pumpkin) and eggs. Rather than the usual heavy cream, I use coconut milk so that it is a dairy-free pumpkin pie. I bake it up in my Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust and the family goes bananas for it, speaking of which…
Low-Carb Banana Cream Pie
Didn’t think you’d ever find a Low-Carb Banana Cream Pie recipe? You’re in luck.
Forget about ingredients like sugar, cornstarch, and condensed milk. This healthy banana cream pie filling is made with a high-fat base of coconut milk and coconut oil with bananas blended in, making it a dairy-free banana cream pie, recipe, plus it’s also egg-free.
This no-bake vegan banana cream pie is super easy to make. Bake up my Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust, let it cool, and throw in this awesome filling.
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
The great thing about this Chocolate Pumpkin Pie, aside from its fabulous flavor and rich texture, is that you can use canned pumpkin for it, making it a breeze to throw together.
Place this fuggy filling in my Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust recipe, or my Nut-Free Egg-Free Pie Crust and bake up some chocolate-pumpkin goodness.
The Best Low-Carb Pie Recipes
Oh pie, how I love thee! What’s your favorite pie recipe? Leave a comment and let me know!
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives, I first shared this Low-Carb Almond Flour Pie Crust recipe in May 2013, back then we called it Paleo Pie Crust.
Marilyn says
I have been paleo for a year and a half now. I seldom use Agave or other high glycemic index sweetners. Mostly we use xylitol, which is made from the sap of the birch tree. Adding some xylitol to the pie crust mix gives it a shortbread taste! Usually for fillers, we use frozen frozen or fresh organic blueberries, or a berry mix, or lemon juice, thickened with kudzu and sweetened with xylitol. Xylitol will cause some digestive disruption if used in excess, but it doesn’t have the same laxative effect as mannitol. Our chewing gum and mouthwash also contains xylitol, and my dentist says my gums have de-aged ten years (no inflamation!! ) since being on this regime. I am looking for a good source here in Canada of sourdough starter that will grow on coconut flour. We recently had coconut sourdough bread, toasted. Delicious! but we will have to watch the slippery slope of over consumption, as we are reformed bread a holics! Lots of love, and thankyou Elana, for your emails that brighten my inbox with healthy delicious paleo treats. hugs all! Marilyn
JP says
oooh, I would LOVE to hear more about the coconut sourdough bread!!!
Kathryn says
This looks like your tart crust which is a favorite here. :-)
Cindy Drozda says
Thank you, Elana for this recipe! You said that you don’t eat almond flour every day. Why not? Is there something wrong with eating it every day?
Cindy
Morgyn says
Hi! I know you posted your comment a while ago, but no one responded! You may already have the answer to your question. Just in case, I’ve been reading a lot about almond flour (and baking a lot with it!), and from what I’ve read, almonds are pretty fatty and so they aren’t ideal to eat a lot.
However, in my area I only have access to almond flour and tapioca starch. I’m looking into making and/or buying some coconut flour online. Until then, I’m only cooking/baking with almond flour. I think it’s okay to choose how much is good for you to eat- I love nuts and I don’t gain weight when I eat them in somewhat excess moderation. :)
Cynthia Green says
Actually there would be nothing detrimental to one’s health to eat almonds or almond flour as much as one desires. Nutritionally, fat is not our enemy as long as the source is healthy, organic, non GMO, and in the case of animal fat, raised on an organic diet that is natural to the particular animal, free from hormones or antibiotics and raised in an environment which does not stress the animal. Really, the human body has a critical need for fats, as the membrane which encloses every cell in the body is made from – you guessed it – lipids (fats)!
Most nutrition and health experts, naturally oriented or otherwise, agree that the “fat free” craze of the last 30 years has been a dismal failure. In fact it has been directly correlated with the extreme increase in obesity and rise in heart disease observed over this period of time, likely due to the addition of sugar and other highly processed ingredients and toxic chemicals.
Sorry for the lesson, but I am a biochemist and passionate natural health advocate!
Alex says
Thank you kindly for the information! I am gratefull for the lesson!:)
Elizabeth says
You are so correct on the need for healthy fats in the diet. The low- fat craze which is still rxn today has not only been harmful though deadly in some cases. I personally was messed up horribly by strictly following my rxn diet for low fat. Fats are needed in every cell and used to manufacture key horomones! This also is a soap box of mine and am glad to see other alternatives out there other than store manufactured “maybe food by product.”
Stephanie says
It’s not because almonds are fatty. It’s because they’re very high in Omega-6 fatty acids. We need Omega-6’s, but only in proper proportion to Omega-3’s. It’s very easy to overload on Omega-6’s, especially in the US.
staci says
The short answer is: cooking nuts makes them less-good for you, I still do nut-based baked goods but not very often, I look for coconut-based baked goods instead.
Lindsay says
A big reason I would think most people don’t use almond flour daily would be because it is more expensive than most gf flours.
Saundra says
Looking forward to making a pie! Thanks for this recipe.
Diana says
This is almost the same as the recipe for Against All Grain’s Bacon Gruyere Breakfast Pizza, which I made last night for dinner. (The AAG recipe adds a tablespoon of cold water.) I used butter instead of coconut oil. The crust was too thick for a 9″ tart pan. I wish I had purchased a 10″. I par-baked the crust for 10 min per Danielle’s (AAG) instructions and the edges ended up being perfect, but the center was still doughy. I think the thickness of the crust was a problem. Also, I will probably par-bake the crust longer in the future, while covering the edges to keep them from burning. Oh, and most importantly, the crust was delicious (on the edges at least, just needed more cooking in the center).
Elana says
Diana, the recipe for my Paleo Pie Crust is based on a recipe I wrote in 2011 for my Gluten-Free Tart Crust:
https://elanaspantry.com/gluten-free-tart-crust/
I’m happy that so many versions of that recipe have become popular and worked as a template for so many other bloggers :-)
Enjoy!
Elana
Bailee says
Oh, thank you SO much for sharing this!! My son will be able to eat pie on Thanksgiving!! I can’t wait to try this recipe out. I think I will put some kind of pumpkin filling in my pie because it is my favorite. But, I hope I can find a recipe without sugar that tastes good too!
Maria says
I used one of Elana’s recipes (from her Almond Flour cookbook, I believe) and just substituted butternut squash for the pumpkin and my family loved it. I think the recipe called for agave but I used some honey instead.
Martha S. says
I noticed you say to press the dough into the pie dish instead of rolling it flat with a rolling pin first. Does that mean the rolling pin is a bad idea for some reason? Only asking b/c I love using mine and would rather do that than press the dough if it’s doable. Thank you!
Ronalyn Hurley says
I urge you to try your rolling pin and let us know if it works.
PS says
I’ve done another paleo pie crust recipe (not from here) and the dough ends up being more sticky and paste-like, so it just won’t roll out at all. I’m guessing that’s the reason here too.
This recipe sounds a lot better than the one I used so I’ll be looking forward to trying it. I’m a huge fan of quiche, so I’ll probably add more salt to make the crust more savory for that.
Maria says
I’ve made another one of Elana’s almond flour pie crusts and the dough had a consistency that wouldn’t work well for rolling it out. Pressing it into the pan works just fine. And it tastes good, too.
susan says
I place in between two pieces of parchment and roll – it works pretty well
Chrissy says
I rolled out the dough and it worked just fine.
Mary Lou says
The reason for pressing into a pie pan, rather than rolling it out like a traditional crust, is because it just won’t work without the gluten to bind the ingredients together. Gluten is what give breads/pie crusts elasticity; gluten free recipes would simply crumble and fall apart. It may be possible to roll-out on a sheet of plastic wrap and place over your dish, but in my opinion, why dirty-up a rolling pin when it’s not necessary.
Alison @ Ingredients Inc says
i am posting this on my Facebook page today
Holly says
So excited about this recipe! Love the fact that it’s only 4 ingredients!
sarah says
Oh happy day!!! Banana cream pie is my absolute favorite. I’ve been eating a deconstructed one (which is actually very delicious), but oh to eat a real pie crust would be perfection.
Linda says
Has anyone tried this for a two crust pie? My family and I love apple pie but I don’t see if anyone has tried it this way. Thanks!
Laura Thomas says
I make a single crust apple pie. In a cast iron skillet. Crust on top only. It’s yummy. Or you could do bottom crust and some type of crumb topping.
Amber says
Oooo do you have a recipe you can share for the cast iron skillet apple pie?
missmabee says
I can’t imagine this working as a top crust as it has to be pressed into the pan like a graham crust and it not rolled out.
BUT you can definitely make it with other ground up nuts like pecan! And for the record, a salted pecan crust under cheesecake is a very good idea :)
Judith Wylie says
For top crust, you could press a second crust flat, bake it not quite done while pie bakes & top your pie with it toward end of oven time.
Or you could slightly freeze it, cut it in strips and lattice-top the pie. The stiffened strips would collapse to fit the pie while in the oven.
A twist on this is to tear or cut the lightly-frozen top crust, slightly under-bake the pieces while pie bakes, then arrange these on top of pie near end of oven time. Overlap or space out, to your liking. Very neat rustic look on cobblers & pot pies, especially!
Nancy says
Nice idea. Thanks. You could even use leaf, Christmas,Valentines, etc. cookie cutters, to fit the season.
Tammy L. says
Try rolling it out between 2 pieces of plastic wrap but be careful not to get too thin. I used to do that for an oil crust I made for a heart patient and the crust could not be rolled in the conventional way either. Take top piece off once rolled out and careful transfer to top before peeling off the second piece of wrap.
Sandi says
I rolled the crust out between sheets of parchment paper and it worked great!
Ma Mooch says
Yes, I also did mine this way.
I used it for both the bottom and top of my pie.
Worked great!!