This oat flour pie crust makes for the best dairy and gluten-free pies! With a delicious slightly-nutty flavor and wonderful texture, you can make incredible pies everyone will enjoy.
Classic desserts (like pie) can be tricky with allergies or food sensitivities. For years every pie I tried to make was a failure, and I all but gave up on making one of my husband’s favorite desserts.
But that all changed when I discovered oat flour! That was the secret ingredient that I’d never tried in a pie crust, and it made all the difference.
Unlike many other gluten-free flours or blends, oat flour has a smooth texture and bakes very much like wheat flour. It’s delicious slightly-nutty flavor perfectly compliments pies for an amazing, rich dessert.
Why You’ll Love Oat Flour Pie Crust
Allergen-friendly – This pie crust is gluten, dairy, egg, and nut-free, so everyone can enjoy it.
Quick recipe – You’ll have your pie in the oven in no time!
Delicious with any pie – This crust is the perfect base for any flavor of pie you want to make.
Easy to handle – No hard-to-roll-out dough here!
Perfect for savory dishes too – Just thinking about this pie crust gets me in the mood for chicken pot pie!
Generous recipe – You’ll have plenty of dough for your crust plus a little extra to decorate the top of your pie with cut-out shapes. (Or you can just let your kids play with the extra dough like my toddler does!)
Can I Freeze Oat Flour Pie Crust?
I don’t recommend freezing unbaked oat flour pie crust since oat flour continues soaking up more moisture the longer it sits.
However, you can freeze a baked pie crust or pie. To do so, let it cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic food wrap, and place in the freezer for 2-3 months.
When you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw in the fridge.
Tips for Making the Best Oat Flour Pie Crust
Don’t let it sit while you’re making it – When you start to make this crust, keep going until it’s finished. The oats continue to soak up water as the dough sits, and the texture will change.
Keep everything cold – For best results, use cold ingredients and tools.
Place in the fridge while making the filling – While you’re making the filling for your pie, keep the crust cold in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it.
Add slightly more water than usual – If you’re used to making pie crusts with regular flour, you’ll need to add slightly more water to this oat flour pie crust since the oats will soak it up as you roll it out.
Use the rolling pin to help you place the crust in the pie pan – To avoid breakage, roll the crust around the rolling pin before transferring it to the pie pan.
FAQs
Can I prep this oat flour pie crust in advance? – No, I don’t recommend making this pie crust ahead of time. The oat flour will continue to soak up more moisture the longer it sits and the texture of the dough will change.
Will butter work instead of coconut oil? – Yes, if you’re not dairy-free, butter is delicious in this pie crust!
Why is the dough crumbly? – If the dough is crumbly, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it can be easily rolled out.
How do I fix sticky dough? – If your dough is too sticky too easily roll out, add more oat flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together nicely.
Can I use a deep-dish pie pan? – Yes, this makes enough dough for a standard or deep dish pie!
Tools You May Need
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Ingredients for Oat Flour Pie Crust
Oat flour – You can buy it or make your own. If you need this recipe to be gluten free, make sure to use gluten-free oat flour.
Coconut oil – Make sure it’s cold for best results. I like to place mine in the freezer for a few minutes before making the crust.
Salt – Sea salt or Himalayan
Coconut sugar (optional) – You can add a small amount of coconut sugar if you’d like a little bit of extra sweetness.
Water – Icy cold water will give you the best results.
Step-By-Step Instructions
First, in a mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, salt, and coconut sugar (if you’re using).
Next, add the coconut oil to the bowl and cut it in using a pastry blender. You want the dough to look crumbly with lots of lumps.
Now add 1/3 cup of water and mix the dough using your hands. It will still be crumbly, so continue adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough clumps together but isn’t too sticky.
Roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper until it’s about 1/8 inch thick. If it’s helpful, you can lightly flour the parchment paper before you roll out the dough. However, I find this isn’t always necessary.
Then transfer the crust to a pie dish and gently press it into the edge to make sure there aren’t any air bubbles. If you are pre-baking the crust, poke a few holes in the bottom with a fork.
Trim the edges of the crust so you have about a 1 inch overhang. Next you can go ahead and crimp the edges or add the filling and a top crust and then crimp the two crusts together.
I love using gluten-free crumb topping on my pies like in this photo.
Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 15 -20 minutes or according to your pie recipe’s instructions.
If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments! Tag me on Instagram @violet_rightathome
More Clean Eating Gluten-Free Desserts
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oat Flour Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 2 cups oat flour if this crust needs to be gluten free, make sure to use gluten-free oat flour
- 1/4 cup coconut oil cold
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar optional
- Cold water
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, salt, and coconut sugar.
- Add the coconut oil to the bowl and cut it in using a pastry blender.
- Add 1/3 cup of water and mix the dough using your hands.
- Continue adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough clumps together but isn't too sticky.
- Roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper until it's about 1/8 inch thick.
- Transfer the crust to a pie pan and gently press it into the crease to make sure there aren't any air bubbles. If you are pre-baking the crust, poke a few holes in the bottom with a fork.
- Trim the edges of the crust so you have about a 1/2 inch overhang.
- Crimp the edges or add the filling and a top crust and crimp the two crusts together.
- Bake the pie for 15 -20 minutes or according to your pie recipe's instructions.
This is my go-to crust for sweet and savory pies. My husband loves it (and I do too)!