Are you intimidated at the thought of making your own pie crust? Don’t be! I always keep premade pie crusts on hand around the holidays, but we also love to make our own. Homemade crusts really do taste better!
If you need a single pie crust for a quiche or a pecan pie, or an apple crisp, this is the recipe for you. This recipe is gluten-free, but you can substitute regular all-purpose flour where I use gluten-free.
If you don’t make your own pie crust, now might be the time to start! It’s really easy. Super duper easy if you have a food processor.
Pro-Tip 1: COLD, COLD, COLD
I make gluten-free pie crust and you cannot tell it’s gluten-free. My biggest piece of advice to really good pie crust is to make sure that your BUTTER and your WATER are VERY, VERY COLD. Practically frozen.
Gluten-Free Single Pie Crust Ingredients:
1 cup gluten-free flour (we used Cup4Cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 T butter – chopped and put in freezer
3 T (approximately) chilled water (water with ice cubes)
How To Make Your Own Pie Crust At Home
You Need A Food Processor.
In your food processor, cut the (almost) frozen butter chunks into the flour and salt until the pieces are pea-sized. Gradually add chilled water, one tablespoon at a time, until a dough ball forms. Add a little more flour if the dough looks too wet.
Roll Out The Dough.
Remove dough ball and put on a clean surface – I roll all my dough on a granite slab that I bought at Sur La Table. It is inexpensive and perfect for rolling out dough.
Make sure the dough has enough flour on it so that it doesn’t stick to the roller or the rolling surface. Roll it out a few rolls at a time and rotate the dough circle a quarter turn – I don’t necessarily flip it over. Less is more. Don’t over-roll it.
I turn it over once, add a little more flour, and give it a few more rolls to get it to the right size.
A Fish Spatula Is Handy.
If you have a fish spatula – a super flat metal spatula – or a dough scraper – gently slide it under the dough to make sure the dough is not sticking at all to the surface.
Gently fold the dough in half and then half again and put it in your pie pan and gently unfold. Even out the edges with a sharp knife and make any necessary repairs. Make the edges look neat and fill with your pie filling.
Protect Your Edges.
When you cook your pie, make sure you protect your pie edges! I usually create a little foil crown to go around the edge so my hard work doesn’t get burned.
READY FOR PIE!!
So now you have your homemade pie crust … what are you going to put in it? We love making my dad’s pecan pie and apple crisp pie is another favorite since it doesn’t require a top crust, and this chocolate pie is non-traditional, but AMAZING!
