Flaky Gluten-Free Tart Crust

This flaky, buttery, gluten-free tart crust pairs beautifully with any filling. It can be used for tarts, and it is made with simple ingredients.

How To Make Gluten-Free Tart Crust

Making a gluten-free tart crust that is as flaky and delicious as traditional options can seem daunting, but it’s completely achievable with the right techniques and ingredients. Whether you’re preparing a sweet dessert like cranberry curd tart, lemon curd tart, pumpkin pie, or a savory classic like chicken pot pie, this guide will help you achieve success every time.

After experimenting with different gluten-free flour brands, I found Bob’s Mill cup for cup worked best for me. Also, King Arthur’s blend was quite good. The crust came out very flakey and rich, and working with those flour blends was easier than with other gluten-free flours, which tended to be crumbly and hard to roll.

The Basics of Gluten-Free Baking

Making a gluten-free tart/ pie crust requires a thoughtful approach, as lacking gluten means relying on alternative ingredients for structure and texture. A blend of flours often provides the best results, and many ready-made options are available. Look for one that combines components like rice flour and tapioca starch and may also include a binding agent for structure.

Cold ingredients are essential to creating a flaky crust. Butter or a dairy-free alternative should be kept chilled, as should the water (I like to use ice-cold water) you add gradually to bring the dough together. This attention to temperature ensures that the fat doesn’t melt too early, which is crucial to a tender and flaky result.

Tools to Simplify the Process

Having the right equipment can make preparing your crust much easier. A processor works quickly to combine the butter with the dry ingredients, but mixing by hand with a blender or even your fingers can work well, too. When rolling out your dough, it’s helpful to use parchment to prevent sticking.

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Pie Crust

Gluten-Free Flour Blend

This is the backbone of your tart crust, providing structure and texture. A high-quality blend typically includes rice flour, tapioca starch, and other gluten-free flour. For the best results, look for one with a neutral flavor and a fine consistency.

Butter (or Dairy-Free Alternative)

Butter is key to achieving a tender, flaky crust. Use good quality European-style butter (such as Kerrygold). This butter has a higher fat content, which will make rolling and working the dough much easier. Also, it tastes better and is grass-fed—a much healthier option.

The butter should be cold and unsalted, cut into small cubes, and worked into the flour. Substitutes like vegan butter work well and offer a buttery flavor for a dairy-free option.

Egg

Eggs help bind the ingredients together, giving the crust structure and flexibility. They also contribute to durability during shaping.

Xanthan Gum

Essential in gluten-free baking, xanthan gum acts as a binder, mimicking the elasticity of gluten. It prevents the crust from crumbling.

Coconut Sugar (for Sweet Pies)

Add it when you make sweet tart crusts; skip it when you make other pies or quiches or savory tarts.

Ice Water

Ice water brings the dough together without warming it, ensuring the butter remains cold. This helps create the flakiness that makes a pie crust irresistible. Add one tablespoon gradually to avoid making the dough too wet.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar helps with flakiness.

How to Make Gluten-Free Tart Crust with a Food Processor

Prepare Your Ingredients

• Measure your gluten-free flour blend, cold butter (cut into small cubes), xanthan gum, coconut sugar (for sweet pies), egg, apple cider vinegar, and ice water.
• Chill the butter and ice water for the best results.

Combine Dry Ingredients

• Add the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum, a pinch of salt, and coconut sugar, if using, to the food processor.
• Pulse a few times to combine the dry ingredients evenly.

Add Cold Butter

• Add the cold butter cubes to the food processor.
• Pulse in short bursts (5–7 times) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. The butter should be evenly distributed, with small pea-sized pieces remaining for a flaky texture. Do not overmix the butter, or you won’t have a flaky crust!

Incorporating Other Ingredients

• Next, add apple cider vinegar over top (this helps with flakiness) and egg. Put the lid back on, start the food processor, and immediately start to drizzle in ice-cold water. Add wter slowly and just enough so that the dough starts to sticks together when pinched. It looks a liitle bit floury and shaggy.
• Avoid overmixing to keep the crust tender.

Form and Chill the Dough

• Transfer the dough to a medium bowl or wooden board and use your hands to form it into a ball.
• It may appear slightly crumbly, but it should come together when pressed.
• Divide the dough into one or two discs (depending on your recipe). Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the dough.

Roll Out the Dough

• Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking.
• If cracks form, press the dough back together gently.

Assemble and Bake

• Transfer the dough to your pie pan or tart pan, press it into place, and trim the edges.
• Add your desired filling and bake as directed in your recipe.

For Blind Baking

• Line the crust with parchment paper, fill it with pie weights, and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes. Remove the weights, then bake for 5–10 minutes.

How to Blind Bake a Pie/Tart Crust

Blind baking ensures your homemade pie crust is perfectly baked and ready for filling. Follow these steps for a flawless crust:

Prepare the Crust

If baking your crust without a filling, blind baking is essential. Start by lining the chilled dough to prevent it from puffing up or losing shape.

Line the Crust with Parchment or a Coffee Filter

• Cut a piece of parchment paper or use an extra-large coffee filter.
• Crinkle the parchment into a ball and then flatten it out—this helps it fit snugly into the crust, covering both the bottom and edges.

Add Pie Weights or Beans

• Fill the lined crust completely with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Distribute them evenly to keep the crust flat and secure the sides.

Bake the Crust

1. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet (optional, for stability and spill prevention).
2. Bake in a preheated oven for 10–15 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden.

Remove the Weights

• Carefully lift out the parchment paper and weights together, being mindful of the heat.

Finish Baking

• Return the crust to the oven:
  • For a partially baked crust (ideal for custard or fruit pies): Bake for 5 more minutes until the bottom looks dry and set.
  • For a fully baked crust (perfect for cream pies): Continue baking for an additional 10–12 minutes until the crust is fully golden.

Blind baking ensures a crisp and sturdy base, ready to hold any delicious filling you choose!

Chef’s Tips for Making the Perfect Gluten-Free Tart Crust

Keep Everything Cold

The key to a flaky crust is cold ingredients. Chill your butter (or vegan alternative), flour blend, and mixing bowl. Use ice water instead of room-temperature water to ensure the butter stays solid until baking.

Don’t Skip the Rest Period

After mixing the dough, wrap it tightly and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and makes the dough easier to roll out. If you are leaving the dough overnight in the fridge and going to bake the crust the next day, make sure that you take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking.

Use Parchment or Wax Paper

Rolling out gluten-free dough can be tricky since it’s more delicate than traditional dough. Rolling it between two sheets of parchment or wax paper helps prevent sticking and makes transferring the dough to the pie dish much easier.

Work the Dough Gently

Overmixing or overhandling the dough can make it tough. Work quickly and stop as soon as the dough comes together.

Blind Bake for Single-Crust Pies

When the pie crust is in a pie pan, always make holes with a fork. Using pie weights (dried beans for example) helps prevent it from puffing up or becoming soggy when the filling is added.

Practice Makes Perfect

Gluten-free baking can take a little practice. Keep going even if your first attempt isn’t perfect. With time and experience, you’ll master the art of creating a flaky, golden crust.

Golden Crust

For a beautifully browned crust, brush the dough with egg wash before baking (I also love sprinkling it with brown sugar, demerara, or turbinado.

Experiment with Flours

Different gluten-free flour blends yield slightly different results. Experiment to find your favorite and stick with it for consistency

Troubleshooting Gluten-Free Tart Crust

Crust Is Too Crumbly

• Cause: The dough is too dry, or there isn’t enough binding agent.
• Solution: Add a tablespoon of ice water at a time and gently mix until the dough holds together. If your flour blend doesn’t include xanthan gum, add a small amount to improve elasticity.

Dough Is Too Sticky

• Cause: Too much water or warm ingredients.
• Solution: Chill the dough for 15–30 minutes and dust it lightly with gluten-free flour before rolling. Using parchment or wax paper can also help manage stickiness.

Dough Cracks When Rolling Out

• Cause: Gluten-free dough lacks elasticity, making it prone to cracking.
• Solution: Roll the dough between sheets of parchment paper for support. If cracks appear, patch them with small bits of dough and press gently to seal.

Crust Sinks or Shrinks in the Pan

• Cause: The dough wasn’t chilled enough, didn’t have the binding agent, or was baked without the weights.
• Solution: Always chill the dough before baking. For blind baking, press the dough firmly into the dish and use pie weights to hold it in place. Add xantam gum.

Crust Is Soggy

• Cause: The filling released too much moisture, or the bottom crust wasn’t baked enough.
• Solution: Blind bake the crust for single-crust pies to prevent sogginess. For fruit pies, sprinkle a light layer of gluten-free flour or ground nuts over the bottom crust to absorb excess liquid.

Edges Brown Too Quickly

• Cause: The edges of the crust are thinner and more exposed.
• Solution: Cover the edges with parchment paper or a pie crust shield halfway through baking.

Crust Doesn’t Hold Together

• Cause: Incorrect flour blend or insufficient binding ingredients.
• Solution: Ensure your flour blend includes a mix of starches and proteins. If not, add a teaspoon of xanthan gum or psyllium husk for better binding.

Crust Is Tough or Gritty

• Cause: Overworking the dough or using a flour blend with coarse grains.
• Solution: Mix the dough only until it comes together, and use a fine-textured gluten-free flour blend for a smoother crust.

Crust Burns Before Fully Baking

• Cause: Oven temperature is too high or baking time is too long.
• Solution: Check the temperature with an oven thermometer. If the crust browns too quickly but needs more time to bake through, cover it with parchment paper.

Can You Make the Dough Ahead?

Yes! You can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. So do not fret—you can make your dough way ahead of the Holidays!

How to Use Gluten-Free Pie Dough

• Any pie you want.
• Tarts
• Galette
• Quiche
• Pot pies

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