Since I always love a good culinary challenge, I decided to wing it and just make one up based on some of the grain-free baking I’ve done so far.
My first attempt was good but not amazing.
My family was pretty gracious about it and everyone had Pumpkin Pie on Thanksgiving but I couldn’t leave it alone.
I had an idea of what could make both the crust and pie filling recipe amazing and kept making both all weekend until I got it perfect!
I am so excited to share this paleo pie crust with you.
It is light and flaky, holds together beautifully, doesn’t crack when cut, and tastes like a traditional pie crust.
You can grab the Pumpkin Pie filling here!
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
This popular Paleo Pie Crust is so versatile. Free of gluten, grains and dairy, stays crispy and doesn't crack or break when filled and cut.
- 1.33 cups blanched almond flour
- .33 cup tapioca flour / starch
- 1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup organic palm shortening
- 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
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Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine almond flour, tapioca flour and sea salt in the bowl of a food processor (or blender). Pulse a couple of times to get out any lumps. (You can also use a hand mixer).
Add egg, palm shortening and vanilla extract.
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Pulse until dough starts to come together in the processor. It won't form a ball, you will have to scrape it together to get it out.
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Scrape all of the dough out, making sure that all of the egg and shortening were incorporated thoroughly. Place into a pie pan and begin the press the dough with your fingers from the middle out.
Keep pressing until the center is thin enough that you can see a shadow of the pan but the dough is not ripping or breaking. You need to be gentle and press slowly in short strokes.
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As you press the dough from the center and up the sides, you should begin to have a bit extra come up the sides and over the top. Use your finger to scrap this off.
Keep pressing until dough has a pretty even thickness all around. Take special care to flatten the "seam" or crease of the pan so you don't wind up with a thick doughy bite at the seam.
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Use a fork to poke several holes on the bottom and to gently indent the rim of the crust.
Place on a baking sheet and into the oven on the center rack for 12 minutes. Remove and place pie pan on a wire cooling rack.
Allow to cool and use in your favorite pie recipe! Enjoy!
- Almond meal (ground raw almonds with their skins on) and blanched almond flour (finely ground blanched and skinless almonds) are different. This Pie Crust used blanched almond flour and will not work with almond meal.
- I usually use Bob's Red Mill Tapioca Flour and have good results. I have heard that some tapioca flours can have a strong or bitter taste. This crust shouldn't have any off-taste, if it does, I would look at the brand of tapioca flour.
- Since every filling is different, I can't say for sure how this crust will hold up to every pie but with the Pumpkin Pie it stayed light, crisp, firm, and flaky after cooking for an additional hour at 350F, cooling, being refrigerated, and even later that night. It wasn't until about 24 hours later that I noticed the crust had gotten soggy.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
Update Notes: This paleo pie crust recipe was originally published in December 2013 and was last updated in November 2018.
Lynn says
Hi, all! All you have to do to keep a piecrust from becoming soggy is to paint the inside of it with egg white before filling. 😉
EverydayMaven says
Hi Lynn,
As long as you let this crust cool completely before filling it, it doesn’t get soggy!
ashley - baker by nature says
I LOVE this! Cannot wait to give it a go!
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living says
Alyssa – this looks fantastic – can’t even tell it has almond flour in it. I agree – both Honeyville and Bob’s Red Mill make really high quality almond flour.
Gabby says
Do you have the carb count on this pie crust?
Joanne says
I love that you just kept at it until you got something you were happy with…and the perseverance definitely paid off!!
EverydayMaven says
I love a good culinary challenge – it was so satisfying when I got it exactly how I wanted!
Amanda@ChewTown says
What a spectacular recipe for a paleo crust! Love it.
Norma Chang says
Congratulations. I have a friend who follows the paleo diet. am sending her to your blog.
EverydayMaven says
Thanks so much for sharing Norma!
John@Kitchen Riffs says
Almond flour is good stuff! We usually make a walnut crust when we want a grain-free (and gluten-free) crust, but this looks good. Need to give it a try! Thanks.
EverydayMaven says
Enjoy it John!
Hannah says
Fabulous, Alyssa! Having a good pie crust recipe on hand is essential over the holidays. I’m sure your family was happy to help you with this baking venture! 🙂
ela@GrayApron says
I’m all into experimenting with different crusts. Yours sounds fantastic…have to try it. Thanks 🙂 ela
EverydayMaven says
I hope you love it!