This recipe for almond flour pie crust is tender and crumbly. It is lightly sweetened and is the perfect pie crust for fruit pies, chocolate pies, or even a twist on banana cream pie.
It helps if all the ingredients are cold but it isn’t necessary. I do usually freeze my shortening because it warms so quickly.
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cubed shortening and cut in with a pastry blender or mix on low until they are worked into the dry ingredients and are the size of peas. The dough will change colors when it is done being mixed. When the shortening is “under cut in” the flour mixture will look white and dry. When the shortening is appropriately mixed in, the flour mixture will look like wet sand. This is almost more important than the size of the shortening pieces.
Beat egg with a fork until smooth and no visible whites remain. Add to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Toss with a fork to incorporate or mix in on low.
Add just enough water to hold dough together. I used 2 tablespoons but this will vary. You want the dough to stay in a ball, so if chunks are falling out, then add some more water. It doesn’t take as much as you think! Roll into a ball, place on plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk.
Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Rolling & latticing the dough
Roll out to ¼ inch thick. If it cracks, it is a little too cold. Let it sit out for 5-8 minutes. This dough is more fragile than my other go-to crust, so I use the rolling pin method for transferring the dough to a pan. Gently roll the dough onto the pin and unroll it over your pie dish.
If you are make a single crust pie, decoratively crimp the edges, place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes and then either add your filling or pre-bake the crust. If making a double crust, roll out the top crust. You can lattice like I did with the strawberry rhubarb pie or you can just cut a few vent holes like in this peach pie. You can watch this video on how to lattice a pie crust on my Youtube channel.
How to pre-bake the almond flour pie crust:
Pre-heat your oven to 425 °F prior to adding the pastry to your dish, cut parchment paper to fit inside and crumple it into a ball. Smooth it out. Now it is flexible enough to line your dough without poking holes.
Cover chilled pie crust with prepared parchment, making sure to curl the edges over the entire crust. Add pie weights or fill with beans.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Remove parchment and either cool for a partially (par) baked pie crust, add filling per your recipe’s instructions, or continue baking uncovered until it is a golden brown in the center and no longer looks doughy. This last option is if you will not be baking the crust a second time with the filling like in banana cream pie or French silk pie.
Notes
Technique - This dough is more fragile than my other go-to crust, so I use the rolling pin method for transferring the dough to a pan. Gently roll the dough onto the pin and unroll it over your pie dish. Variations – This same recipe will work with hazelnut flour or any other nut flour you desire! Storage – This pie dough is easy to prepare in advance. Store it well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to a week and in the freezer for two months.Recipe from American Woman’s CookbookThis recipe yields enough pie crust for a single crust pie. You will need to double it for a double crust pie. Simply toggle to “2x” in the recipe card to do this easily! You can also freeze half of the dough for a later pie!