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No one will guess that this tender, golden, delicious pie crust is made with chickpea flour. Equally incredible: it is a one-bowl, so-easy, no-roll chickpea flour pie crust!
Happy Thanksgiving Eve, everybody! I hope that any stress is being dialed down, and the fun, relaxation, and good eats are amping up.
I am spending the next few days in Arkansas with my husband’s family. The weather could not be more beautiful–cool, crisp and sunny– and I am so thankful to be here. I have had the nastiest cold for the past week and a half and, thank heavens, I am finally on the mend, baking has been baked, and travel is complete.
Easy Grain-Free Vegan Pie Crust
So let’s get to this pie crust. I apologize for getting this out to all of you a few days late (this is the last of 3 grain-free pie crust posts: don’t miss the Tiger Nut Flour Crust and the Coconut Flour-Almond Flour Pie Crust).
With much protesting, I finally succumbed to spending some time in bed to get over this cold, which put my baking and posting schedule out of whack. But it’s always time to make more pie, right? And I know you will love everything about this easy pie crust.
Here it is: My No-Roll, Chickpea Flour Pie Crust!
Recipe Benefits
This healthy and easy pie crust is:
- Made without rolling (just press it into the pan!!!)
- Grain-free
- Gluten-free
- Vegan (made with coconut oil, or butter or ghee if not vegan)
- A one-bowl recipe
- Mixed and ready to bake in 10 minutes
No-Rolling Required
You read correctly: no rolling is required to make this pie crust. Further, you can mix up the crust in minutes, with vigor, in a single bowl (it is impossible to overwork the dough)–no mixer or food processor required. Yippee!
The dough is quite moist, a little bit crumbly, and, as you can see in the photo below, a sunny yellow (it is one of the only pie crusts I know of that gets lighter in color as it bakes!). I just want to assure you that that is exactly as it should be!
Put all of the dough in a 9-inch pie pan and press against the bottom and sides of the pan. There is enough crust to form a crimped edge, if you like, too.
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- chickpea flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour, besan, or ceci flour)
- coconut oil (I have options for alternative ingredients in the recipe card below)
- maple syrup (alternative sweetener options are provided in the recipe card Notes section)
You will also need a small amount of water (I use filtered tap water). I like to add salt to the crust, but it is optional or adjustable according to your needs.
Step by Step Directions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour and salt.
- Add the softened coconut oil, water and maple syrup; using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until completely blended (do not worry about “overworking” the dough–you cannot overwork it!)
- Evenly press the dough into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate, crimping edge, if desired.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Unbaked Crust: the crust is ready for use in baked pie recipes calling for an unbaked crust (i.e., simply fill and bake). It can also be loosely covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to fill and bake.
- Par-baked Crust: Prick the bottom of crust 5 to 6 times with fork. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and use in baked pie recipes calling for par-baked crust.
- Fully-baked Crust: Prick the bottom of crust 5 to 6 times with fork. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and use in recipes calling for fully-baked crust.
Delicious, Versatile & Fuss-Free
Like the other two grain-free pie crusts I’ve posted, this one is versatile for all of your favorite pies, including savory options. It has the short, tender texture of an all-purpose flour pie crust–really–but none of the fuss of proper mixing, rolling, and pie weights.
Happy baking, everyone!
Related Recipes
No-Roll Chickpea Flour Crust (V, GF, grain-free)
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups, 180 g chickpea flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, optional/adjustable
- 4.5 tablespoons 64 g coconut oil (see notes for options), softened
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour and salt.
- Add the softened coconut oil, water and maple syrup; using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until completely blended (do not worry about "overworking" the dough–you cannot overwork it!)
- Evenly press the dough into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate, crimping edge, if desired. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Unbaked Crust: the crust is ready for use in baked pie recipes calling for an unbaked crust (i.e., simply fill and bake). It can also be loosely covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to fill and bake.
- Par-baked Crust: Prick the bottom of crust 5 to 6 times with fork. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and use in baked pie recipes calling for par-baked crust.
- Fully-baked Crust: Prick the bottom of crust 5 to 6 times with fork. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and use in recipes calling for fully-baked crust.
If I use a mini muffin tin how long to bake for? And time for a standard size muffin tin?
Hi Natalia,
I have not made the crust in either type of muffin tin, so guesstimating: perhaps 6 to 9 minutes for mini muffin cups, and 10 to 12 minutes for the regular cups. Check at the minimum times, add more as needed 😊
Will olive oil work instead of butter/kokos oil?
Hi Sassy,
Very possibly, yes, but I have not tested it with olive oil.
It was better than I expected. I made a quiche. The pastry was crispy, with a good flavour. Next time I will make 1.5 times the ingredients. Definitely a keeper.
I am so glad it worked for your purposes, Gretchen!
I used this as a crumb crust on a pot pie. AWESOME!
Love pot pie! Glad it was a success, Sue! 🙂
No mention of greasing the pie dish before pie crust>
Hi Jo,
There is no need to grease the pie dish, simply press in the dough. The oil in the crust is plenty to keep the crust from sticking.
This has become my go-to crust! The hubs likes it too, and he eats a “regular” diet. Thank you!
Hello! Do you know how long this will last in the fridge? I made two days ago, but haven’t gotten to making my pot pie yet.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi there Shawna! I am guessing that you mean unbaked? Refrigerated I would say up to a week. I worry that it might have some crumbling issues if left for longer.
Thanks for the recipe, Camilla. I’m just starting to use Gram flour so was pleased to find your recipe.
I used sunflower spread (margerine), rather than the coconut oil, and didn’t use the maple syrup.
I made two savoury pies in ramekin dishes. I pressed the dough into the dishes and also roughly pressed two discs of dough to go on top. After chilling the dough, I filled the cases with a pre-cooked mushroom and vegetable mix, then put the tops on and crimped them with a fork.
Baked in the oven for 40 minutes at 350F (or Gas Mark 4 for some UK readers!).
The first pie was delicious and I’ll have the second one cold for lunch tomorrow.
Would the the dough be stable enough to make pasties ?
Hi Lizzie,
I have used it to make little turnovers, so yes, I think pasties should work!
I made this pie crust but I didn’t have any maple syrup so I substituted with a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses and used butter instead of coconut oil. This is a lovely recipe! I’ve had pie made with chickpea flour before so I knew what I wanted it to taste like and this was perfect.
That is fantastic, Kimberley! So pleased it was such a success with you.
Can you do withoutthe butter and can you do Gravesend oil in stead? Eating alkaline but don’t have coconut oil.
Hi SW!
I am pretty sure you are referring to grapeseed oil, yes? I do not think that that would work here. Coconut oil or nondairy plant butter (solid at room temp), or vegan shortening (like earth balance)–fats that are solid at room temp–will all work. Grapeseed oil would most likely be very oily.
Could I make a pie top out of this? Would I have to make it and refrigerate or…? Thanks in advance! 🙂
I think that would work as you describe, Priyanka (press out and chill or freeze).
This is a tried and true recipe in my kitchen. I use it for sweet and savory fillings and it is always great.
Can I use olive oil instead of coconut oil? I have made shaken hot water pastry (https://joannasfood.blogspot.com/2007/09/shaken-hot-water-pastry.html ) as my go to recipe all these days, but would like to move to chickpea flour.
Yes, Think that that should work, Nimmi
Hi! I’m hoping to make this recipe but my daughter can’t have dairy or coconut. Can I substitute for oil? (olive, canola, grapeseed are safe for us).
Thanks!
Hi Lydia! You could use a vegan shortening (I use Spectrum Organic Shortening , it is made from palm oil, no coconut. Some vegan shortenings have coconut oil. It produces a perfectly flaky crust)
You can also use a plant butter (vegan margarine; even my small Texas town has multiple brands in the supermarket, lot more variety than ever before). Earth Balance buttery sticks are my favorite, but also and Country Crock brand (the latter now has a very good variety, made with olive oil or one with avocado oil). The brand Miyoko’s Kitchen is excellent, but it contains coconut oil, so avoid it for your daughter. 🙂
Thank you Camilla, I think I have some shortening tucked away somewhere! I’ll give it a try!
Great, Lydia! 🙂
Is the maple syrup a necessity for the dough to be palatable? I tend to avoid any added sugar/sweetness.
Thanks!
Hi Molly,
No, you can skip it. Replace it with an equal amount of water 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! I tried making a crust from chickpea flour before, but I stuck more to the traditional shortbread process. And trying to roll the refridgerated dough that kept falling apart was so frustrating! Pressing it into the form and then refridgerating is so simple yet so ingenious, somehow.
Hurray!!!! Thanks for letting me know it worked out, Eva 🙂
So easy! Thank you. I used it for a dessert but now want to try with savoury flavours as well 🙂
I am thrilled with this wonderful pastry base. I used it tonight to make my pesto mushroom topped with mashed potato pie. I have to say the pie base was ridiculously good. Thankyou so much for sharing. I will be using this again.
That is so great to hear, Coral! What a delicious sounding pie, too!
How many grams of butter please? I never know how to work out tablespoons of butter (sorry UK mania for exact measurements). I usually think of one tablespoon as 15 grams so would that work here if I weighed the butter out accordingly?
Hi Norden,
I completely understand! I have been going back through older posts to update the measurements for European bakers, so thanks for asking, I have update the post.
4.5 tablespoons of butter is 63.5625 grams (I rounded up the measurement to 64 grams in the recipe). Cheers!
It all went wrong for me I’m afraid. – I ended up with such a sticky mess that I couldn’t get it off my fingers and into the quiche dish os it had to be abandoned before I even got to cook it. not quite sure where I went wrong but it was probably me error
So sorry to hear it, Jo. It sounds like it had more fat and liquid than normal; it should not be that sticky. I hope you consider giving it another go!
Hi there.
Do I use melted or softened butter? (The method says melted but ingredients list says softened)
Thank you 🙂
Sorry about that, Rachel, I have corrected it. It should be softened (but honestly, I have also made it with melted coconut oil and ghee, too, and it still comes out just great).
I tried this but it didn’t go too well haha, I’m sure it’s my fault though, will give it a try again soon 🙂
Thank you for all your recipes!
Oh no, sorry it did not work out, Mat! Let me know what went wrong, maybe I can troubleshoot the problem
Thank you for this. Worked well (minus maple syrup) in a quiche I made today. First time I used gram flour as it is the only one I can buy right now (National UK shortage at the minute due to lack of production lines)
I am so glad it worked for you, Rich! I completely understand re: the flour: shelves are bare of wheat flour in our supermarket. Chickpea flour to the rescue! 🙂
Camilla, I made this crust tonight to go with a savory filling and it was delicious and easy!I love flaky pie crust, but I avoid making my own…not any more…this was just as easy as you said…I love it!
I used butter and the crust was flaky and tender…no garbanzo taste either.
Thank you for sharing
Yay, yay, and YAY, June!!! I am so glad that you love this crust–it makes life so much easier to just press and go!
Hey! I love you’re blog 😀 Do you think this recipe would work for hot pockets?
Yes! You don’t have to roll, but you could roll it out (which would be the plan for hot pockets, yes?) by sprinkling your board with some more chickpea flour. Chickpea flour goes really well with savory!
Just made this today for a roast vegetable and goat cheese tart. So nice. Put the maple in before I read the part about leaving out for Savory but it’s not too sweet so worked well. So easy. And delicious. Not that I’m gluten free but so those who are can have it too.
Wonderful, Jo–sounds so delicious!
Hi , I am wondering whether it is possible to freeze, thaw and use later or would you roll out and freeze to use later?
This is a great recipe – i’ve used it a few times, thank you!
HI Kelly,
So glad the crust works so well for you!
Regarding freezing: definite *yes* for rolling out and pressing in a pie tine for future use (I have done it many times). I am *pretty sure* that making the dough and wrapping for a future roll will work well, too. I say this because I have made chickpea flour cut-out cookie dough ahead of time and frozen, and it word very well. I would think the same would be true for the chickpea flour crust :).
This worked out really well for a chocolate tofu, pie filling. It really is very easy to make to which I like. Thank you for the recipe.
We don’t use ‘cups’ in the UK. Do you have any idea what this is in grams please? Thank you for publishing the recipe.
Gill
Hi Gill,
Sorry about that! I started adding metrics to my new recipes a few months ago, but my older recipes do not have it. I will add it here.
One cup of chickpea flour is 120 g, so for 1 and 1/2 cups you will need 180 grams.
Cheers 😊
Love this recipe, it.s my go-to pie crust recipe. Really like the fact that you do not have to roll it out. And no need to pre-bake when making a fruit pie. Would definitely recommend to try this one!
😍❤️